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Sump Pump Replacement Tips and Tricks from Roto-Rooter Professionals

When the basement floods, nobody is a happy camper. Anything that is flooded in a house can result in thousands of dollars in potential damage cleanup and repair. If there were something, you could do to prevent your basement from flooding again, would you be interested? No matter what is causing the flooding, sump pump replacement is your answer to help minimize the effects of water in your basement. Whether water in your basement is because of faulty plumbing or wet ground around the foundation, here is the Roto-Rooter guide for correctly replacing your sump pump.

Locate the sump pit in your basement and test the float switch to make it turn on. A float switch is a switch with a plastic float attached. When enough water fills the pit to make the float move upward, a switch engages to turn on the sump pump and remove the water from the pit.

Test the sump pump by pouring a bucket of water into the pit. If the pump is operating properly, it will turn itself on, remove the water then turn itself off. Note that the switch is usually the first part to fail on a sump pump. When switches fail, they often work intermittently for a time before failing altogether. If the switch fails, you can no longer rely on the pump to protect your home from flooding. The switch parts can be expensive so it is usually considered more cost effective to simply replace the entire sump pump.

Normally, the check valve and drainpipe connected to your sump pump can be re-used unless they have been in service for a very long time. Many plumbers prefer to go ahead and swap out the check valve in the pipe if they’re going to the trouble to replace the pump. It’s one less thing to worry about.

Consider installing a battery-operated backup sump pump that will continue to function properly even if your electricity is out for an extended period. Battery life is usually around 12 hours so if your power is off for an extended period you may have to bail by hand or replace the battery.

If you need help installing or replacing a sump pump, contact the plumbers at Roto-Rooter. We’re on hand to help you with any routine plumbing maintenance. We’re also on call 24/7 to address any flooding or water damage emergencies if your sump pump should fail.

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