A flooded basement is always a shock. Sump pumps are supposed to keep your basement nice and dry, but far too often, they fail. If your basement is ankle deep in water, do not panic. There are a few fixes you can try before calling. The very first thing to do is check the float. Your sump pump should have a float, either tethered or vertical, which turns the unit on and off. If the float is stuck, free it so the pump activates.

If your sump pump is running but isn’t making any progress, it’s possible you need to upgrade to a more powerful pump or might have a frozen pipe causing water to back up into the sump pit. Bogatz Water Conditioning & Plumbing Repair can repair or replace a broken or under powered sump pump.

Waiting for something to go wrong with your sump pump is not a good idea unless you don’t mind a flooded basement. Keep in mind that you should replace your sump pump approximately every five to seven years to ensure it will work the next time there is flooding.