Is your sump pump not working like it used to? Your sump pit got flooded? There is a good chance that something got stuck inside your pump. Most of the time, a simple cleanup should do the job.
If you want to keep your sump pump working in a mint condition, you will have to clean it from time to time. Now, how many times you will need to clean it will depend on how hard your pump has to work.
Before you start cleaning, make sure to check the manual first. This is to make sure that you don’t void your warranty. If all is good, you can proceed with the cleanup.
Cleaning a sump pump on your own is probably the easiest DIY cleaning chore you can do. Read the steps below and see how easy it to clean a sump pump.
Sump Pump Cleaning Steps
If your basement gets flooded frequently and the water quality is bad, you will have to clean it more than two times a year. As for cleaning a sump pump, it’s pretty easy.
- First of all, make sure you unplug all the connections from your sump pump. For extra security, make sure to turn off the power on your circuit breaker. Also, you need to ensure that no one is using any appliances such as a washing machine in your house.
- It’s time for the prep work. Wear protective gloves because sump water is dirty, and you don’t know what germs are lurking in the water. Prepare your cleaning surface and gather all the cleaning tools. Place a large plastic sheet on the ground and have a cleaning brush, plastic scraper, and bucket nearby.
- Once you have confirmed that all the connections are off, take out the pump from the pit. To do that, you will have to first remove the pump from the discharge pipe.
- Carry the pump outside and make sure to wrap it with a plastic cover to prevent drips. At this point, the pump should be covered with dirt or sludge. Taking it outside is a good idea. Use your garden hose and give your pump a good old-fashioned cleanup. Rinse off all the dirt from the surface of the motor.
- Your garden hose won’t have enough water pressure to remove the caked-on debris. For this, you will need to use either a putty knife or a plastic scraper. Use this to take out any sticky debris that is stuck on the surface of the sump pump.
- Once it’s all clean and shiny, drain out all the water from the pump by using a shop vac. If you don’t have a shop vac, you can air-dry the pump under the sun. Also, carefully remove the check valve and disassemble it. Let all the water out from the valve before you disassemble it.
- Now, rinse the check valve thoroughly and make sure there is no dirt or debris inside. Once cleaned, let it air dry before you put it back inside again.
- Now that all the components are thoroughly cleaned, it’s time to put the sump pump back to where it belongs. Plug the motor and do a test run to make sure everything is working properly.
Final Words
At this point, your pump should be working properly. If the problem still persists, you might want to consult a professional mechanic. Now, as for the whole cleanup process, if you don’t feel comfortable doing all of these, hire someone that can do it for you.