A Sump Pump Maintenance Checklist
Test the pump each season, keep the pit clean, and make sure the water leaves the yard. Most failures are visible before they happen.
- Step-by-step, written from real jobs
- Tools to have ready and safe stopping points
- Where to stop and hand it to a licensed plumber
- Licensed plumbing trade
- Camera before digging
- Written job notes
- Phone-only booking
Summary card
Test the pump each season, keep the pit clean, and make sure the water leaves the yard. Most failures are visible before they happen.
Unplug the pump before cleaning the pit.
The procedure
- Tip a pail into the pit and confirm the motor switches on and off
- Check the float moves freely and the cord is not tangled
- Clean gravel and debris from the pit floor and intake screen
- Confirm the check valve stops water falling back
- Walk the discharge line outside and clear blockages
- Test the backup pump and alarm if fitted
Tools to have at hand
- Bucket
- Flashlight
- Gloves
- Screwdriver
Do it in this order
- 01
Unplug the pump and check the inlet screen for gravel
- 02
Lift the float to make sure the pump starts
- 03
Tip a pail of water into the basin and watch it empty
- 04
Listen for the check valve to close without a bang
- 05
Go outside and confirm the discharge is flowing away from the wall
Even a new pump fails you if the check valve lets water fall back or the discharge outlet is frozen shut.
Whitby Plumbing, from the job
Stop and phone a plumber if
- Motor runs but the water level stays put
- The pit overflows during a test
- The check valve leaks back
Notes for Whitby
In Whitby the heaviest sump loads usually arrive with spring melt and summer thunderstorms. Do your main check in March, before the ground thaws.
When the desk should take over
Phone us if the motor hums but stays still, cycles rapidly, or is more than about ten years old.