Sump pump not working?

Water rising: observe from a dry, safe place

If water is rising and the pump is not removing it, arrange prompt help. Stay out of standing water near electrical equipment. Do not reach into the basin, handle wet plugs or go through a flooded area to reach a switch. CDC flood guidance warns about electrical and contaminated-water hazards.

Tell the handler whether water is contained in the basin or has reached the floor, whether a power outage occurred and whether an alarm is sounding. Give only what you can observe safely. If there is an immediate threat to life, leave the unsafe area and contact emergency services.

Which symptom should you report?

The pump is silent while water rises: mention the outage history and any visible alarm. Manufacturer troubleshooting lists power and float-control problems among possible causes; silence alone does not establish which part failed.

The motor runs but the level does not fall: report the sound and visible level. The pump, inlet or discharge arrangement may need assessment. Do not take the pipe apart to find out.

It runs without stopping: describe whether the level is falling and whether this is a change from normal operation. Ask the technician to check the control as well as the water being handled.

It starts repeatedly: report the interval as best you can. Ask what the assessment found before accepting either a switch change or a new pump.

Useful information already at hand

1. The pump make and model from a record or safely visible label.
2. Whether there is a separate backup pump, battery or controller.
3. Any alarm message and which unit displays it.
4. When the change began and whether it followed an outage, rain or earlier work.
5. Whether water comes up through a drain or enters elsewhere.
6. An earlier invoice and whether it addressed the same symptom.

A sump pump and a sewage pump do different jobs

Do not choose a replacement from appearance alone. Zoeller separates basement sump equipment from sewage ejectors in its product guidance; its example 1052/1096 sump manual specifically excludes sewage use. Identify what the installed pump serves before comparing equipment.

If wastewater is backing up through a fixture, report that explicitly. A pump replacement is not automatically the answer to a blocked drain or water entering through a wall. The pumps and basement overview explains these different starting points, while the drains and sewer guide covers backed-up fixtures.

For Fort Wayne, the local sump-pump guide connects the City’s wet-weather preparation advice with questions about controls, discharge and backup power. It also separates public drainage reports from a private pump assessment.

Repair, replace or add backup?

Ask the provider to identify the fault, the part of the system checked and what the proposed work will change. For replacement, request the model, its performance for the actual discharge route, controls and any pipe work included. Ask how operation will be demonstrated afterward.

A backup proposal should explain the condition it is meant to handle, its power source, maintenance and what any alarm actually monitors. A battery or alarm label alone is not a promise of a dry basement. Confirm who receives alerts, what happens when nobody is home and what checks remain your responsibility.

Keep removal, disposal, access and unrelated drying or building repairs clear in the written scope. The estimate comparison checklist helps separate the visit fee from work you approve.

Call about a sump-pump problem

Say whether the pump is silent, running continuously or running without lowering the water. Mention floor flooding, electrical hazards and any backup alarm first.