How To Unclog A Sump Pump (Step-by-Step Guide)
Sump pumps usually perform flawlessly, but issues can occur that can cause a pump to clog.
Because the pump is designed to pull water up from the bottom of the sump pit, various forms of debris, such as pieces of leaves, sticks and small rocks can become lodged in the pump or the hose. Dirt can also build up in the pump or hose to the point of it preventing water from passing.
It is helpful to understand how a sump pump works to understand how a clog can occur.
A sump pump uses an impeller to suck water up from the bottom of the sump pit and pushes the water through the inside of the pump, or chamber, and then out into the hose that empties into the drain. The sump pump will not be able to pump water if any of these three structures becomes clogged.
Table of Contents
How To Unclog Your Sump Pump
Below, we’ll get into the common causes of sump pumps clogging, but let’s first examine how to fix the problem! Once you’ve completed all these steps, Chances are your sump pump is back up and running. Make sure you read our tips about preventing your sump pump from ever clogging again afterwards.
1. Unplug the sump pump.
2. Pick the sump pump up and turn it over to examine the impeller at the bottom of the pump. If there is nothing visibly lodged in the impeller, try spinning the impeller with a finger. If it moves freely, the impeller is not the problem.
3. Replace the pump and plug it back in.
4. Grasp the hose in one hand and activate the pump’s switch manually by gently pulling up on the float with the other hand until the pump comes on.
5. Shake the hose vigorously while the pump is running. This should dislodge anything that is clogging the inside of the hose and water should start to run freely again.
If water does not start running, remove the hose and lay it flat on the floor. Shine a flashlight in one end and see if you can see the light coming out the far end of the hose. If not, you can try cleaning the hose out with a broomstick. However, the easiest thing to do is to replace the hose; they aren’t that expensive – (You can check the price of a sump pump hose at Amazon, for example).
6. If the pump still seems to be clogged, something must be lodged inside the pump’s chamber. If you are mechanically inclined, you can take the pump apart, usually with a screwdriver depending on the make and model of pump, to see if something is stuck in the chamber. Otherwise, you may need to call a plumber.
Common Causes of Clogged Sump Pumps
It is useful to distinguish between a clogged sump pump proper, and the sump pump hose.
Clogged hose
- Sediment, mud, clay
- sticks and leafs
- stones
The most common type of sump pump clog is debris becoming lodged in the hose, making it difficult, or even impossible, for the pump to push water out.
While a clogged hose can be caused by small rocks or sticks, a clogged hose is usually the result of sediment build up on the inside wall of the hose.
Most sump-pump hoses are made of corrugated plastic, and the valleys between the ridges are perfect traps for sediment. This is especially true if you live in an area where the soil contains a high amount of clay. Clay particles are very sticky and build up inside the hose and trap other forms of debris, such as silt and decaying leaves. Over time, the buildup can become great enough to completely stop the flow of water.
Clogged sump pump
- Stones
- sticks
- Childrens toys
The second most common type of sump-pump clog is something fairly substantial, like a rock or stick, becoming lodged in the impeller, preventing it from turning.
The least likely cause of a clogged sump pump is something becoming lodged inside the pump’s chamber. However, if debris makes it past the impeller it will usually make it into the hose.
Tips to Prevent Your Sump Pump from Clogging in the Future
The simplest way to prevent your sump pump from clogging is to line the sump basin with some type of filter fabric (mesh) that will prevent most types of debris from entering the pump. However, the fabric will become clogged with silt and debris over time, so you will need to keep an eye on it and change the fabric as needed.
If your pump is not in a basin, but just a dirt pit, the best course of action is to install a basin. Until that can be done, wrap the bottom of the pump in filter fabric. Again, be sure to keep an eye on the fabric and replace it as needed.
A third option, if there are drain lines entering the basin, is to install filters in the openings in the basin where the drain lines enter. Once more, keep an eye on the filters and change when needed.
Tip: Check the maximum solids diameter that your sump pump can handle
Every sump pump has a maximum solids diameter that the pump can handle. It’s not uncommon for that number to be zero, meaning the sump pump isn’t designed to handle solids at all.
Make sure that the size of the holes in your mesh does not exceed this number. That way no solid will ever enter your sump pump that’s too big for your pump.
On this website, we include the solids diameter of all the sump pumps that we review. Try a search on this website to check your sump pumps solid handling capacity so that it’ll never clog again.
