sump pump maintenance in home
June 9, 2021

When you purchased your home, it’s likely that it came with an existing sump pump or drainage solution. However, as with everything, wear and tear can cause you to look into sump pump maintenance, sump pump repair, or even a new sump pump installation.

If you already have an existing solution and are simply looking into sump pump maintenance and repair, here’s what you need to know.

Sump Pump Maintenance

There are a handful of tasks that should be performed on a regular (typically monthly) basis to ensure that you can quickly catch the need for sump pump maintenance and repair. Here are the main tasks you should start with:

  • Make sure that the sump pump power supply is working and connected properly. This means checking that the pump is plugged into a working ground fault circuit interrupter outlet and that the cord is in good shape. This can be important, especially if your sump pump is in a damp area, since GFCI breakers may trip in damp areas, effectively shutting off the pump.
  • Ensure the pump itself is in an upright position. While active, a sump pump can produce vibrations that can cause it to fall or become off-kilter. This can result in the mechanism’s failure to start up.
  • Throughout the year, pour a bucket of water into the pit to make sure that the pump is triggered and the water drains efficiently once the pump is running. If the pump doesn’t start, it is time to hire a waterproofer to conduct sump pump maintenance and repair.
  • Clean any grate on the bottom of the sump pump to ensure that the machine’s sucking action isn’t blocked by debris. The same should be done for the vent hole.
  • Ensure the outlet pipes are tightly joined together and in good, solid condition and draining out at least 20 feet away from your Kansas City home’s foundation.

Once you’ve gone through this checklist, you can soon determine whether a sump pump repair is needed.

Why Maintain a Sump Pump?

A sump pump provides protection to your home in the event of flooding or high-flowing water in your home. While sump pumps are overall reliable pieces of equipment, there is a need to assess whether your sump pump is in need of maintenance and repair.

Sump pump maintenance and repair is always more cost-effective than a new sump pump installation, which is why it’s important to keep your system in good working order at all times.

Maintaining Your Sump Pump

Home maintenance can seem never-ending. Instead of DIYing your sump pump maintenance, contact us at KC Waterproofing and Foundation Repair to assess the condition and provide expert sump pump maintenance and repair.

While KC Waterproofing and Foundation Repair do offer sump pump installation in Kansas City and the surrounding areas, including Prairie Village, Leawood, Overland Park, Shawnee, Lenexa, and more, we can be hired to maintain any model of sump pump even if we did not install it.

Contact KC Waterproofing and Foundation Repair for all your Basement Waterproofing and Sump Pump needs in the Kansas City Metro area.

Your Basement Waterproofing and Foundation Repair experts in Johnson County, Kansas including Prairie Village, Leawood, Overland Park, Shawnee, Lenexa, and more!

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Satisfied Customer Reviews

Very professional, informative and did a great job cleaning up after the job.
Jeff was very professional and informative. Fortunately we didn't have foundation problems but if we do we know who to call.
Mario was here on time & was very informative about questions I had. A 10 out of 10. Thank you …Mario
This is the second time I've used this company. Great company. They have good employees. Fran did a great job of explaining everything, even the financing. I thought the lending company had great options. When it was time for my French drains to be installed. They came on time and ready. They even did a crawl space protective cover. Great team, they worked well together. Took the whole day but got it all done. Cleaned up well afterwards. The price was reasonable. Jackson explained everything as it went along. Kind, friendly service.
Mario serviced my sump pump today and did a good job. He also replaced tape on my wall shield. He provided excellent customer service and was willing ti come out any time needed or said to call him anytime if I had any questions.
KC Waterproofing and Foundation Repair has taken incredible care of my home through multiple visits. Gary and Davan handled my initial sump pump installation and crack repairs, and they were not only skilled but genuinely thoughtful throughout the process. We had a bit of early miscommunication, and instead of brushing it aside, they listened, acknowledged what happened, and adjusted the plan so everything aligned with what I needed.

They brought me in at every step—walking me through pump location options, explaining the exit pipe decisions, and making sure I felt confident about the work being done. Their friendliness and respect made a stressful repair feel manageable.

Later on, I had some cracks that needed to be reassessed, and Mario came out to take a look. He was incredibly kind, patient, and thorough, and he did an amazing job with the additional repairs. His calm, reassuring approach made me feel completely taken care of.

I also want to highlight Don, the manager, who is just as kind and committed to making sure customers feel heard and supported. It’s clear this team truly values doing right by people.

I’m grateful for their care and would absolutely recommend them for any foundation repair or waterproofing needs.
Mario was professional and courteous. He got the work done on time and as described. I would call for his services again!
Great price, great work! In just 3 days, Jesse’s team added two sump pumps and over 40’ feet of channeling with the full wall systems. No more towels, fans, and dehumidifier after every big rain storm!
We were very pleased with KC Waterproofing and Foundation Repair. The foundation specialist, Camden Bales, explained the process we would need to fix our foundation. We felt very confident in the work that was going to be completed. The crew, headed by Jackson Kleeman, worked very hard every day and kept us well informed of their progress. They arrived on time every day and cleaned up before leaving each night. They were polite, friendly, and knowledgeable. Overall, we are completely satisfied with the job that they did. When they finished, you couldn’t tell that work had been done. Great job!
Sump pump backup pump activated an alarm so I scheduled a checkup to make sure everything was fine. Mario called before coming and was very polite. He showed up on time and got straight to work, I was not home at the time and asked him to call me with the results. He diagnosed the problem and then called me to run through results and also provide some more info on the pump operation. Very easy to work with, good communication, smart guy. Would use him for service again.