How long does a sump pump last?

What is the load pattern here?

Two seasons do almost all the damage. The spring thaw saturates the ground for weeks and keeps the water table high, so the pump cycles constantly rather than occasionally. Then the summer storms arrive and dump two inches in an hour, which is a different kind of stress — short, violent, at full capacity.

A pump that has been through eight north metro springs has more hours on it than the number of years suggests.

Why does battery backup matter so much here?

Because the storms that overwhelm the pump are the same storms that take the power out. Straight-line winds come through, a line goes down somewhere along Bottineau Boulevard, and the pump sits dead in a pit that is filling at the fastest rate it will fill all year.

A backup system is not protection against a broken pump. It is protection against a working pump with no electricity, which is the far more common failure in this market.

How do you test it?

Twice a year — early spring and midsummer — pour five gallons of water into the pit slowly and watch. The float should rise, the pump should start, the pit should empty, and the pump should shut off cleanly without short-cycling.

Also step outside and look at the discharge. If it is not putting water well away from the foundation, or if the line has settled or come apart underground, you are pumping the same water in a circle.

What are the signs it is going?

• Running constantly, or short-cycling on and off
• A new grinding, rattling or humming noise
• Visible rust on the housing or the shaft
• It runs but the water level barely drops
• It is over eight years old and you have a finished basement

Related questions

How often should a sump pump be replaced?

Plan on seven to ten years. If your basement is finished, replacing on your own schedule is far cheaper than replacing during the storm that finds the weak point.

Is a battery backup sump pump worth it in Minnesota?

In the north metro, generally yes. Summer storms produce peak water inflow and power outages at the same moment, which is exactly the scenario a primary pump cannot cover.

Should the sump discharge tie into the sanitary sewer?

No. Metro cities prohibit it, and it contributes to the inflow that causes sewer backups elsewhere in the system. Discharge belongs outside, well away from the foundation.