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Sump pumps can run continually for many reasons, including a malfunction in the system, a high water table, or a plumbing issue. One of the more common reasons for a sump pump failure occurs when the system begins to run continuously in your home. A sump pump system that's constantly in operation can begin to overheat and break down. This is especially true if your sump pump is running when there's no water in the pit, as that water will help your system cool itself down during operation. Most issues with continually running sump pump systems have easy causes and common-sense solutions, if the problem is solved in time.
Pedestal sump pumps extend out of your sump pit on a tall stand. This allows the pump to run without being submerged in water. The vibrations of the sump pump will often cause the stand to "wander", wedging against the side of the sump pit. When this happens, the float switch can jam the pump on the "on" position. Pedestal sump pumps are also much noisier than submersible sump pumps. And without water to cool them down, they burn out much more quickly than submersible systems.
Each sump pump system installed on a basement floor includes a "float switch". These are designed with lightweight material and are designed to float upwards as water rises in your existing sump pit. When the float switch floats upwards to a certain level, it triggers a switch that turns your sump pump on. As the water drops, the float switch lowers again, turning the switch off. The most common cause of a sump pump system running continuously is when the sump pump float switch is stuck on the "on" position in your sump pit. This will cause it to run even when all water has been removed, which will burn out the pump prematurely.
These switches usually fail for two reasons: The Sump Pump Wanders In The Pit: As sump pumps operate, they vibrate. Over time, this vibration will cause the sump pump to move around the pit. If the float switch is pressed against the side of the liner as a result of this, it can become forced into the "on" position permanently, causing it to run nonstop. The Float Switch Becomes Stuck: The float switch sometimes hooks on to something in the sump pit, such as a wire or pipe. Alternatively, debris in the sump liner jams the float switch in an "on" position.
While a sump pump that is running nonstop usually has a simple float switch issue, this is not the only cause of this kind of failure. Sometimes a different -- or deeper -- problem is the real issue.
Your sump pump system is designed to collect water that would flood your basement and pump it upwards into a discharge line, which directs the water out of your house. These discharge lines often run straight upwards for five to eight feet. So what happens when the sump pump system empties the liner of water and turns off? The water in that length of pipe will fall straight down again. If it lands back in the pit, your sump pump may turn back on and shoot it back up, starting an endless cycle. To prevent this, contractors install a "check valve" in the discharge line the stops water from flowing back to the pump. However, if there is an issue with the check valve, then your pump might be pumping the same water out over and over again.
There are a great many plumbing issues that can lead to a sump pump running constantly. If you have a sprinkler system in your yard that's broken somewhere underground, it may be providing a continuous supply of water for your sump pump system to pump. Other plumbing leaks, such as a broken sewer pipe underneath your home, may also be the cause. Alternatively, you may simply have a sump pit that's too big and too deep. You only need to keep the water out of your basement -- if the pump is too deep, it might be running nonstop to remove more water than it needs to.
While it's unfortunate, there are some very rare cases where the house was just built in the wrong spot. Your home may have been built just above a water table line. When that water table rises due to heavy rains or the wet season, it might be above your basement floor. In other scenarios, a shelf of natural rock in the are might be directing groundwater to collect around your home, or a natural underground spring might be sending an endless supply of water into the soil around your foundation. In cases like this, it's your sump pump against the entire water table -- and while it might keep your basement dry, it's going to be running nonstop to do so.
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