As the weather starts to warm up and the snow finally melts, homeowners across Connecticut begin to notice more water moving around their homes—sometimes in places they definitely don’t want it. Early spring is one of the most common times for basement floods, and in many cases, a simple bit of sump pump maintenance could have prevented the mess.
At Homestead Comfort, we see it every year. A sump pump that hasn’t been checked in months gets overwhelmed during the first big thaw or spring storm. The homeowner thinks the pump is fine… until it suddenly isn’t.
Now is the perfect time for a quick checkup. A few minutes of maintenance today can help you avoid thousands of dollars in water damage later.
Between melting snow, saturated soil, and the return of heavy spring rainstorms, your sump pump is about to start working overtime.
Common springtime problems we see in North Central Connecticut include:
Most of these issues are preventable with early-season maintenance.
You don’t need to be a plumber to run a basic sump pump check. Here are simple tests that take five minutes:
Make sure the pump is plugged in and the outlet is working. A surprising amount of “failures” are just unplugged pumps.
Remove the lid and look for:
This is the simplest way to confirm the pump still activates:
If it hesitates, struggles, or doesn’t activate at all, it’s time for an inspection.
Water should be directed well away from your home. A clogged or frozen discharge line can send water right back toward the foundation.
Grinding, rattling, or humming can be early signs of motor issues.
Power outages are common during heavy wind and rain, which means your sump pump—the only thing keeping your basement dry—may stop running right when you need it most.
A sump pump with a battery backup system:
Homeowners are often surprised by how affordable backup systems actually are compared to the damage a single flood can cause.
If your home doesn’t already have one, adding a battery backup before spring storms is one of the best investments you can make in flood prevention.
Even if your sump pump passes a basic test, problems can still go unnoticed without a professional evaluation—especially if your pump is more than 7–10 years old.
You should schedule a sump pump inspection if:
A trained technician can:
Test electrical componentsA routine inspection costs far less than recovering from even a small basement flood.
Spring in Connecticut brings unpredictable weather, fast snowmelt, and plenty of groundwater movement. If your sump pump isn’t ready, your basement isn’t protected.
Homestead Comfort has been helping local homeowners keep their homes safe and dry since 1989. Our plumbing team offers:
A small bit of maintenance today can make all the difference when the next storm rolls in.
Need your sump pump inspected? Our team can help. Schedule your service now and be ready before spring storms arrive.