Reading the cause from the pit
The pit and the discharge are the first evidence, and the crew records what they show before anything is moved.
A sump pit that has overflowed usually shows the cause. A float that is caught on the wall of the pit points to a mechanical problem. A pit that is full with the pump running points to a discharge problem. A pit that is full with the pump silent points to power or the switch.
The crew records the pit condition before clearing it, and it photographs the float and the discharge line. The photographs help the plumber and the insurer.
- Note whether the pump was running when found
- Note the float position and whether it is caught
- Check the discharge for ice, blockage or a loose joint
- Check whether a battery backup is fitted and charged
- Photograph the pit and the discharge before clearing them
Why the lower corner takes the water first
Water finds the lowest point of the floor, so the corner by the pit is usually the first and the deepest.
A basement floor slopes slightly toward the pit, so water that comes up through the floor runs to the corner nearest it. That corner is the first wet area, and it is often where the carpet, the stored boxes and the lower drywall are most damaged.
The crew reads the wall base at that corner and measures the water line. The line is the boundary of the removal, and the drying starts from the corner outward.
What a plumber should check before the next storm
The plumber checks the pump, the switch, the check valve, the discharge and any backup, and the crew gives a written note.
A crew does not repair a sump, but it can hand over a written note for the plumber. The note lists the pump's condition, the switch, the check valve, the discharge line and whether a battery backup was fitted. It also states the cause as found.
A plumber can then advise on a replacement, a backup or a discharge change. The homeowner decides with the plumber what to fit.
- Pump condition and its age, if known
- Float switch and its freedom to move
- Check valve and its direction of flow
- Discharge line route and its ice protection
- Battery backup condition, if fitted
Drying the corner and the rest of the lower level
The corner is dried first, then the rest of the lower level, and the readings follow the water line.
Drying begins at the wettest corner and moves outward, because the water spread from there. The subfloor, the wall base and the framing at the corner are read on each visit, and the readings show whether the corner is catching up with the rest of the room.
A corner that dries slowly may hold a hidden wet area behind the wall, and the crew opens the wall only where the readings point.
- Start drying at the wettest corner
- Read the subfloor and wall base at the corner
- Track the readings outward across the room
- Open the wall only where the readings point
- Record the target for each material
Keeping the pump working in the next storm
A homeowner who keeps the pump tested and the discharge clear is less likely to take the same loss again.
Testing the pump before storm season is the simplest protection. Pour water into the pit until the float lifts and the pump runs, and check that the discharge runs away from the house. Keep the discharge clear of leaves and ice, and keep the battery backup charged, if one is fitted.
The test and its date go into the file. A record that the pump was tested before a storm helps an insurer see the homeowner took reasonable care.
- Test the pump by pouring water into the pit
- Check that the discharge runs away from the house
- Keep the discharge clear of leaves and ice
- Keep the battery backup charged, if fitted
- Record each test with the date
Deciding whether to replace or repair the pump
A plumber decides between repair and replacement, and the crew's note gives the facts for that decision.
A pump that has failed once may be repaired, or it may need replacing, and a plumber makes that decision. The crew's note gives the plumber the pit condition, the float, the check valve, the discharge and the age of the pump, if it is known. A plumber can then recommend what to fit before the next storm season.
The homeowner should ask the plumber to write down the recommendation and the reason, and to keep it with the file.
- The pit condition and the float position
- The check valve and its flow direction
- The discharge route and its ice protection
- The age of the pump, if known
- The plumber's written recommendation
