Knowing about frequent sump pump maintenance is essential to helping your house thrive if you’re a homeowner. This mechanism detects excessive water, which is vital in the event of a burst pipe or flood. At a minimum, you should be inspecting it once a year — but you would probably benefit from more frequent check-ins every few months.
You can only rely on the pump if everything is in working order. Here are eight reasons to schedule regular maintenance for your sump pump.
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1. Ensures Effectiveness
Sump pump maintenance is critical if you want to rely on it to function correctly. Waiting for a heavy rainstorm or plumbing issues runs the risk of the pump not working to protect your home. Making appointments with a plumber or performing the checkup yourself ensures your basement is ready for extra water.
2. Keeps the Pump up to Date
Servicing your sump pump annually ensures it’s not too old and will work the way it should in your time of need. A healthy pump will stick around for seven to 10 years, so knowing when you have to replace it is crucial. You can feel more confident in your house’s ability to resist a flood when you stay on top of the age of your sump pump.
3. Lowers Costs
Replacing your whole sump pump can be expensive when you add the price of the equipment and potential labor costs. Checking on your sump pump frequently prevents broken or old parts from damaging the rest of the system. Buying a new filter or clearing what’s blocking the discharge pipe costs much less than replacing the entire pump. Additionally, it could reduce how much you spend on restoration following a heavy storm or flood.
4. Finds Replacement Opportunities
Perhaps your home hasn’t experienced heavy rains in a long time or you’re new to a high-risk flood area. A professional who inspects your sump pump regularly is likely to stay on top of the risk factors in your area and can recommend upgrades. A high-powered sump pump can cost over $3,000, but you may need it if you live in a vulnerable region. However, you won’t know if you don’t perform sump pump maintenance.
5. Helps You Find the Right Size Pump
Your current pump may be too big or too small for your house. It might sound like a good idea to have the biggest sump pump possible, but it can actually die faster because it has to work harder. On the other hand, one that’s not big enough will be unable to keep all the water out of your basement. Scheduling regular maintenance with a plumber can help you judge if you need to expand or shrink your system.
6. Discovers Electrical Problems
Your sump pump requires electricity to run. Any issues with the outlet, circuit breaker or fuses can cause it not to function when needed. A plumber can help you by providing the necessary tests to ensure the switch will trip when there’s too much water in your basement. They’ll also likely be able to give you information on reliable products and companies if anything needs replacing or you’d like to install a generator.
7. Maintains the System
There are quite a few parts to your sump pump system. If any of these components fail, you could end up with a basement full of water. For example, there could be nothing wrong with the whole pump, but water will drain back in if something clogs the discharge pipe. Additionally, the system won’t turn on at all if the pressure sensor doesn’t work. Regular sump pump maintenance can prevent these from happening, even if you think the system is fine.
8. Ensures Proper Installation
There could be problems with the sump pump’s installation, whether you just bought your home or have been living there for years. Someone could have placed the sump pit in the wrong area or used the wrong-sized gravel, which can cause problems. Having a plumber look at your sump pump can verify everything is running and in place as it should be.
Prevention Is Key to Sump Pump Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is vital, even if you don’t use your sump pump much. You never know when you’ll need to rely on the system to keep excess water out of your home. Performing regular maintenance can help you rest assured your basement will be ready for a storm or burst pipe.
