What You Need to Know about Riverwoods Sump Pump Repair

A sump pump is a key tool in keeping water out of your basement, especially in areas prone to heavy rain. A sump pump collects ground water in a pit and once it reaches the float’s threshold, it pumps it away from the foundation to prevent flooding. Of course, that only happens if your sump pump is working correctly though. If your sump pump won’t turn on or isn’t pumping out water, find out what you need to know about sump pump repair!

A sump pump has the following components that may fail and need to be repaired:

Sump Pit – A sump pit is a lined hole in the floor, which means over time the liner can crack due to freeze-thaw cycles and leak, allowing water to escape. The pit can also fill with sediment from water coming in, which makes the water harder to pump out because it’s too thick to move through the pump and discharge pipe. In this case, the pit will need to be cleaned out, and the liner may need to be replaced.

Intake Screen – If the screen on the bottom of your sump pump (which is meant to strain out debris) gets clogged, it won’t let water pass through. This is an easy fix – just clear it off and scoop out anything else from the pit that could clog it.

Float Switch – The float assembly is a buoyant device that rises and falls with the water level to turn the pump on and off. If it gets stuck, bent, or broken due to debris in the water or corrosion, it won’t work properly. Similarly, if the internal switch’s electrical contacts wear out, the unit won’t turn on and off even if the float itself is able to move freely. A broken float can typically be replaced, but a broken internal switch will typically require replacing the unit.

Motor – A sump pump’s motor is the heart of the system. Just like any other powered device, if the motor fails, it won’t run. A burned-out sump pump motor usually results from old age, frequent usage, or incorrect sizing for the home. However, regardless of the cause, a sump pump will need to be replaced if the motor fails.

Check Valve – A sump pump has a one-way valve that prevents water from flowing back into the pit after the pump stops. If this valve fails, water that has been pumped out will flow back into the pit, causing the unit to run continuously and greatly increasing the chances of burning out the motor.

Pump Housing – The pump housing is the “shell” on the unit that encases all the internal components. If this gets cracked, it can expose internal components to wear that they should have been protected from, allowing them to fail prematurely. A cracked or corrosion causing operational sump pump issues will result in the unit needing to be replaced.

Impeller – A sump pump impeller is a spinning fan-like blade inside that moves water to pull it out of the pit and push it through the discharge pipe. If it gets jammed, cracked, or loose, it won’t work effectively (or at all), allowing water to remain in the pit. This is another failure that may result in needing to replace the sump pump unit.

Discharge Pipe – The pipe that water flows through when being pumped out can get clogged with sediment or fill with organic growth, preventing water flow. If this happens, no matter how hard a sump pump works, it will not be able to effectively remove water. Carefully unclogging this pipe is critical to restoring functionality.

Power Cord – Power is needed to run a sump pump, but electrical components don’t like water. If the cord gets damaged by water or movement during operation, it may not correctly send power to the unit. Be careful when trying to diagnose the problem if you believe it may be electrical in nature to avoid getting a serious shock.

Weep Hole – A weep hole near the top of the pump housing relieves air pressure to prevent an air lock. If it gets clogged an air lock can occur, which prevents water from getting pumped out even with the unit running properly. Clear the weep hole out to allow air pressure to be relieved once again.

When your sump pump isn’t working, we can help! Call us today at 1 (800) 674-9130 for Riverwoods sump pump repair! We’ll get your sump pump fixed or replaced right away so you don’t need to worry about flooding.