# Sump Pump running constantly and spraying water back into pit



## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

If the pump discharge is not blocked your impeller on the pump may be bad. You should replace the pump and add a check valve on your discharge line.


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## CubsWin (Dec 28, 2007)

Ghostmaker said:


> If the pump discharge is not blocked your impeller on the pump may be bad. You should replace the pump and add a check valve on your discharge line.


Thank you for the response. I know next to nothing about plumbing and sump pumps, so what you said is already mostly above my head, but would my pump have been able to pump out the entire top level of the pit as quickly as it did if the impeller was bad? When I plugged the pump back in, it wasn't until the water level got back down to the bottom of the pump that the problem appeared again. My completely uneducated thought was maybe it was something pressure-related since when there was a large volume of water to pump it didn't seem to have a problem, but now that it is trying to pump smaller amounts at the bottom it seems to be struggling with it.


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

Sounds like your missing a check valve on your discharge line. What is happening is your pump is pumping until it shuts off. Then your water in the discharge line is flowing back into the pump hole turning the pump back on.

A check valve is a one way valve that only allows the water to go out and not come back in.


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

http://www.hometips.com/diy-how-to/sump-pump-install-replace.html
Check out the above


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## CubsWin (Dec 28, 2007)

Thank you and that helps. I do not see a check valve installed, so that could likely be the problem, or at least part of the problem. It still would seem there may be something else involved too, since the pump has been running fine up until now (with the exception of annoyingly-short cycles).

Why would a licensed plumber not have included a check valve in a new installation?


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

CubsWin said:


> Thank you and that helps. I do not see a check valve installed, so that could likely be the problem, or at least part of the problem. It still would seem there may be something else involved too, since the pump has been running fine up until now (with the exception of annoyingly-short cycles).
> 
> Why would a licensed plumber not have included a check valve in a new installation?


Because not all plumbers know the craft. I'm a master plumber and a county plumbing inspector in Ohio.

Check the link it is accurate as to what you should have had done.


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## CubsWin (Dec 28, 2007)

I read the link you sent and, after further investigation, I think there is another issue. The pump is running even though the float is all the way at the bottom. I played with the float and moved it up and down, but the pump is running regardless of float position. Does this lead me in a different direction?


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

Then your float switch is bad and you either replace it or the pump. Still add the check valve in the discharge line.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

It is not that hard. You have three things. The pump, the check valve, the piping. If it is not drawing water, either the check valve is bad, piping is frozen or clogged. The check valve sits above the pump about two to three feet, and should be attached to the pvc with fernco adapters. Go to your local Ace Hardware or farm & home store and get the check valve, after you find out it is what is bad. You can check the pump, by pulling the check valve, pull the pump and then pull the float to see if water flows up the pipe. If not, next thing to check is the pump.

Usually the check valve will go bad before the pump, so always handy to have an extra on hand all the time.


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

Again, and I think this will be the last time I mention it. I know JoeC says it about 50 times a day. YOU HAVE TO TELL US WHERE YOU LIVE. In some cases, a check valve could work against you by keeping water in a line where it could freeze.

We are sitting here guessing if you have a slug of ice in your discharge pipe, but maybe you are in Florida. Guessing without the facts is an exercise in futility.


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## CubsWin (Dec 28, 2007)

Sorry, I am in Illinois.


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

The discharge of the pump should be pitched towards the point of disposal once you exit the house. This will prevent any freezing issues. In other words completely self draining once it leaves the house.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

CubsWin said:


> I read the link you sent and, after further investigation, I think there is another issue. The pump is running even though the float is all the way at the bottom. I played with the float and moved it up and down, but the pump is running regardless of float position. Does this lead me in a different direction?


Ayuh,... Yer Float Switch, Ain't switchin'....

Either replace the Float Switch, or the Whole pump, 'n switch...


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## CubsWin (Dec 28, 2007)

Reporting back with my results...

I had a plumber come out today and he confirmed a bad switch and replaced it. As suggested in this thread, he also said I needed a check valve because the previous plumber had not installed one. The new plumber said my switch probably burned out prematurely because of the pump kicking on so frequently due to the lack of a check valve. That makes sense, so hopefully now I have a working pump that won't run quite as often!

Thanks everyone for your responses.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

That will do it. Hopefully he left you a spare check valve. There are also some pumps, that you can replace the relay for the float, without having to replace the whole pump.


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## CubsWin (Dec 28, 2007)

gregzoll said:


> There are also some pumps, that you can replace the relay for the float, without having to replace the whole pump.


That is what he did, said there was no need to replace the entire pump.


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## del909 (Jan 5, 2017)

I know this is four years later but I thought it'd help anyway. I was looking for clogs in the pump itself (Small 1/3 horse electric sump - Flotec fpmm3600d) I noticed the pressure would reach about 4 feet up the pipe - 1" corrugated plastic. I went outside (Buffalo, NY in December) and the pipe was frozen like a freezie-pop. I didn't know that a straight pipe sloped from the middle could still have 100% water blockage. So I brought it inside to thaw.


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## Lady E (8 mo ago)

We had the same issue with a new sump pump and fixed it by plugging the 2nd plug 🔌 for the sump pump into the first plug 🔌 and then plugging the combined plug into the outlet. The sump pump stopped running continually and only turned on when the float lifted above the water level. Initially both plugs 🔌 were plugged into 2 different outlets and that caused the problem. 

Hope this helps someone.


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