How to Prevent a Sump Pump Overflow

An overflowing sump pump is a common problem during the rainy season. It occurs when your sump pump fails abruptly, or there is a power outage. Moreover, a sump overflow can occur when the pump’s drain pipe clogs.

Whatever the cause, you can prevent sump overflow and keep your basement dry all year round. AMERI-DRY® Waterproofing, a leading service provider in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, has outlined ways to prevent basement flooding permanently.

What is a Sump Pump?

A sump pump pumps out water entering the basement to prevent basement flooding. Technicians install a sump pump in a sump pit found in your home’s basement or crawlspace. The pit collects water that has entered through the foundation or other openings.

When the water rises to a certain point, a sensor on the sump pump activates the motor. Afterward, the sump pump pumps the water out to keep your basement or crawl space dry when it rains.

The sump pump also helps prevent basement flooded sump pump problems, such as:

Mold growth
Electrical damage
Compromised air quality
Pest infestation
Structural damage
Dampness

What Can Cause a Sump Pump to Overflow?

Many factors contribute to a flooded basement resulting from a malfunctioning sump pump. First, many sump pumps require electricity to operate. Your sump pump cannot power on during an outage, causing a sump overflow. Other common causes of the sump pump overflowing problem are:

The discharge pipe is clogged. The drain pipe of a sump pump carries water from your basement to the outdoors. If debris clogs the discharge pipe, the sump pump cannot pump out the water.

The sump pit is too small. The water leaking into your basement often collects in a sump pit. If the sump pit is too small, it will likely fill up quickly, and the sump pump won’t manage to empty. Water will fill the pit, leading to the sump pump overflowing.

Your sump pump has a mechanical failure. The sump pump in your basement has many mechanical parts. The common parts include the power cable, sensor, motor, and drive shaft. If any of these parts are defective, your sump pump will stop working, causing your basement to flood.

The float valve is stuck. The float valve activates the sump pump when the water level in a seepage pit rises above a certain point. However, if the float valve is stuck, the pump will not turn on. In no time, the sump pit will overflow.

An unplugged sump pump. An unplugged power cord can also lead to a basement flooded with water from the sump pump. Without power, the sump pump cannot pump water out of the sump pit.

Choose AMERI-DRY® Waterproofing for Lasting Basement Protection

When it comes to basement waterproofing, AMERI-DRY® is the go-to service provider. We boast a team of technicians with years of experience in foundation repair and basement waterproofing. The team will assess and provide you with a sump pump solution that best fits your needs. They can also do waterproofing to stop water from seeping into your basement.