Most homeowners don’t think about basement flooding except when heavy rains come in the spring.
Rike said snowmelt can have the same impact on basements especially in winters like this one, which has had a record amount of snowfall.
Sump pumps work overtime in wet seasons like spring and winter. If they aren’t maintained and give out, it can mean a lot of expense.
Rike said sometimes the maintenance is simple.
“I’ve been in basements where all you had to do was move a little grit out of the way and it started working. But now you have $20,000 worth of damage,” he said.
The Sump and Sewage Pump Manufacturer’s Association recommends a professional inspection of your sump pump annually along with regular maintenance depending on usage:
- Monthly: If your sump pump disposes water from a washing machine, a monthly cleaning the pump screen or inlet opening may be needed.
- Quarterly: If you sump pump does not dispose of washing machine water, the pump screen or inlet opening should be cleaned once every 3 to 4 months.
- Annually: Remove the sump pump and clean both the pump and pit.
Rike said the lifespan of a sump pump is directly related to how much it gets used. Some can last for a decade or more, but may need to be changed out as often as every five years if you live in a wet area.
According to the Miami Conservancy District, much of the Miami Valley is built on saturated, sandy, and gravelly ground that lies over the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer, including Dayton, Hamilton, Middletown, Piqua, Troy, Tipp City, Moraine and West Carrollton.
The result is a potentially heavy workload for sump pumps.
“We’re in Springboro quite often,” Rike said.
About the Author
