Because a typical home basement lies below the ground level of the house, heavy rains and melting snow can cause flooding if you don’t have a well-maintained sump pump to remove the water. As professionals in drain cleaning Toronto, A&V Drain can help you maintain your sump pump and other drains throughout the home. Additionally, you can help to keep your pump working at peak performance by following these tips.

How to Properly Maintain Your Sump Pump - pump, maintenance, home, drain, a$v drain

Hire a Professional Installer

Many troubles with sump pump maintenance can be avoided simply by hiring a good installation team. A&V Drain sump pump installation uses the same thorough and professional techniques that customers have come to associate with their drain cleaning service in Toronto, guaranteeing a better-functioning system that encounters fewer problems than most home installations. If you hire a professional to perform a proper sump pump installation at the outset, most of the remaining maintenance issues boil down to simple drain cleaning. A professionally-installed sump pump might last for 10 years or longer without encountering any major maintenance issues. If your pump is running into troubles before that time, it may be improperly installed or breaking down. In this case, the drain repair experts at A&V Drain can help put a new and improved pump in place.

Quarterly Maintenance

You can provide additional maintenance for your sump pump and extend its life by doing some simple drain cleaning and other minor maintenance every three to four months. This includes cleaning the pump inlet screen and checking to make sure that the power cord is not frayed, corroded, or disconnected. When you do this quarterly maintenance, you should take the time to pour a bucket of water into the sump. The amount you pour should be enough to raise the float to a level that causes the pump to activate. If the pump doesn’t turn on, makes unusual noises during activation, or shows similar signs of trouble, you should reach out to drain repair experts.

Yearly Maintenance

Frequent exposure to water and minerals found in the ground can cause a sump pump to corrode and break down over time if not properly maintained. You can avoid this dilemma by performing some basic yearly maintenance. Once a year, be sure to remove the pump from the sump, clean it, and inspect it for signs of corrosion or damage. While doing this, you should also look over the power cord carefully to make sure the insulation is solid and there is no sign of a rip or fray in the line. If you can get into your sump easily, clean it thoroughly and remove any debris. After replacing the sump pump, pour a bucket of water into the sump to make sure that the pump activates properly.

By hiring a professional for sump pump installation and following the steps outlined above, you can extend the life of your sump pump for well past its normal 10 year expectancy. If you encounter more serious problems either with the pump or the sump itself, reach out to A&V Drain for drain cleaning service Toronto and sump pump assistance.