Why Is My Sump Pump Not Working

A lot of homeowners at night sleep well despite the rain because they know that they have a reliable sump pump in the basement. They no longer have to worry about potential flooding or water damage expenses because the sump pump does all the work for them in the background. So imagine coming home to your basement and finding out that your sump pump is not working. Close to being a nightmare, isn’t it? What can be the reasons behind it? If you are clueless about why your sump pump stopped working, check out this list.

Reasons Why Your Sump Pump Is Not Working

There are a couple of reasons why a sump pump may not work. Yours may have the same problem as these; check out each one to know what intervention should be done to make it work again.

Your pump may not be installed properly

A common mistake made by many is the failure to install a check valve on the discharge line. This causes a backflow that causes the motor to unscrew the motor shaft. You may have the impression that the motor is still running because of the sound. However, when the pump impeller rotates backward because of the backflow, it stops pumping water and leads to further damage over time if not attended to immediately. So when installing your sump pump, make sure to follow the instructions in the manual carefully.

There may be a power outage

If your sump pump is electric powered, it may stop working once a power outage occurs. This is not a once-in-a-blue-moon experience especially if your place is prone to experiencing a lot of storms and heavy rains. A short power outage may be harmless, but a prolonged power outage may cause your sump pump to completely stop pumping water down the drain and cause flooding in your basement. A good way to prevent this and to lessen the damage caused by power outages, you can opt to invest in a backup generator to keep it functioning even when the electricity goes out.

You may have to check your switch for stuck ups

Sump pump maintenance and regular checkups are important because it prevents this circumstance. As days go by, the possibility of debris lodging or jamming the float is more likely to happen. There is also a possibility that the float may cause the switch to rest against the pump’s sides. These instances usually lead to a problem with the switch as it gets it lodged and stuck instead of functioning properly.

You may have the wrong sump pump

When choosing a sump pump to install on our basements, we are advised to check the horsepower you need first. Sump pumps have different horsepower variants to cater to different water draining needs. If you get a sump pump that is too big compared to what you really need, it may end up working too much that its lifespan may be shorter than you want it to be. On the other hand, if your sump pump is too small, it may not be able to pump out all the water entirely. It may be forced to work on its maximum capacity continuously which may also lead to wearing out.  

Your pipes may not be working

There are a lot of reasons why your pipe may not be functioning the way it should be. One is the possibility of it being clogged with debris and the other one is it can possibly be frozen. Pipes normally freeze especially during the winter, however, you have to make sure that your discharge lines are working smoothly too. Proper maintenance usually does the trick. Always inspect for the presence of debris to prevent pipe clogging.

Your sump pump may be corroded and old

Everything has a limit and your sump pump has one too. No matter how heavy duty and high quality your sump pump is, it is still prone to corrosion especially if there is a huge amount of water being drained. If corrosion is your main problem, it might help to call an expert to help you check if it can be fixed. However, if your sump pump stops functioning because of old age, then you may have to consider replacing it with a new one.

Conclusion

Sump pumps are made to last for a long time especially if you go for high-quality models. If your sump pump stops functioning, then there may be a problem that you need to address. A sump pump that does not function right after purchase may indicate a defective unit. However, if your sump pump has been around for some time, you can check out the following examples mentioned above to have an idea of what to check if in case your sump pump stops functioning. Among all the factors mentioned above, one thing remains to be evident. Proper maintenance is essential to keeping your sump pump working effectively and lasting for a long time.

Guest Contributor: Gourav Sharma