How To Test A Sump Pump
When you are trying to test your sump pump before the rainy season, you need to understand how these devices work, how they are powered, and how you can maintain them properly.
There are a few steps, listed below, that you can use to get the best results. And you can even use these steps when you are resetting the pump; when it has just been repaired, or when you are testing it after a flood. Your sump pump must work if you want to keep your basement or crawl space dry, and you may want to test once a month to be sure it functions properly.
Table of Contents
Where Is The Pump Located?
If the sump pump is in your basement, you can reach it fairly easily. If the pump is in a crawl space that is hard to access, you need to be a bit more careful when running a test. You are looking for the sump pump to function normally, and it should not smoke or make any noises that sound like the internal parts are being damaged.
You should check to see where the wiring is because something that is wired into the house power needs to be turned off with the circuit breaker. If you can reach the pump, you can turn it off yourself.
Run The Pump For About Ten Seconds
You should run the pump for about ten seconds to ensure that it is running properly. If you can access the pump, you should pour a bit of water around it to make sure that the water will be pumped properly. You also need to make sure that you can hear the water being drained through the attached pipe. If you cannot hear the water drain, you may have a clog in the pipe or a broken pipe.
Reset The Device
You can reset your pump as a precaution during testing just to make sure that it will function in the way that you would like. You can press the button on the inside of the device for up to five seconds to make sure it resets, or you can unplug the power source. Resetting the pump will ensure the best possible results, and you can use this time to check the inside of the pump for damage and clogs.
Remove All Clogs
You should remove all the clogs and debris from the pump while you are going through the test. You can’t accurately know if your sump pump is working properly when you have clogs and debris inside the pump.
Turn the power off or flip the circuit breaker so that you can safely reach into the pump to remove any and all debris that you have found. You may need to use players or tongs to pull debris from the pipe if it is set at an angle. Once all the debris has been removed from the pump, you can turn the power back on.
Check The Wiring
If you see any damaged wiring in the pump, you can tape the wiring or have it replaced. Remember that you must turn the power off before touching the wiring, and you should use as much tape as is needed to seal off the wiring. The pump will be damaged even further if you have not taped off the wiring properly.
When the wiring has been damaged too badly, you must have a professional electrician or plumber replace the wiring.
What To Do If You Cannot Reach The Pump?
If you cannot reach the pump on your own, you either need a remote control device or you must flip the circuit breaker so that the pump will turn on momentarily. The pump will turn off a few seconds after it does not detect water, and you can listen for bad sounds, smell or any smoke that may come off the device, and listen to the operation of the pump’s motor. When you get poor results, you must call a professional to come help you, or replace your sump pump all together, e.g. in the case of smoke.
Why Should You Test Your Own Sump Pump?
You do not want to go into the rainy season with a sump pump that does not work, and would be expensive to hire a plumber at regular intervals to inspect your sump pump for you. Plus, you can test the pump briefly after you have a flood or heavy rain. When you notice that there is something wrong with the pump, you can get it repaired as quickly as possible before the next storm comes through.
Who Needs A Sump Pump?
Anyone who has moisture issues or flooding issues in their basement/crawl space needs a sump pump.
You might think that the wet vacuum that you are using now will be good enough to clean up the basement, but that is not the case. Water is bound to cause damage to your house, even if you clean it up regularly. Moreover, you cannot clean out a crawl space on your own. And neither can you file an insurance claim everytime it floods without trying to prevent your basement from flooding yourself. A properly working sump pump that is tested and maintained well will keep the space dry in most situations.
