Sump Pump Life Span

[GGorman04]

I noticed my sump pump was running every minute or so with no rain. I went downstairs and the pump is working to rid the pit of water but when it shuts off the water re-enters the pit.
The current pump is a Zoeller and I bought it about 5 years ago.
Who long should a pump last?
Also, any better that a Zoeller that I should look at?

 

[newtoncd8]

Is the check valve stuck open?

 

[Warstud]

Life Span? Probably no set amount of years. The first one I bought only lasted about 4 years. And that's because one of the screws that held it together rusted off and wrecked it. So on my newest one I coated it with grease.

 

[Warstud]

Sounds like it's working fine. You probably have a high water table. As long as water enters the pit....it's going to turn on. It doesn't need to be raining.

 

[Rick in PA]

Buy your spare sump pump now. They usually fail in the middle of the big storm, and that's a bad time to go sump pump shopping.

 

[GGorman04]

Check valve is fine. It normally should not run if there is no water outside. If it downpours, it will run once or twice and then shut off. But tonight it has run at least 10 separate times

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
Buy your spare sump pump now. They usually fail in the middle of the big storm, and that's a bad time to go sump pump shopping.

This..keep a spare and make sure it fits existing piping.

 

[andyd]

Rick in PA beat me to it.

 

[04SE]

Originally Posted By: GGorman04
Check valve is fine. It normally should not run if there is no water outside. If it downpours, it will run once or twice and then shut off. But tonight it has run at least 10 separate times


Water leak?

 

[Plumber]

Originally Posted By: 04SE
Originally Posted By: GGorman04
Check valve is fine. It normally should not run if there is no water outside. If it downpours, it will run once or twice and then shut off. But tonight it has run at least 10 separate times


Water leak?



+1 listen by the meter for noises. or call and have village shut water off outside. see if pump stops or slows down

 

[dernp]

I have a pedestal sump pump. It's 8 yrs young and it runs constantly. The submursible pumps don't last.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: GGorman04
I noticed my sump pump was running every minute or so with no rain. I went downstairs and the pump is working to rid the pit of water but when it shuts off the water re-enters the pit.
The current pump is a Zoeller and I bought it about 5 years ago.
Who long should a pump last?
Also, any better that a Zoeller that I should look at?


That fact that you said water re-enters the pit with no rain tells me its a bad check valve. Does it come out of the pump or the tile that go into the pit?

The pump pushes the water up, but if the check valve is bad, it will just let the water back down and the pump will continue to run. Make sure you have a quality check valve too.. preferably one that is spring loaded. The cheap ones are just rubber flaps and kind of suck.

Their lifespan is completely dependent on their run time. The one at my mother's business is still kicking after 21 years, but the one at the lake house is only about a year old.. Lol. A spare sump pump wouldn't be a bad idea though. Assembled and ready to go with the correct sizes of PVC and a fresh pipe boot.

 

[GGorman04]

The symptoms sound like a a bad check valve. I will do a check to see if it is closing.
Thanks

 

[GGorman04]

dlundblad
Any specific brand of check valve you would recommend?

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: GGorman04
dlundblad
Any specific brand of check valve you would recommend?


Sorry not sure on the brands. Any big box store DIY place should have the "HD" PVC setup. Lowes, Home Depot, Menards etc. You'll be able to tell it's design by looking inside it.

Something like this. more or less. Hopefully you wont see 200 psi though. Lol.

 

[SHOZ]

Get a check valve you can disassemble so when it gets some garbage in it that won't let the check ball seal you can clean it. No real need for spring loaded one. Install it above the pump.

 

[JTK]

GG- Can you tell where the water is re-entering the sump pit from? If it's filling the sump from the drain tiles/weeping system, it's not the pump discharge check valve. It will just fill from the bottom up if the check valve is not seating properly.

Like others have said, if it's dry outside around the house, you might have something else going on in terms of a plumbing leak, although it's not unheard of to have water tables change.

Having a spare pump on hand is always a good thing.

 

[SHOZ]

With all the rain we have been getting in central Illinois my foundation tile has been running water out for the last two months.

 

[GGorman04]

Its coming from the tiles. I will buy a spare pump just in case
Thanks for the replies

 

[JTK]

GG- Zoeller is a good pump. It's normally a float switch or corrosion that renders them inop.