Where flooding is an issue in your home, having a sump pump installed can be lifesaving. These pumps remove rainwater away from the foundation of your house during heavy downpours, keeping your basement and foundation dry while saving costly restoration projects later on.
If your sump pump can’t keep up with heavy rainstorms, its motor may have reached its lifespan and requires replacing with something more efficient that lasts longer. A new pump would work much more effectively while being less strainful to use and therefore would last much longer.
Checking your sump pump regularly to make sure it can handle the volume of water brought in during a storm is essential to its continued operation. A classic sign that something may be amiss with your pump is its loud motor; noise coming from it could signal loose or worn-out parts causing it to overheat and break down completely.
As a way of testing your pump, fill it with water and observe its performance for as long as it takes for the pump to drain it out of its basin. If the pump cycles on and off repeatedly, that may indicate there may be an issue with its float switch position or may lead to basement flooding – both serious issues that are potentially hazardous for children and animals alike.
Even though it can be challenging to make time for regular maintenance on your sump pump, neglecting this system could lead to costly and disruptive repairs down the road. Set a reminder on your phone or hire a professional service for this task to clean and inspect your sump pump once every month or seek professional assistance for this task.
Your sump pump pit should feature a check valve to prevent water dispensing from the pump from cascading back down into its pit, clogging up your pump. If this check valve breaks or leaks, this could indicate seal failure that needs to be addressed immediately and replaced with new seals. If your sump is leaking from its discharge pipe, this could also indicate seal failure and replacement needs to take place immediately.
If your pump has become infiltrated with iron bacteria, it may be time for replacement. Gel-like deposits can clog pumps and make them ineffective – leaving your basement open to flooding and damage. At Pristine Plumbing in South Orange we can assist in finding the ideal sump pump replacement option for your property.
No matter if you opt for a pedestal or submersible sump pump installation, costs vary widely. Pedestal pumps feature motors mounted above their basin while submersible models sit completely submerged within it. Pedestal models tend to be easier than submersible models to install yourself but the labor cost could still exceed DIY installations; generally a plumber would charge anywhere between $75-150 an hour to connect your pump and drainage pipes to existing house wiring systems.