4 Most Common Sump Pump Issues (And What They Mean)

Your sump pump is an integral part of your home. Your sump pump helps to remove unwanted water from your basement or crawl space, which prevents wet spots and flooding. This machine, like all machines, can malfunction, and issues can prevent it from working properly. Let’s take a look at how a sump pump works and the most common sump pump issues.

How Does a Sump Pump Work?

A sump pump is a relatively simple configuration. Though there are different models that use different principles and constructions, a basic sump pump can be simplified into a few basic parts and processes.

These are the basic parts that allow the sump pump system to work:

• Sump pit: The sump pit, also called the basin, crock, or sump tank, is the hollow, cylindrical space in the basement or crawl space, usually made of clay, tile, steel, concrete, or polyethylene. This is where unwanted water collects, usually from a drainage system around the interior or exterior of the basement or crawl space walls.
• Drain system: Drains around the inside or outside of the basement walls or crawlspace direct water towards the sump pit.
• Pump: Positioned at the bottom of the sump pit, the pump moves the water out of the sump pit. Most sump pumps use an electric motor, impeller, and centrifugal force to move water out of the sump pit and into the outlet drain.
• Float switch: This switch sits at the bottom of the sump pit and turns the pump on when water fills the pit and the switch floats to a certain level.
• Outlet drain: This drain, also called the discharge pipe, is connected to the sump pump and allows the pump to move water up and out of the basement or crawlspace. It might move the water into a municipal drain or away from the house, into the yard.
• Check valve: This valve sits at a point in the outlet drain and prevents water from spilling back down the outlet drain and into the sump pit.

The sump pump sits at the bottom of the sump pit or crock. When water enters the crock, the float switch rises, which activates the pump. The pump pushes water into the outlet drain, which then drains away from the home. This is a fairly simple system, but there are a few common sump pump issues that can disrupt it. If the sump pump stops working, or if the drain system is clogged, water will build up around or in the crawlspace or basement.

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4 Most Common Sump Pump Issues and What They Mean

You might notice a few different signs that your sump pump is not behaving properly. These different issues can point to particular problems with the sump pump and surrounding system. Let’s try and diagnose the potential problem based on what you’re noticing.

1. Sump Pump Isn’t Turning On

If you notice that your sump pump isn’t turning on at all, but you can hear or see water in the sump pit, there are a few issues that might be occurring:

• The motor is broken or burnt out and needs to be replaced
• The motor is not getting power, perhaps from a faulty outlet or power cord
• The impeller is clogged
• The float switch is faulty

2. Sump Pump Starts and Stops Frequently

You might notice your sump pump starting, running for a short period, and then turning off again. A few minutes later, you might notice it starting again. In general, the sump pump shouldn’t run this frequently, and this can cause it to burn out prematurely. There are a few issues that might be at work:

• Faulty float switch is causing the pump to turn on too frequently
• The check valve isn’t working properly and water is draining back into the sump pit
• The impeller isn’t working properly and isn’t pushing water completely out of the discharge pipe
• The discharge pipe is damaged or not long enough, and the discharged water is draining back into the drain system and back into the sump pit too quickly

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3. Sump Pump Won’t Stop Running

If you notice your sump pump working continuously, this is a big problem. The sump pump isn’t designed to work constantly, and it will burn out quickly if it continues. The sump pump might work hard during rainstorms, but it shouldn’t be running constantly.

• The float switch is broken and causing the pump to stay on
• The sump pit or the sump pump is too small or the for the amount of water it receives and it fills up too quickly for the sump pump to empty the pit
• Water is draining back into the sump pit through the drain system, filling up the sump pit as quickly as the water is expelled

4. Sump Pump Runs, But Flooding Issues Persist

You might notice your sump pump running normally, but you also notice wet spots or even flooding in your basement anyway. This is a particularly frustrating situation. There are a few things that might cause this. Many of them are design flaws; the sump pit might not be positioned properly, the grade doesn’t allow for draining, or there isn’t proper drainage installed in the basement.

• The grade in the basement or low spots in the floor prevent water from draining towards the drain system or sump pit
• Seepage through cracks in the walls or floor create puddles that cannot drain towards the sump pit
• A high water table, high levels of precipitation, or a broken pipe fills up the sump pit and the basement faster than the sump pump can keep up
• The discharge pipe is clogged and water cannot escape
• Water seeps through the walls or floor, and a lack of interior drain tiles prevents the water from efficiently draining into the sump pit

Though sump pump systems are relatively simple and efficient, a variety of issues can affect them. If you have sump pump issues or basement flooding and you’re not sure what is causing them, get in touch with the experts. Schedule a free basement inspection and consultation today.