Well, we made it through another Buffalo winter, hopefully. This winter was one of the snowiest on record and even though we didn’t have any particularly dire snowstorms, there was snow on the ground practically all season long. We once again made it to St. Patrick’s Day though, and that means a few months of sunny skies and teasing warmth that makes us yearn for summer.
As homeowners and/or business owners, it’s important to be wary of what lies beneath when the season changes and not be distracted by calming warm days, as sump pump issues in the spring can be a big problem. The sump pump sits in the “sump pit” below the lowest level of your basement and collects any excess water from flooding your basement.
You don’t want to wait around to see what happens if you don’t keep your sump pump serviced and maintained with a professional Buffalo plumber, so let’s go over a few problems to avoid this spring.
Do You Have a Battery Backup for Your Sump Pump?
Power outages can happen in any season here in Buffalo, with high winds that can take a tree down and impact power lines. It’s important to know whether or not you have a sump pump with a battery backup. It’s pretty standard nowadays, but if you just purchased a home or you are looking at homes you should always find out if you have a backup battery power for your sump pump.
Dealing with a power outage is one thing, but dealing with an outage along with a few inches or feet of water in your basement is another. If you don’t have a battery backup for your sump pump you can find backup systems that will plug right in if you need it in a pinch.
Is Your Sump Pump Free from Debris?
It’s important to check your sump pump every few months to make sure there’s no debris in the sump pit. If you sump pump sits in the pit, there’s always a chance that silt and other debris can get sucked into your pump and cause issues. You can consider using gravel at the bottom of your pit to help avoid silt from getting into the pump, but definitely use stones that are large enough to not get sucked into the pump.
READ MORE: How to Prevent Sewer Backups During Buffalo’s Rainy Season
Is Your Float Switch Floating Properly?
If you’ve ever looked inside your toilet, you’ve seen a float switch. The sump pump float switch works practically the same way, telling the pump when to turn on or off, based on the water level in the pit. If you’re noticing your sump pump isn’t turning on or off, you may have an issue with your sump pump float switch. They can get stuck pretty easily, and sometimes it’s an easy adjustment. If you’re fload isn’t just stuck and you need a new one you can pick one up from the hardware store to replace it,
If you’re worried it may be something more than just the float switch, just give us a call and we will get out and take a look as soon as possible.
Is Your Sump Pump Discharging Water to the Right Place?
You’ll want to be aware of where your discharge pipe is draining the excess water. The discharge pipe is the larger pip that comes out of the sump pit. You want to ensure everything is properly connected and positioned correctly, otherwise it won’t function as it should. The other thing to consider is having a professional check on where your sump pump is draining to.
Without a properly installed sump pump discharge, your sump pump is basically useless. Clogged lines can cause flooding, and positioning it in the wrong place can lead to water pooling near the foundation and potential damage to your foundation. Big No No.
Have You Tested Your Sump Pump Recently?
Why wait until the first major spring WNY downpour? If you want to test your sump pump to see if she’s firing on all cylinders, just take a 5 gallon bucket of water and slowly pour it into your sump pit. Once there’s enough water to trigger your float switch, you’ll hear the sump pump turn on and so long as everything else is working properly, you’ll see the water level lower and know that the water is being pumped out and away from your home.
You’ll want to test this at least once a year or so, and springtime is the perfect time to test!
Hopefully this helped a few Western New Yorkers feel a little more confident in their ability to understand and test their sump pump this spring. If you cover these core areas and keep an eye on your sump pump you should be good to go for any snow melts or serious downpours. Having a fully functional sump pump can be the difference between needing to spend thousands of dollars due to a flood and accompanying issues like mold and water damage. We recommend getting in touch with our team here at Advanced Sewer & Drain Cleaning to take a look at your sump pump if you’re sensing any issues that you can’t seem to figure out. We look forward to hearing from you! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more WNY Plumbing Tips and some fun stuff!