Why September Storms Are the Time to Check Your Sump Pump
Late summer and early fall in Virginia can bring some of the heaviest rain of the year, including the remnants of tropical systems that track up the coast. If your home has a sump pump, this is exactly the kind of weather it was installed to handle — which makes now a good time to find out if it still works.
A sump pump that fails during a storm usually fails quietly. Nobody notices until there's water in the basement.
What a Sump Pump Actually Does
A sump pump sits in a small pit, usually in your basement or crawlspace, and collects groundwater that would otherwise seep in and flood the space. When the water level in the pit rises, a float switch turns the pump on, and it pushes the water out through a discharge line, away from your foundation. It only takes a few seconds of failure at the wrong moment for that water to end up on your floor instead.
A Simple Way to Test Yours
You don't need any tools for this. Here's the basic check:
- Locate the pit and pump. It's usually a covered basin set into the lowest point of your basement or crawlspace floor.
- Pour a bucket of water into the pit slowly, until the float switch rises.
- Confirm the pump turns on and the water level drops within a minute or two.
- Check the discharge line outside to make sure water is actually coming out and flowing away from your foundation, not pooling right next to it.
If the pump doesn't activate, activates but doesn't move water, or makes a grinding or straining noise, that's your sign something's wrong before you actually need it.
Check the Simple Things First
Before assuming the pump itself has failed, rule out the easy causes:
- Make sure it's plugged into a working outlet and that the outlet's GFCI hasn't tripped.
- Clear any leaves, dirt, or debris out of the pit that could block the intake screen.
- Check that the discharge line outside isn't clogged or crushed.
These are the kinds of checks any homeowner can do safely. Anything involving the pump's wiring, motor, or internal components is not — that's electrical work inside a sealed unit, and it's worth having a professional handle.
Signs Your Sump Pump Is on Its Way Out
Sump pumps don't last forever. Watch for:
- Running constantly, even when it hasn't rained recently
- Cycling on and off rapidly in short bursts
- Visible rust or corrosion on the pump body
- A pump that's more than 7 to 10 years old and has never been replaced
If your pump is showing any of these signs heading into a season with heavy rain in the forecast, it's worth replacing before it fails rather than after.
If You Don't Have a Sump Pump
Not every home in this area has one, and not every home needs one — it depends on your grading, foundation type, and how the property has handled water historically. If you've had water intrusion in a basement or crawlspace before, or you're seeing damp spots after heavy rain, that's worth having evaluated even without a pump currently installed.
When to Call a Plumber
Test your pump before the next storm, not during one. Call a professional if:
- The pump doesn't activate during your bucket test
- It runs but doesn't clear the pit
- You hear grinding, clicking, or straining sounds
- The discharge line is clogged and you can't clear it from the outside opening
- You've already had a basement backup and want to know why
If your sump pump's discharge feeds into a floor drain that's also draining slowly, a professional drain cleaning can rule that out as part of the problem. And if you haven't looked at the rest of your home's plumbing since summer, our summer plumbing checklist is a good place to pick up anything you missed.
A five-minute test now beats a wet basement later. If your pump doesn't pass, contact us and we'll get it sorted before the next storm rolls through.
