Sump Pump Drain

[Nate R.]

Recently we’ve been getting a ton of rain and my sump pump doesn’t shut off. My neighbors say their pumps barely run. Looking at my drain pipe, it comes up, 90s through the check valve, and 90s back into the floor. Where is this draining to? Am I just recycling the water? It doesn’t seem like this was installed correctly. Pic attached.

 

[Reach4]

That's distressing.

Can you lift the lid? How about watching the water level in the sump after shutting off the power. Be ready to turn that power back on quickly.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Sylvan]

Many years ago a doctor called me saying his sump pump does not shut off . I went to his house and he had a garden hose pumping the water to the backyard

I asked him how long has this been going on? He said about 3 days non stop


I did not want to laugh but he was re circulating the water as the back yard drains into the sump pit

Check your check alve to make sure it holds

 

[CG80SGAL]

Recently we’ve been getting a ton of rain and my sump pump doesn’t shut off. My neighbors say their pumps barely run. Looking at my drain pipe, it comes up, 90s through the check valve, and 90s back into the floor. Where is this draining to? Am I just recycling the water? It doesn’t seem like this was installed correctly. Pic attached.

Did you find out how it’s hooked up? Could the exit pipe be embedded within the floor and then make another appearance up the wall to the outside??? Definitely, weird...

 

[dankoos]

is it draining into your sewer line?

 

[Mliu]

Looking at my drain pipe, it comes up, 90s through the check valve, and 90s back into the floor. Where is this draining to? Am I just recycling the water? It doesn’t seem like this was installed correctly. Pic attached.

It's highly unlikely that the pipe discharges back into the sump pit. I say this because the installer would have to be an absolute moron to have done that, and it does not look like it was installed by a "hack."

My belief is that the discharge line runs somewhere else under the slab, but that the installer wanted easy access to the check valve (because they tend to need periodic maintenance and replacement). By looping it above the concrete like that, he wouldn't have to reach down into the sump pit to access the check valve.

As to your pump running constantly, there are several possibilities:

1. The check valve is jammed in the open position or has failed. That could be allowing water to drain back into the sump.
2. The check valve has an obstruction inside.
3. Your pump inlet is clogged with debris.
4. There is a loose coupling or a break in the discharge pipe inside the sump.
5. There is a break in the impeller housing of your pump.
6. The impeller has lost some of its blades. This could happen if a rock got ingested. Typically you will notice a distinct sound while the pump is running if this has happened.

There's also the possibility that the natural drainage of the soil around your house is feeding more groundwater to your sump than to your neighbors.

First thing I'd do is take a look inside your sump while it's running to see what's going on in there. Next, while the pump is running, grab the outside of the check valve to feel if water is flowing through it.

Go outside and try to find where the pipe discharges. If it's discharging underwater, have someone shut off the pump to see if water flows back into the discharge pipe (#1: Bad check valve).

If it's discharging water but the flow is weak, then it's likely #2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 above.

If it's pumping water, and the flow is strong, and the pump does shut off periodically (even if only for a few minutes), then it's likely that you're just dealing with a lot more water than your neighbor.