Why is my sump pump failing?

Question: My sump pump is failing. Why does my sump pump keep failing? How can I troubleshoot a repeatedly failing sump pump?

Answer: The number reason sump pumps fail is the power goes out. Your sump pump uses power from your house to run.

To be proactive, get a backup generator for your home. That will solve the issue of sump pump failure due to a power outage. A cheaper way to stop your sump pump from failing after a blackout is to buy a sump pump backup battery. Backup batteries are priced at $250 - $500 plus labor.

Sump pumps also commonly fail because of incorrect installation. If the size of the pump is too small or large for your home, your pump is more likely to fail.

What You Can Do

Like most housing systems, you should be regularly checking on your sump pump. Invest in a backup battery or a generator for power outages, and call a plumber if that does not do the trick.