There are some common problems that can cause a sump pump to fail. Find out more here!
If you have a sump pump at home, you may know just how they seem to cause problems at the most inopportune times. A well-functioning sump pump, however, is the last line of defense from potentially thousands of dollars of damage to your home! It’s important to understand some of the things that can commonly cause the failure of a sump pump.
1. No Power
You may have experienced this during a particularly nasty storm. Sump pumps need electricity to function – without power, they’re useless. This problem can be mitigated through installing a high-quality backup sump pump or a generator.
2. A Stuck Switch
The switch triggers the sump pump to turn on, but sometimes a switch can get stuck. This could lead to the sump pump not activating and in turn causing basement flooding. The most common types of switches are called vertical and tethered floats, but mechanical pressure switches are not unheard of. An experienced plumber can diagnose this problem and correct it.
3. Too Much Water to Process
Sometimes there’s too much water for the sump pump to be able to deal with effectively. Not all sump pumps are created equal, and your local plumber can determine whether you need a more powerful one in your home to deal with the water flow.
4. Discharge Pipe Froze
A common problem during the winter, the discharge pipe can freeze if it isn’t pitched properly. If the pipe freezes, there’s nowhere for the water to flow except back into the sump pit causing, you guessed it, a basement flood. Now, before the winter freeze, is the perfect time to have this checked out and corrected.
5. Old Age
Unfortunately, a sump pump isn’t built to last forever. They usually last anywhere between 5 and 7 years. If your sump pump is getting to be around that age, it may be time to call your local plumber to have it replaced. Don’t wait until your basement is already flooded!
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Alpha Plumbing is a full-service plumbing and contracting company serving the Baltimore and Annapolis metro area with expertise in all aspects of plumbing. We’re family-owned and operated since 1991 from our office in Pasadena. We offer quality plumbing services at reasonable rates in a timely fashion. Our trucks are equipped with GPS systems to ensure we’re prompt and on time. No job is too large or too small! We maintain a fleet of well-stocked trucks and also own and operate our own backhoes for jobs requiring excavation.
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