Testing sump pumps important before spring melt: plumber

Preparations to protect homes during melt Now is the time to make sure your sump pump is working before the spring melt.

As the weather warms this week, homeowners should take steps to make sure the melting snow doesn’t flood their basements.

In Charleswood, water from frozen drainage ditches has begun to creep closer to homes.

One plumber says now is the time to make sure your sump pump is working. Jeff Enright of Winnipeg Supply and Cooling said homeowners should test their pumps, either by putting water in the sump pit or by having a qualified plumber come and test it.

Enright said this time of year, with melting during the day and freezing overnight, can cause discharge lines to freeze up. If the line is frozen or blocked, the pump will just keep running until it burns itself out.

So far this year, Enright said he’s received an average number of sump pump calls. He estimates he’s replaced about five sump pumps since February.

Residents in newer homes, with weeping tiles dripping into the pit, should definitely have had their pumps turn out at least once this year, Enright said.

Other steps homeowners can take include shoveling snow away from the home, making sure the ground slopes down away from the home, and making sure downspouts from eaves troughs are clear and pointing away from the house.

READ MORE: Spring-like weather will hasten snow melt in southern Manitoba

A lot depends on the weather in terms of how many homes will get flooded basements this year, Enright said. So far, the melt has been slow, giving people a chance to make sure their sump pumps are working.

If Winnipeg gets more snow or heavy rainfall, however, Enright said he could start to see more water in people’s homes.

There’s not standard limit on the lifespan of a sump pump motor, said Enright, which is why it’s important to get them tested before the spring melt begins in earnest.