No one gives much thought to their sump pump, until it breaks. Then, one day they are standing on the basement steps, looking across a field of water and wondering if there's any hope of saving the pool table. While the sump pump is not something that your friends will ever see, and you hope that you never have to see it either, it is a vital piece of equipment. It is important that you use the highest quality pump you can and give yourself the additional protection of a battery operated backup.
The troubleshooting part of your owner�s manual will give you information on what to do in a situation where your pump is not responding as it should. If you have performed the advised cleaning process and your pump still fails to work, you need to check the electrical system. If your pump is plugged into an outlet much like any other appliance outlet, unplug your pump and try plugging in a clock or lamp that you know works. Also check that the breaker is on. If your pump still fails to start, a manual will instruct you to do the following: reset the switch on the motor, check to see that the switch activated by the float is operational, verify that the motor is not burned out from being overused while in the clogged state. As a last resort, your manual will instruct you to check the float switch by moving it up and down. This will have the effect of cleaning dirty switch contacts and operation should resume immediately. Note that the switch should be replaced frequently, and if the switch can be removed, you may want to try and repair the damaged part yourself.Regardless of what model of sump pump you have, problems associated with pump failure are universal. For this reason, virtually every sump pump owner�s manual offers the same tips for pump failure prevention. Although any number of problems may arise with your pump, including a jammed or broken control switch or a burned out motor, the first rule of prevention is to keep your pump clean. Clogging is a major issue in sump pump maintenance. Dirt, debris and a variety of other foreign objects can build up causing a blockage in the inlet screen. The screen's function is to remove small particles of waste along with the water, but it can only handle so much. To properly clean your sump pump, use a pair of rubber gloves to collect all debris. Next, take a garden hose and fill the pump with water. As you fill the pump with water, the float will rise causing the pump to activate again. If your float rises but does not start the system, it is time to consult the troubleshooting section in your manual.Experienced plumbers are accustomed to calls from panicked customers who need their basements pumped out, and the sump pump replaced or fixed. When basements are constructed in an area with a high water table, this is bound to happen. The water table is the point in the ground at which lower levels of ground are saturated with water. Think of it this way, how deep do you have to dig in your yard before the hole fills with water?Water can be combated by recognizing that you will never beat it, but you can redirect it because water will take the easiest route. This is where sump pumps come in. Homes in areas that are prone to flooding, or have high water tables, are constructed so that the water is directed to a certain spot. There it can collect and then be pumped out via the sump pump.Now, imagine for a moment what happens if that sump pump should fail. The water that is collecting has nowhere to go and will simply continue to increase until it equalizes with the water pressure outside. Essentially, the water level inside your basement will increase until it is at the same point as the water outside your basement. This is why it's vital that you choose the proper pump.When that hole fills with water, you've found your water table. In some areas you don't have to dig very deep to find it. When you put part of a home below that water table, it is inevitable that water will find its way in to those lower areas. It can seep in through cinder block walls as well as up through the basement floors.
Sump pumps are electrical appliances. Loss of power during a severe thunderstorm is the perfect recipe for a flooded basement. And many insurance companies will not cover flood damage that occurs due to sump pump failure unless there is a special rider on the policy. When you have the battery backup, you won't have to worry about your basement flooding the next time the lights go out. When you choose a reputable, knowledgeable contractor to install your sump pump, you won't have to worry about losing the pool table.
Author: Nick Messe
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