What You Should Know About Sump Pump Repair Before You Buy A Home That Has One | Normal, IL

What-You-Should-Know-About-Sump-Pump-Repair-Before-You-Buy-A-Home-That-Has-One-_-Normal,-IL

Flooding is a major plumbing issue in almost any Normal, IL home. Fortunately, you can address the problem slightly differently by installing a sump pump. These devices are a helpful addition to any home. They protect your home against flooding after torrential rain, leaks, or other weather extremities. If you’re purchasing a home that has a sump pump or owning one, there are several things that you should know.

In this post, you’ll learn about all matter’s sump pumps and the homes where they are installed. It will help you point out when your unit needs sump pump repair and the impact of not having regular maintenance.

What Does a Sump Pump Do?

The first place to begin when considering what a sump pump is is by looking at what it does. Sump pumps are usually installed under the basement floor of your house. It siphons flood or rainwater from your home’s main structure into an open area or storm drain outside your home. Therefore, a sump pump is an essential device for protecting the foundation of your building from potential water damage issues. Having the sump pump running effectively through routine maintenance by a pump repair technician is critical.

Inspect Your Home for Previous Water Damages

Despite its importance, some homeowners install a sump pump after leaks, heavy downpours, or weather extremities have flooded the basement and inflicted significant water damage to their homes. Unfortunately, even some who have these units installed in their homes don’t have regular maintenance by a sump pump repair technician. They only notice that the sump pump has a problem after it fails to pump flood water.

Plumbers having vast experience in dealing with residential plumbing systems are experienced and aware of the hidden and visible signs of water damage. Hence, besides checking the functionality of a sump pump, have a plumber inspect your to-be new home for any signs of previous water damage. The plumber may assess your entire plumbing system, including the sump pump. By knowing the operational state of the other plumbing fixtures or systems, you’ll be able to know whether investing in that home is worth the stipulated cost.

Test Running the Sump Pump

Most homeowners do not give a lot of thought when it comes to sump pump maintenance and inspections. Hence, the unit won’t be able to function properly, meaning that water will accumulate in the basement and crawl space of your beautiful house. Therefore, even if your sump pump looks like it’s in a good state calling an experienced technician before you sign the deed of transfer for the new home is critical. The sump pump repair technician will test-run the device to see whether it is in a good state and can effectively siphon out any flood water.

Sump Pump Lines

To protect the sump pump lines against freezing under extreme winter weather, they should be adequately covered underground. Like other plumbing piping, the sump pump lines can also frost and freeze under cold waves in winter. A sump pump cannot effectively function when winter has a heavy downpour. Have a sump pump repair technician winterize or insulate the lines to ensure that they can siphon out any flooded water.

If your sump pump lines are laid on the surface in the crawl space or the basement, ask the broker or seller to have them fixed by a professional sump pump repair technician in Normal, IL, before purchasing the new home. Have you already paid the down payment and signed the transfer deed for a house with a sump pump? Then have it immediately inspected to ensure the unit is ready to handle any floods that might arise during the rainy season.

Common Sump Pump Problems

Accumulation of Dirt and Debris

If debris and dirt accumulate in the sump pump pit, it could jam the entire assembly. A sump pump pit is a gravel foundation depression dug into the basement or crawl space of a house to collect any flood water. Without timely maintenance, the pit will become clogged with dirt, silt, and debris. The pump lines will eventually become blocked because of the high accumulation of solid matter inside the pit. Extensive clogging also can jam the pump machinery sometimes. However, the sump pump features a float switch ensuring a seamless operation. Unfortunately, it also clogs at times. Routine maintenance by a seasoned sump pump repair technician is essential.

When the Sump Pump Assembly Is Clogged

One of the most prevalent sump plump issues is clogging. Therefore, you cannot rule out the possibility that your newly purchased home’s sump pump may already be clogged. Hence, you should enlist an experienced sump pump repair professional to come over for an inspection before you have purchased the home or immediately after signing the transfer deed. Maintenance service is done regularly to ensure your unit doesn’t get clogged.

Continuously or Constantly Running Sump

The other problem that you might experience with your sump pump is when it is constantly running. You may share this problem several months or weeks after purchasing the new property. Whenever you notice the sump pump continually running regardless of the weather outside signifies a problem in your unit.

A small pit with a large pump assembly and a broken switch is among the things causing the continuous and sudden running of your sump pump. Constant flooding or a missing or broken check valve could also cause this sump pump fault. A sump pump repair technician will fix any underlying problem with the pump before purchasing a new home.

Professional Plumbing Services

Are you looking forwards to purchasing a home with a sump pump? You must ensure the unit is operational before signing any deed. This ensures that you know you are paying for a unit that will help your home. For professional sump pump repair services in Normal, IL home, contact our licensed technicians at Covenant Plumbing.

Photo By Andy Dean Photography at Shutterstock
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