Posted on by

Top 6 Sump Pump Maintenance Tips | Sump Pit Maintenance


In today’s blog we would like to give you some tips that can help you save time and money when it comes to your sump pump system.

1. Test your sump pump regularly. Pour enough water into the sump pit to raise the float that engages the pump. The pump should remove the water from the pit and shut itself off in a matter of seconds. Ensure that the float moves freely. Take note of where your check valve is. The check valve will stop the water from running back down the discharge pipe, through the pump, and back into the pit. After the pump shuts off, listen for running water and look for any signs that the check valve is stuck open. The more critical your pump is the more often you should perform this test.

2. Give your sump pit a once over. Clean your sump pit, remove any dirt, sand, gravel and other debris to increase the pump’s efficiency and prolong its life. A wet/dry shop vac works well for sump pit maintenance and cleaning.

3. Back it up. If your home experiences frequent power outages or if your primary sump pump fails, it’s good to have a backup pump system. There are a couple of different kinds. One uses a marine-grade battery that can power it for up to 12 hours. Another uses water pressure from your home's water supply lines to force flood water out of your sump pit. Give us a call, chat or email and we’ll explain the different backup options. Don’t forget to check your battery regularly.

4. Realize that nothing lasts forever. Like any equipment with moving parts, sump pumps will wear out over time and will need to be replaced. Be prepared. The more critical the pump is the more prepared you need to be.

5. Be proactive with ownership of your system. Ask questions, learn how it works, and know who you are going to call when things are not working as they should ahead of time. Knowing your system inside and out will help you save money and stay away from “Emergency Situations”. Keep the manual and other documents in a ziploc bag near your sump pump.

6. Install an alarm. A tank level alarm will sound an audible alarm when your pump stops working. Options also include battery backup and Wi-Fi compatibility that will notify you via text and/or email when an alarm condition occurs.

Have a question about these sump pump maintenance tips? You can live chat with us at https://www.rcworst.com/, call 855.329.4519, or email Customer.Service@RCWorst.com to reach an industry expert. Also, click here to check out our YouTube video: 6 Things Sump Pump Owners NEED to Know