Your home’s sump pump is its first line of defense against flooding and foundation damage. If it goes down, your home is at risk of serious damage with colossal cost. Fortunately, regular maintenance is quick, easy and safeguards you from these expensive repairs.
Cleaning and maintaining your sump pump is very simple and should be done at least once a year, or better yet, every 3 – 4 months. First you’ll want to turn off your breaker and disconnect the pump’s power cord from the outlet. From there, detach the pump from the discharge pipe and remove it from your sump pit. Clean off the outside of the pump, scrub the inlet screen with a wire brush and remove and clean the check valve. Grease or oil your pump bearings if need be, then put it all back together and return it to the sump pit. Finally, turn everything back on and pour in a bucket of water to make sure everything is running smoothly and check that the float is clear of the side walls.
This is also a good time to check your drainage ditches and culverts. Make sure that weather and erosion haven’t left them blocked or diverted and clear out any blockages that may have built up.
There you have it! A quick clean can keep your foundation safe and your money in the bank.
Belmonte Builders built the first house in the Albany, N.Y. region to be certified Gold under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes program.