Spring sump pump check before Buffalo's wet season
Buffalo's wet season — spring thaw, spring rain, and a high water table in many low-lying areas — is the wrong time to discover a sump pump that has not run in months. A ten-minute spring check, done before the wet weather arrives, catches the most common failures while they are still easy to fix.
Answered live, 24 hours a day — Buffalo & Erie County. Call for an estimate.
The spring check
A ten-minute spring check
- 1. Lift the float and listen: Lift the float switch by hand. The pump should start promptly and run steadily, then stop when the float drops. A pump that hums without pumping, or does nothing at all, needs attention now.
- 2. Pour in a bucket of water: Pour a bucket of water into the pit and watch: the pump should kick on, lower the water, and shut off. If it runs and runs without lowering the level, or short-cycles on and off, note that.
- 3. Check the discharge line outside: Follow the discharge pipe outside. It should be clear, not buried, frozen, or draining right back against the foundation. A discharge that ends at the foundation wall just recycles the same water.
- 4. Clear the pit: Remove silt, gravel, and debris from the pit that could jam the float or the intake. Keep the pit covered so nothing falls in during the season.
- 5. Check power and alarm: Confirm the pump is on a working outlet, not a tripped breaker or a switched outlet that someone turned off over winter. If there is a battery backup or alarm, test that too.
- 6. Note the age and condition: A pump that is very old, rusted, or has already failed once is a candidate for replacement before the wet season, not during a storm.
Warning signs
Warning signs to act on now
- Water in the pit that never drops, even when the pump runs.
- A pump that runs constantly, or cycles on and off every minute or two.
- A discharge line that is frozen, crushed, disconnected, or draining against the house.
- A musty smell or dampness at the base of basement walls that was not there last season.
- A pump that tripped a breaker, or an outlet that no longer has power.
If water is rising
If water is already rising in the basement
- Do not step into water near outlets, electrical panels, or appliances.
- If the pump has failed and water is rising, move what you can to higher ground if it is safe to do so, then call — a failed sump during wet weather is an emergency, not a next-week job.
- Tell the plumber whether the pump runs at all, whether the discharge is clear, and how fast the water is rising. Call for an estimate on repair or replacement.
Questions, answered
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a battery backup?
A battery backup helps during a power outage, which is exactly when a storm-driven sump is needed most. Whether a given home needs one depends on how often the power goes out and how fast water rises without a pump — a booked-visit conversation worth having before the wet season.
How often should a sump be checked?
At least once a year, in spring before the wet season, and again after any storm where it ran heavily. A pump that sat unused all winter is the one most likely to surprise you.
Is a little water in the pit normal?
Some water in the pit is normal — that is what the pit is for. Water that keeps rising, or a pit that never empties, is not.
Related emergency services
More guides from Emergency Plumber Buffalo
Check it in spring, not during a storm.
Ten minutes now beats a flooded basement later — and if water is already rising, call now.
☎ Call (716) 435-9317