A Sump Pump Maintenance Checklist

Why it matters

Groundwater collects around your foundation through weeping tiles and drains into the sump pit. When the water rises, a float switches the pump on and sends the water outside. If the pump fails, the pit overflows and the basement floor is next. In Burlington, the busiest times are spring snowmelt and heavy summer thunderstorms. A pump that has not been tested since last year may have a stuck float, a clogged intake or a seized motor, and you will not know until the water arrives.

Step by step

Every three months

1. Lift the lid and look into the pit. Remove debris, gravel and anything that has fallen in.
2. Ease a bucketful into the crock; the pump should come on, drain it and switch off without hesitation.
3. Listen for grinding, rattling or a pump that runs without moving water.
4. Check that the float moves freely and is not catching on the pit wall or the cord.

Once a year, before spring

1. Disconnect power and raise the pump if its design allows. Clean the intake screen.
2. Check the check valve on the discharge pipe. When the motor quits, nothing should run back down.
3. Walk outside and follow the discharge. The outlet belongs far from the walls and pointed away from the property next door.
4. Pull the main pump plug, top the pit up with a bucket, then confirm the battery unit kicks on. Check the battery's age and terminals.
5. Make sure it has a live receptacle of its own, not a long cord.

Before winter, make sure the outdoor discharge line will not freeze or be buried by snow.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a silent pump is a healthy pump.
• Draining the discharge directly beside the foundation, so the same water cycles straight back.
• Running the pump on a ground-fault outlet that trips without anyone noticing.
• Forgetting the backup battery for years until it no longer holds a charge.
• Connecting a sump discharge to the sanitary sewer, which is not permitted in most cases.

When to call a plumber

Phone us for a pump that buzzes without moving water, runs in dry spells, flicks on and off rapidly, or is a decade old and original. Noisy check valves and water flowing back into the pit are also worth a look. If you rely on a battery backup, have both pumps checked together. Similar seasonal routines suit other gear in the house; the chapter on tankless water heater descaling covers a similar routine, and tank versus tankless water heaters may help if you are weighing an upgrade.