Your sump pump is an extremely important plumbing aspect of your home. It keeps your basement from flooding if there is excess water in your sump pit by pumping it out and into the wastewater system. Without it, or if it’s not functioning properly, water will flow into your basement and cause a lot of damage. With most sump pumps lasting an average of about 10 years, how do you know when it’s about time to replace your sump pump?
Odd Noises
You should never be hearing loud noises come from your pump. If you’re in the basement and hear strange clanging sounds, a loud motor noise, or other noises you don’t usually hear from it, it’s a sign that something inside the system is failing or broken and may need to be replaced.
Rust You Can See
Rust is never a good sign – especially when it’s around your sump pump. If you notice brown discoloration, it could be from a corroded battery, but it could also be from bacteria, which is known as Iron Bacteria. While it’s not dangerous to your health, it certainly can cause problems within the sump pump system by clogging it. A new, rust-free sump pump is vital for it to work properly.
Vibrating When Running
If a sump pump accidentally sucked up some hard debris, it might have damaged internal parts of the system, including the impellers. If you notice that the sump pump shakes or vibrates a lot whenever it’s working, it’s most likely damaged beyond repair and will need to be replaced. Sump pumps should be relatively stable and shouldn’t be shaking excessively whenever they’re running.
If You’ve Had a Lot of Power Outages
Your sump pump is actually part of your electrical system as well as your plumbing system. Because of that, if your home experiences frequent power outages, your sump pump will likely be affected. Any time you experience a power failure your sump pump may turn off too and might need to be replaced sooner to account for all the outages. You may even want to get an auxiliary pump installed for when you experience outages as a battery backup.
Consistently Running
Your sump pump should only be running when it needs to be, which is whenever there’s excess water in the basement at risk of flooding it. If it runs consistently, even when there’s nice weather outside, it probably means that the pump can’t handle the water flow. It might be due to a switch problem, broken valve, a too-big or too-small pump, or too much rainfall. You will most likely need a different sump pump that will be able to handle the needs of your space.
Contact Us Today
If you notice a problem with your sump pump, it’s best to get it checked out by a professional sooner rather than later. If there is an issue with it that you wait to get tended to, it could cause greater and costlier problems. At PGA Inc, we have expertly trained, efficient individuals who will be able to fix your heating, cooling, plumbing, or electrical issues in no time.
With experience in maintenance, repairs, and installations, whatever you throw our way we’ll be able to help you with. For professional installation for your sump pumps in Wausau, call us for your consultation today.
