3 Signs You Need to Have Your Sump Pump Repaired or Replaced

Your home's sump pump is a small but essential part of your plumbing and works to keep water from flooding your basement. However, like all complicated systems, sump pumps are susceptible to wear and damage over time.

An improperly functioning sump pump can cause a lot of problems for your home because it will be unable to remove water from your basement fast enough to prevent flooding. This can cause excessive amounts of water damage, which can be complicated and expensive to fix.



Thankfully, there are a number of warning signs associated with a failing sump pump. By keeping an eye out common warning signs, you'll know when to contact a professional to either service and repair your sump pump or replace it entirely. Doing this early ensures that you don't have to deal with the more complicated issue of cleaning out a flooded basement.

Another key indicator of an improperly functioning sump pump is if you notice any sort of loud noises when the sump pump is in operation. Keep in mind that the low hum of the pump itself is normal. However, any sort of squealing, screeching or grinding noise can point to a mechanical problem.

You should contact a plumbing professional as soon as these disruptive noises occur. Beyond simply being annoying, they are representative of increased wear and tear on your sump pump's components. Not having your pump replaced or repaired can lead to the failure of your entire pump - resulting in serious water damage in your home.

During periods of heavy rainfall, you expect your sump pump to turn on reliably. However, if you notice that your sump pump is constantly cycling on and off, then you should get in touch with a professional straight away.

Cycling can occur for two main reasons. One possible reason is damage to the power supply, which means that your sump pump is likely to fail sometime in the near future. Another reason is that there is some sort of damage or malfunction to the float valve, which causes the sump pump to start working when water reaches a certain level in the reservoir.

On the other side of the spectrum, a sump pump that never cycles off - i.e. it constantly runs, even during dry periods - can be caused by the same sort of damage. In which case, constant use quickly burns out and wears away the components of your sump pump.

Either way, a cycling sump pump points to impending pump failure in the near future and indicates that you are at an increased risk of suffering from basement flooding and water damage.

For any questions or concerns that you may have about your sump pump, you can contact us at D&S Plumbing and Septic. Our team of highly trained professionals will be able to help you with any plumbing problems you may have.