We’re crossing our fingers that we’ve seen the last of snow and ice, but that means we’ll be moving on to Mother Nature’s next challenge: Rain!
After a hard rain, it’s always a shock to feel water on your feet when you step into your basement. A working sump pump is vital to preventing this from happening and to save any of your belongings kept down there. A sump is a reservoir below your basement that’s intended to fill up when groundwater levels increase. The sump pump moves that water up to ground level away from your house where it can drain properly, preventing your basement from becoming wet and moldy.
Problems With Your Sump Pump
When there’s a problem with your sump pump, you might notice:
- Standing water around the sump pit and even flowing farther into your basement.
- Smoke or steam coming from the pump, meaning it’s working too hard and is overheated.
- It’s cycling on and off frequently, or running for several minutes.
Possible Solutions
Depending on what the problem is, your pump might need to be repaired or replaced.
- Age – The typical sump pump should last for five to seven years, so if it’s having a hard time pumping the water out, it might just be getting too old.
- Size – Your pump may be too small for the amount of water coming into your property. Having a larger pump might do the trick.
- Electricity – Since a sump pump is powered by electricity, if the power goes out, it will stop doing its job. It’s a good idea to have a battery-powered pump for backup.
Before you think about removing the pump yourself, keep safety in mind. Working with an electrical appliance in water can be dangerous. We at Putman Plumbing have the knowledge to diagnose and fix the problem safely. Give us a call! We’ll have your basement dry in no time.
