A well maintained sump pump is a Minnesotan’s first line of defense against a basement flood, a storm or plumbing leak; all of which are forms of major water damage and cleanup in your home. However, when that sump pump fails, it can create a problem worse than the flooding itself.

Water Damage Cleanup

When large amounts of snow melt in early spring, the pumps can be challenged and fail. In many homes with finished basements, less than one inch of water to cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage, making a water and sump pump backup endorsement a wise investment. The best way to prevent sump pump failure is with planning and maintenance. This will help with any sort of water damage cleanup that may occur with your appliance. The most common ways a sump pump will fail are:

Overwhelmed Sump Pump

Sometimes a single sump pump just isn’t enough to handle a wet basement “event.” The pump might not be reliable enough or powerful enough to handle the volume of water pouring in, especially during heavy rains. When it comes to keeping your basement dry, the quality of your sump pump matters, too: a cheap, plastic model is more likely to burn out or fail to keep up when it matters most. Upgrade your sump pump (and add a battery backup sump pump.) 

No Water In Sump Pit

No water in the sump pump is a classic sign of an improperly installed pump or a pump that is not linked to a drainage system. A basement drainage system should be designed to collect water and channel it via gravity toward the sump pump and discharge it into the pit. If the drain tile is clogged, collapsed, not installed with the proper pitch or non-existent, it will not be able to divert the water correctly. 

Frozen Or Clogged Discharge Lines

In the Land of The Frozen Chosen, if discharge lines become frozen or clogged, the system fails. Lines should be clear, covered and kept above 32*. Your goal is to make sure your discharge lines can transport water out of the basement and far away from your foundation even during the winter.

Sump Pump Cycling Non-Stop

When a sump pump runs continuously or too often, the cause that needs to be addressed immediately, before the overworked pump burns out. Especially in cheaper models, the float switch can become clogged. In some cases, the vibrations of a running sump pump can cause it to lean on the edge of the pit or liner, disabling the sump pump switch.

Another bad scenario is when the broken or missing check valve results in one-third to two-thirds of the water to flow right back into the pit! And that will overwork the pump. Plus, it’s never a bad idea to have a backup generator in your home, specifically for instances like this.  

Who Pays?

Of course you are wondering “Will my homeowners insurance policy provide coverage for water backup if my sump pump fails and my basement floods?” The answer varies. In most cases, a standard homeowners insurance policy does not provide coverage for water damage caused by sump pump failure. However, this type of coverage can be easily added on to your homeowners policy in the form of what’s called an “endorsement.”

A sump pump failure/overflow endorsement will just cover the property damage – not the repair of the actual appliance/sump pump that malfunctioned. Your agent should review all of these concerns with the homeowner, compare costs, and make coverage recommendations based on unique situations.

Call The Experts

If your sump pump fails, you need a professional water damage cleanup team on site as soon as possible. The water damage cleanup experts at Done Right Carpet & Restoration, Inc. offer immediate response, years of experience and the best-trained staff in the industry of residential and commercial water damage cleanup. As soon as you realize that you have a problem with water damage, call right away! Not only will they immediately bring the team and the tools, they work with all insurance companies.