If your home has a sump pump, you can test the sump pump discharge at any time of year. But it’s especially important to check your sump pump drainage before the snow thaws and heavy Spring rains arrive.
During this season it will pump water more often, and it’s important that the sump pump discharge lines are freely flowing. A common issue in winter is a frozen discharge pipe.
Check for Proper Sump Pump Drainage
Here are two simple items to check in regards to your sump pump.
1. Make sure it discharges water. An easy way to do this is to take a bucket or two of water and pour them into the sump pit. Verify that the pump is working properly and discharges the water
2. Make sure the water flows freely in the discharge pipe outside. If the water is pumped properly from the sump pit, you’ll want to make sure everything is free and clear on the outside.
Discharge pipes can freeze during the winter and prevent water from escaping. If water backs up, it can cause damage to the sump pump or possibly in your house. So, check that the outside pipe is not frozen and preventing the flow of water.
If it is frozen, take steps to thaw it out. This can include a heated cord (often called heat coil or heat tape) that you can pick up at any hardware store. Wrap this around the pipe leading out into the yard, turn it on and let the pipe thaw out. In some cases, you can also slowly heat the pipe with a hair dryer.
Remember, testing this ahead of time will save you a lot of headache and potential drainage problems inside and out. You don’t want to find out it’s not working when heavy snow melt and rains arrive.
If you have problems with your current sump pump drainage and would like some expert advice, be sure to reach out to M2 Landscaping. We have many solutions for proper sump pump drainage to keep your yard looking its best. Our M2 solutions will also make frozen drainage pipes easy to resolve and give you peace of mind in all seasons.