Tips to Sump Pump Repair

This spring, a lot of people are going to be depending on their sump pumps to be working in order to fight off encroaching waters from the spring thaw. The storms headed in over the next few months are probably going to bring in a lot of water as well. That means that more than a handful of people are going to be looking into sump pump repair or replacement. Calling on a Nahant MA plumber can certainly help you make the right decision as well as save time and money down the line. Sure, there comes a cost with hiring a professional to do a job, but at least then you know it has been done right. That way, you won’t be waking up a few weeks down the road at 2 am when the sump pump fails. Take the time and bring in a professional Massachusetts plumber to make sure things are done right and you are not going to have a bigger problem down the road.

What does a sump pump do?

Some homeowners have never had to deal with a sump pump before. They might be from somewhere like Arizona or California where most people do not need such a device. So, they are unsure of how to work on them and are rarely sure of how important they are until one gets overworked or stops working all together and the basement floods. All a sump pump does is take excess water out and away from the home. Water pour into your home from heavy rain, flooding streams, or melting snow can be very harmful to your home or business. In fact, that water can be harmful to people too. The water can bring with it a variety of contaminants and bacteria that could put people’s health at risk. Even if it is clean water, it eats away at and erodes your home. If it is not properly taken care of right away, it can get into the nooks and crannies of the house and even behind walls where it can rot wood and cause mold to grow.

There are several ways a sump pump might be set up. In the basement portion of a building, the floor might be slanted slightly toward one end where the sump pump sits. There may also be tile drains throughout the basement and bottom floor, which has all water drain off toward the sump pump. The sump pump sits in a hole in the floor which has a hole beneath it to lead water out and away from the home. The sump pump pushes water into that drain and out of your home.

More about sump pumps in Massachusetts

A sump pump comes with something known as a “float” which is similar to a “float” that you would find in the back of a toilet. The difference is when this “float” reaches max levels it releases water instead of stops water. Nahant MA plumbers want to make sure that you understand that this part of the equipment is very important due to the fact that it activates the machine to start pumping water out so that you do not get a flooded basement that will damage. There are a couple of different types of sump pumps that are out there. The first type of sump pump that is out there is known as the pedestal. This type of sump pump will sit upright above the well. There are a number of pros and cons that are associated with this type of sump pump. One advantage you should consider is that the motor stays out of the water so that it does not get wet. This will mean that the sump pump may be louder but you will find that it generally last longer. Massachusetts plumbers feel that you should be familiar with would be the submersible sump pump. This type of sump pump will rest inside the put and actually is submerged by the eater is coming in. This type of sump pump is sealed so that debris is not able to get into it which makes it a bit more costly than other types of sump pumps that are out there. The last type of sump pump that you should be familiar with would be the battery backup sump pump. One of the problems that many sump pumps have is that the only time that it activates is when it is raining. You should also understand that sump pumps run off electricity so if it is raining and the power goes out then it will not work. This is why a battery backup sump pump is so beneficial. This would mean if you are out of town during a bad rain storm you will not need to worry about coming home to a flooded basement.

Plumbing Contractors and Sump Pumps in MA

The one thing that MA plumbers would like to remind you are that sump pumps are not invincible and may need repaired from time to time. You will also need to know the basic maintenance steps that you can take for a sump pump. One of the most common problems that people have with a sump pump is with the floats. You will want to make sure that you check and make sure that there is nothing is preventing it from detecting the rising water level. You will also want to keep in mind that over time the float might burn out. You will want to make sure that you are checking every few months for debris and pour water in the sump pump to ensure that it is working properly. The next step in maintenance for a sump pump is to make sure that you are checking the valves. If air were to get into the one-way valve it could become locked up and cause backflow to get into the sump pump and can cause damage. Most sump pumps can last about eight to ten years if properly maintained. This will mean that you will need to replace your primary pump. You have to remember that after sitting in water for all that time there is bound to be rust or it might have simply burned out. You will also want to make sure that you run the machine every so often so that it does not lock up from nonuse.

Plumbing contractors in Massachusetts want for you to understand is that it is important that you have your sump pump installed properly. When a sump pump is improperly installed or you do not have the right size sump pump for your home it can cause a number of other problems. Improper installation will either not work properly or not work at all. When you buy a sump pump that is too big then you are wasting energy that you do not need to. When you purchase a sump pump that is too small you will be taking the risk of over working the sump pump and burning it out too soon. You also take the risk of the sump pump not being able to do its job if you purchase one that is too small for your home. This is why it is so important to have a professional install your sump pump. A professional will be able to tell the size of the sump pump that you need as well as know how to properly install it so that you will have no worries.