HOW TO CHECK YOUR SUMP PUMP

Here at Arid Basement Waterproofing, we advise our customers in New Jersey and New York to check their sump pumps at least every season or when a big storm is in the forecast.  Testing the pump is fairly easy.  There are two ways you can test the pump, but one is preferred and more thorough than the other.

The first method is to reach down into the sump (pit) and with your finger lift up the float, usually that oblong, black or white ball that hangs off of the sump pump.  By lifting the float on the pump, you trigger the motor on and should hear the impeller (the device that moves the water up the pipe) become engaged and if there’s water in the sump, it will pump it out.  If there isn’t enough water in the sump or none at all, then you will just hear the motor run and no swish of the water up the discharge pipe.  The problem when there is no or little water in the pit and just hear the motor kick on, you don’t know if the impeller is properly working.  It could get stuck which happens from time to time (see below for remedy).

So that brings us to the second method and more thorough way of checking a sump pump, which is to pour water down in the sump via garden hose or a couple to a few buckets of water.  You basically need to pour enough water in the pit so that it triggers the float by itself, engages the pump’s motor and hence, the impeller should drain the water in the sump.  If the water you pour engages the pump and the water gets dispelled, then your pump is working properly.  If the water you poured just sits there and you hear the motor on but nothing is getting pumped out, then you have something wrong with your impeller.  As crazy as it sounds, grab the discharge pipe (typically PVC pipe) that is hooked up to the pump and give it a jiggle.  Sometimes a little pebble or piece of gravel gets lodged and impedes the impeller and the giggle will jar it loose.  If after you do that or if you experience nothing after you pour enough water down into the sump to engage the float, unplug the pump and call a professional, a basement waterproofing company or plumber, to check it out or change out the pump.