Okay, so your sump pump is not working and your basement is filling up with water, so what could be going wrong with your sump pump?

Before calling a sump pump contractor, try these 7 tips!

• First check to make sure you have power at the plug.

• Unplug your sump pump and check the bottom for sludge or debris.

• Try to remove any debris in the pump area to stop a clog or a tangle in the float.

• Make sure the float assembly can move freely.

• Check outside to see that water is actually discharging. If you hear the sump pump running but don’t see water being discharged then there is probably a blockage that is preventing water from getting out.

• Learn how to check the valves to make sure they are operating properly. Some sump pumps keep the water pressure set properly and other sump pumps have one-way valves on the pump that keep water from backing up.

Is your sump pump continuely running?

• If you have a continuely running sump pump then it is probably one of two things. 1) Your sump pump works and you probably have a lot of water under your floor in that particular area.  However, if you system is working properly then you may need a second system to keep up with the drainage. 2) If you don’t have an interior drainage problem but do have a sump pump that runs often then it is probably due to rain.