Home Maintenance: Sump Pump

I am not the handy type.  I can fix a little something here or there, but it just isn't in my skill set to do more than basic home maintenance.  Yesterday, I was sitting at home preparing to go out and mow the lawn when I heard a sound in my basement.  I went down to investigate and found that the submersible sump pump would not stop running.  I unplugged it and got out the manual.  After some additional trials, I came to the conclusion that the motor had gone bad.

In the beginning I thought that this meant a huge repair and I even chalked it up to being something that I could not do.  Who wants to mess with the sump pump?  Potential water issues are not something that I want to take lightly.  After consulting with someone in the know, I came to realize that it wasn't such a daunting task.  The only daunting part was that I had to make multiple trips to the hardware store because I didn't plan ahead enough to do a simple install.

Before tossing out the old sump pump, I thought I'd make the short video below to share some of my experience.  The video may sound simple, but it really was simple once I got the correct materials.

Cost:  Sump pump $100, PVC parts & cement $7.  Yep, that's it!

So, lesson learned.  Take a second to plan out your repair or install and you'll be in good shape regardless of how handy you are.  I certainly don't recommend taking on just any home repair if you aren't qualified, but a sump pump replacement shouldn't be a task that you don't consider attempting.

Take care,
Scott Morrison
scottmorrison@kw.com
(614) 595-8762