How to Repair a Submersible Sump Pump by Repositioning the Float?
In areas with heavy rains, sump pumps are often used in basements to get rid of the collected water from the sump pits. Unlike the pedestal pumps, submersible ones are kept inside the basin at the bottom.
These pumps have a float switch attached, which triggers the sump pump when the water reaches a certain level. Also, a float switch is nothing but a floating ball with a rope or a vertical arm with a float rotating on a rod. Often it gets tangled or stuck, which leads to the malfunctioning of the sump pump.
However, you don’t have to worry because you can easily reposition the float to repair your sump pump in a few simple steps.
Steps to follow-
- Turn off the sump pump
The first step is to turn off the submersible sump pump and disconnect it from its power source. Also, make sure to remove the sump pit lid at this point.
- Check the pump and the position of the float
Next, you need to examine the pump. Also, check the positioning of the float. Most of the time pumps shift in the basin. As a result, the float switch gets affected. So, check whether or not the float switch is tangled or blocked by debris. If it’s too close to the basin, it still won’t be able to move freely.
- Remove the debris
Now, make sure to clean the debris from sump pit as it can halt the movement of the float. Junk is usually collected when the pit is left uncovered, and debris-filled water enters into it, so try to use a lid to cover it.
- Correctly position the pump
In this step, you must correctly position the sump pump in the pit. Make sure that the float has enough space to move freely. Also, try to untangle the float if required, but do not move the pump too much. Otherwise, it will either bend or put a lot of stress on the discharge pipe.
- Plug the sump pump in and examine it
Once you’ve successfully repositioned the pump, plug it in the power source. Now, add enough water in the pit so that the pump triggers. Check whether the float switch is moving freely or not. Also, make sure the pump activates when it senses a rise in the water level. At this point, wait and see whether the pump removes the excess water or not. Also, ensure that it turns off when there are only a few inches of water left.
Conclusion
If the submersible pump still doesn’t work, there might be a different problem. Call a technician and get it checked. If they sense an issue with the float switch or the whole sump pump, then you might need to get them repaired or replaced. If not, then there can be an electrical issue, or the discharge pipe can be clogged. Also, you can visit sumppumpzone.com to know more about things related to sump pumps.