How to Repair Poor Sump Pump Performance?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, many things can go wrong while owning a home. One thing that often goes wrong is when the sump pump stops functioning. In fact, most sump pumps only have a life expectancy of seven years. Thankfully, there are ways to repair a sump pump without completely replacing it. Follow these steps to repair one of the most common sump pump problems.

One problem that many people experience is that their sump pump performs very poorly in general. If you want to correct poor sump pump performance, you should first collect a decent amount of water. Dump that water into the sump pump's pit until it rises above the pit's normal level.

Now go to the switch for the sump pump and flip it on. When you do this, the pump will start running. The level of water inside the pit should decrease as a result. That is if the switch and float are actually working. If they aren't, the water level will not decrease after the pump starts running.

If the water level does not decrease, it more than likely means that there is an issue with the float. To find out if there is a problem with the float, you will need to examine it. Take something long and solid like a broom handle and try to move the float to see if it can move around freely. If the float appears to have been damaged, you should replace it.

If it can move around freely and the pump will still not work, you should replace the float switch. You will also have to replace it if the pump won't stop when the water level goes down enough.

Thankfully, replacing the switch is rather easy. First, you'll need to unplug the pump. Next, take out the discharge pipe. After you have done that, take the pump and lift it up out of the pit. Once that is done, remove the housing for the float switch by unscrewing it.

Now take the switch and discard it. Take the new switch and glue it in. Press the switch in hard so it sticks. Next, set it aside to dry. Once it has dried, place it back into the sump pump like it was before, fill the sump pump back up, and test it to see if it works.