How Important Is Sump Pump Inspection Really?

If you have a sump pump, are you up to date with maintenance and inspection? For homeowners with a sump pump, it’s essential that you regularly inspect your sump pump to ensure that it’s working properly and to avoid a variety of problems, including flooding. If you know what you’re looking for, you can do this inspection yourself. Of course, it’s always a good idea to call a professional to handle the inspection so that you know it’s done correctly.

Given the importance of sump pump inspections, today we’ll talk about what these should involve, how often they should be done and the risks of not completing regular inspections.

Consistent Sump Pump Cleaning

As part of inspection, it’s important to thoroughly clean your sump pump at least once a year. Doing this will ensure that your pump is working properly while also extending the lifespan of your sump pump. If you regularly clean it out, your sump pump can last for up to 10 years; however, unregulated sump pumps generally don’t last more than six years.

A little bit of cleaning and maintenance can save you a significant amount of money and time down the road. Given its importance, make sure that you don’t overlook sump pump cleaning. Go ahead and add it to your annual maintenance list or call a professional to handle it for you.

Testing Your Sump Pump Alarm

Thankfully, your sump pump has an alarm to let you know if it loses power, gets clogged or stops working for any reason. Without this alarm, your pump could stop working without you knowing it, leading to serious damage and flooding.

Because of the importance of this alarm, your inspection should include testing the alarm to ensure that it’s working properly. This is a simple but important check. It's essential that your sump pump alarm is in working condition so that you’ll know if your sump pump stops working.

Inspecting Your Discharge Location

Your sump pump should have a discharge location that’s at least 20 feet away from your home. As part of your inspection, you’ll want to check your discharge location and ensure that it’s located in a safe spot and that everything is set up properly. If your discharge pipe is not set up correctly you can have a variety of problems from a system backup to flooding to health hazards.

Given the role that it plays in ensuring that your system is working properly, it’s important that your discharge pipe and discharge location are working properly. Having a professional install your sump pump is the best way to know that this is done right. However, regular inspections will also help to confirm that everything is working as it should and will enable you to make any necessary adjustments.

If you haven’t done it recently, make inspecting and cleaning your sump pump a priority. And, please share this reminder on social media or with anyone you know that could benefit from these tips.