Flooded Basements and Sump Pump Maintenance

If you find yourself with a flooded basement, you might think, “I have a sump pump, so why did this happen?” The simple truth is that sump pumps, like any other appliance, need regular maintenance to function properly. In this article, our water damage restoration specialists at Restoration Now! Omaha will go over some of the maintenance tasks that sump pump owners should perform regularly on their systems, including checking inlet screens, back-up batteries, and testing the functionality of the system before a heavy rain.

Start Sump Pump Maintenance by Checking Inlet Screens

The first thing you should do after any heavy rainstorm is check your sump pump’s inlet screen for any blockages. This can include leaves or other debris that’s been swept up in the deluge and carried to your sump pump. A blocked inlet screen is one of the leading causes of sump pump failure, so if you see any debris blocking the screen, clean it immediately.

Next, Test the System

This next step is one of the best ways to avoid a flooded basement due to sump pump failure, and should be performed on a regular basis. You’ll want to test the system on a clear day to make sure that it’s working. You can do this simply by filling the sump pit with water to see if the system kicks on.

Once the system turns on, go outside and see if water is actually being pumped through the system. Don’t ignore this important maintenance step! It’s not enough that the system simply turns on when filled with water–you also have to make sure that that water is going somewhere. We’ll sometimes see instances of flooded basements where the sump pump system engaged but for some reason failed to move water out and away from the home.

Check Your Back-up Battery

If your sump pump system is equipped with a back-up battery in case of a power outage, check to make sure the battery is still in good working order. This may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to forget this little detail and end up with a flooded basement when the power to your system goes out during a thunderstorm. Your sump pump system’s back-up battery should be changed out every two or three years, depending on usage.

Contact Restoration Now! Omaha for Flooded Basement Restoration

We’ll leave you today with a bonus tip: if you should find yourself with a flooded basement due to a sump pump malfunction, you should know that most homeowner’s insurance policies don’t cover sump pump failure. We here at Restoration Now! Omaha recommend talking with your insurance agent to see about options for getting your sump pump covered under an insurance plan. Remember, our flooded basement restoration team has all the knowledge and specialized equipment you need to get your home back to normal fast after a flood. Give us a call day or night at (402) 502-7277 to get started!