Gravel surrounds the sump pump in the hole when some contractors install sump pumps, they may forget to explain how sumps work and what to look out for if a sump pump is broken or inefficient. In our decades of experience, we’ve discovered a few tips and tricks to keep your sump running smoothly all year.
To begin, we recommend that all homeowners first check to see if their sump pump is operational. This can be accomplished by plugging your sump pump directly into a wall outlet. Determine which plugins go directly to your sump and which go to a float mechanism that activates your sump pump. By directly plugging your sump pump into a wall outlet, you will bypass the float mechanism and it should turn on immediately if connected to power. This test confirms that your sump is operational; however, make sure to reconnect your sump to the float or it will run indefinitely.
The next step is to reconnect your sump pump to the float mechanism and then to the wall. The float allows your sump pump to be activated only when there is enough water in your sump pit. If you notice your sump pump isn’t pumping water out when connected to the float, if the water line is noticeably above your float mechanism, or if the water line is nearly reaching the bottom of your floor, there could be a few issues you need to address right away.
Then plugging your sump pump directly into a wall outlet will assist in identifying the problem. Hopefully, your sump pump will activate and pump the water away from your house. If this still does not work, the best course of action is to contact a foundation expert to quickly identify the problem. Our team of experts can quickly help you prevent and reverse any foundation-related disaster because we’ve been in business in Sherwood Park and Surrounding Edmonton Area.
A sump pump is installed after the sump hole is filled with cement. Sump pits are 20-gallon containers that are placed in a convenient location in the basement, with the top of the pit at floor level. The pit is installed when the home is built recently. However, older homes (typically built in the 1950s and 1960s) may not have a sump installed. The water from the weeping tile system that surrounds your foundation drains into this pit and is pumped outside by a submersible pump near the pit’s bottom.
During heavy rains, one function of the sump pit is to discharge weeping tile water outside rather than into the overburdened sewer system. Another option is to drain excess water trapped beneath the floor slab. Effective drainage and maintenance are critical. If the pit is not maintained, it can fill with water and leak into your basement from the ground up.
Sump pits have been installed in many homes where the weeping tile system drains into the sewer. This pit is connected to the catch basin beneath the floor. The sewer backup valve will close during heavy rains and flooding, preventing weeping tile water from entering the sewer. This water is pumped outside after being diverted to the pit. This process can only occur when the sewer backup valve is closed, which our specialists will determine in your home before any work begins.