When you install a sump pump in your home to prevent water damage due to flooding, you have to test the system regularly. You may go months or even years without needing to use your sump pump. But when a heavy rain comes through, you want it to work right the first time. After all, that’s exactly why you invested in this system.
Our team has some tips for how you can test your sump pump each year to ensure it is in good working order. If you identify any problems, you can reach out to our team for sump pump repair in Edison, NJ. In the meantime, you can keep reading to learn more about the steps you can take to test each component of your sump pump.
Look Around for Signs of Damage
The easiest thing to do is complete a general inspection of your sump pump to look for obvious signs of damage. If you notice any nicks, dings, or dents, then there is a good chance there is also other damage that isn’t visible to you. It’s always a good idea to have one of our expert technicians check out the damage to determine if it is cosmetic or if it could affect how your sump pump operates.
Check the Drainage Pipe
Your next step is to check the drainage pipe for any obstructions. Ideally, you want water to be able to flow freely from your sump pump without any blockages. If there’s anything in the way of your sump pump drain, try to clear it away. If you can’t remove debris, our team may be able to help. There’s a chance that we could relocate your drain, or come up with another solution to prevent water from backing up into the sump pump and making the system less efficient.
Check the Electrical Connections
You also want to check the electrical connections on your sump pump. Most of these systems have two cords. There is a float cord that plugs into the wall and a pump cord that plugs into the float cord. If you remove the float cord and plug the pump cord directly into the wall, your sump pump should activate and begin making a gentle humming sound to indicate that it is operating. If you notice the signs of operation, you can then plug the pump cord back into the float cord as it was before you started your testing.
Test It With Water
The last step is to test your sump pump with actual water. You can dump a bucket of water into the sump pump and then go check the drainage pipe again to make sure that the water is flowing out as it should. If water is not coming out of the drainage pipe, you need to give our team a call for maintenance. Even if you check all of these items and your sump pump seems to be in good working order, it never hurts to have an expert complete a review.
Contact Scaran today to schedule an appointment with our professionals for all your plumbing needs.
