My sump pit is overflowing. What do I do right now?
Check safety first, then check whether the pump has power. If the water is near outlets or the panel, stay out. If it is safe, look for a tripped breaker, an unplugged cord or a stuck float.
- Safety. Sump pumps are electrical and sit in water by design. If the basement floor is wet around the pit's outlet, or water is near the panel, do not touch the pump or the plug. Cut power from a dry location or wait for help. The CDC says never to switch power while standing in water.
- Power. If the floor is dry where you are standing, check whether the pump is plugged in and whether its breaker or GFCI outlet tripped.
- Float. A float switch can hang up on the pit wall or a cord. If you can see it is stuck and it is safe, unplug the pump before freeing it.
- Outage. If the neighborhood power is out, the pump will not run without a battery backup or generator. Move belongings up and off the floor.
- Photograph the water, the pit and the pump before anything is replaced. Insurers often ask.
- Call for drying. Press 1 on our line and we connect you with a local water damage restoration company. If the pump itself is dead, you will also need a plumber.
Why do sump pumps fail during storms?
The common reasons are power loss, a stuck or failed float switch, a pump that is simply too small for the inflow, a clogged or frozen discharge line, and age.
In Naperville, heavy rain on slow-draining clay soil means a lot of groundwater reaches the drain tile around a foundation at once. The 1996 and 2013 storms showed how quickly that can outrun a pump. A pump that cycles constantly in an ordinary storm is a warning sign. So is a pump nobody has tested in years.
Is sump overflow water clean?
Not really. It is groundwater that came through soil, so restoration companies usually treat it as Category 2 or 3 depending on what it carried and how long it sat. It is not sewage, but it is not tap water either.
Wear boots and gloves and keep kids and pets out. Carpet and pad soaked by sump water are often replaced rather than dried, especially if the water sat for more than a day. The EPA's 24 to 48 hour drying window for preventing mold applies here too.
Where should my sump pump discharge in Naperville?
Outside the house. The City of Naperville says sump pumps should discharge to the exterior, not into the sanitary sewer.
A sump tied into the sanitary sewer pushes clean groundwater into a system that is already strained in heavy rain, which adds to sewer backups for you and your neighbors. If you are not sure where yours goes, or water from your discharge is pooling against the foundation, the city's Stormwater Team is at (630) 420-6100, option 4.
Does insurance cover water from a failed sump pump?
Usually only if you have a sewer and drain backup endorsement, which typically covers sump overflow. A standard homeowners policy excludes it, and flood insurance does not cover it either. The endorsement generally does not pay to repair or replace the pump itself.
Check your declarations page for "water backup" or "sump overflow" coverage and its limit. Note also that Naperville's backflow device reimbursement program specifically excludes overwhelmed or failed sump pumps, since it is for sanitary sewer backups. More in our Illinois insurance guide.
How do I keep this from happening again?
Test the pump before storm season, add a battery backup, make sure the discharge line runs well away from the house and is not frozen or crushed, and replace an aging pump before it quits.
- Test it: slowly pour a bucket of water into the pit and confirm the pump starts and shuts off.
- Backup: a battery backup pump or water-powered backup keeps running when the power does not. Ask a plumber which fits your home.
- Discharge: extend it so water does not cycle straight back to the foundation.
- Alarm: a high-water alarm costs little and can wake you before the pit overflows.
For the full picture, including mold, costs and choosing a restoration company, read the Naperville water damage guide.