How to Know When to Replace Your Sump Pump

For peace of mind, having a working sump pump is absolutely necessary as our geographic area regularly suffers from flooding due to heavy rains. For your home’s best protection, it is important to have an annual service appointment for your sump pump. We typically recommend the pump be replaced every 5-6 years.

The purpose of your sump pump is to remove water that builds up around your basement or foundation. The water that collects in the sump basin is ground water, and then the sump pump is activated, it pumps the water out of the basement through a discharge pipe and delivers it out onto the lawn or to a municipal storm sewer. In addition to your sump pump, the battery back-up system will give you continued peace of mind during those major rains. Should your home lose power, the primary pump become overwhelmed, or if the primary pump fails, the battery back-up system makes sure the water keeping getting pumped out.

A sump pump has a float connected to a switch, and when the float rises with the level of the water, it triggers the motor to turn on and off based on the level of the water. Replacing an older but still operating pump is recommended because over time, the cycling on and off wears out the switch. A worn-out switch will fail to trigger your pump motor to turn on, resulting in flooding; or a worn-out switch stays in the open position causing the pump to run continuously, which will burn out the pump’s motor, again, leaving your home open to potential flooding.

Call Bratschi Plumbing of Winnetka, IL for an annual check and/or replacement of your sump pump and battery back-up system. What may seem like an unnecessary expense, in reality, the cost of replacing your sump pump is small compared to the high cost of damage to your home caused by flooding.