Residential Plumbing FAQs: What is a Sump Pump?

At the lowest point of your home, typically in a basement or crawl space, will be a pit carved into the cement slab. A submersible device is installed there called a sump pump. Its main job is to make sure your home doesn’t flood during heavy rains, preventing water damage to your flooring and walls, and a major repair bill for you. Here’s more about how it works.

How Does a Sump Pump Work?

Most of the time your sump pump isn’t doing much. It’s just waiting until it’s needed. When you have an influx of water, typically from heavy rain, it soaks your ground which funnels the excess water into the sump pit. When it reaches a certain level, the pump will turn on and push the water away from your home. This water is redirected to a nearby storm drain, dry well, or detention pond. Thanks to the sump pump, all that water doesn’t find its way into your basement, crawl space, or whatever you have on the lowest level of your home.

Signs That Your Sump Pump Isn’t Working

A sump pump shouldn’t typically cause many issues, but if you notice any of the following, call the residential plumbing experts near you.

Cycling On and Off Frequently – As mentioned above, your sump pump should remain pretty quiet most of the time. If you notice that it is frequently turning on and off, it might be a sign that the switch or float is malfunctioning. Try and get this fixed as soon as you notice it because the frequent cycling can wear down the motor, leaving you with an inoperable sump pump when the heavy rains come in.

Loud or Strange Noises – For the most part, you shouldn’t be able to hear your sump pump on a regular basis. So if it suddenly becomes very loud, or you hear grinding, squeaking or rattling, call Hulsey Environmental (a Blue Flow Company) for sump pump repair. As mentioned above, this is usually a sign that the motor is being overworked and you don’t want the motor to fail just when you need it the most!

Tripped Circuits – The sump pump works with the electricity from your home. If the lights go out every time your sump pump turns on, you might have a damaged switch, damaged wiring, a stuck impeller, or even an insufficient power source. Have a residential plumbing professional visit your home to assess the situation and see how it can be fixed.

Your North Georgia Residential Plumbing Experts

Hulsey Environmental (a Blue Flow Company) is a team of commercial and residential plumbing pros based in Clermont, Georgia. We serve homes and businesses with a variety of plumbing needs all across North Georgia. If you’re currently experiencing an issue, please give us a call for emergency or 24 hour plumber help. If you’d like to schedule maintenance or have a non-emergency plumbing issue, please contact us online. We’ll be happy to book an appointment that works for you and handle all your residential plumbing needs!