The Sump Pump Only Works When Someone Tests It: Keep the Basement Dry Between Your Visits

Many basements have a sump pit in one corner, a lid over it, a pump inside, and a pipe running outside the house. The pump is easy to forget because it does nothing on most days. Keeping it working is a routine, and that routine has to belong to someone close enough to act on it when the test fails.

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What the pump has to do

A float rises when water collects in the pit and switches the pump on. The pump then pushes the water out through the discharge line. If any link in that chain fails, such as a stuck float, a clogged line, a dead outlet, or a power cut with no backup, the water stays in the basement.

Test it on a fixed schedule

Pick one day each month for a local person to pour a bucket of water into the pit. They should watch the float lift, the pump start, and the water drain. Note how long it takes to clear. If the water does not drain, or the pump keeps running without stopping, call a service person before the next heavy rain. Keep the note with the house papers so the record shows the last test and what happened.

Check the outside end

On a dry day, walk outside and find where the discharge line exits. Make sure leaves, dirt, or snow are not blocking it and that the water runs away from the foundation. A line that empties too close to the wall can send water right back toward the house.

Check the backup

Find out whether there is a battery backup or another kind of backup, when its battery was last replaced, and whether it has its own alarm. Write the replacement date on the unit or in the notes so nobody has to rely on memory. Ask whether anyone in the area would hear the alarm.

Name the owner

Decide who checks the pit, who buys a replacement battery, and who calls the plumber. If nobody owns the task, it does not get done. Put the names in writing and send them to each person involved.

Tonight

Ask your local contact whether the pit is dry and the lid is in place. Ask them to find the discharge line outside and tell you whether it is clear of debris.

What to leave with the service person

The age of the pump if you know it, any history of past failures, the location of the outlet and the breaker that serves it, details about the backup, and the phone number you want used for the test reports.