When your pump discharge line has frozen, your sump pump is no longer able to get water away the basement, and your system is disabled. This basement problem is both common and easily avoidable.
During cold weather , water can freeze in the sump pump discharge line or around the foundation. Once frozen, they can be clogged for months,leading to a potential damage not only to the sump pump, but also to the house.
Depending on the design , the discharge line of a sump pump system can be the major weak point.As the discharge line begins to clog, the sump pump will be forced to work harder to keep up, leading to overheating and sometimes pump failure. And if the system clogs or fails entirely, then your basement will flood.
How to Prevent a Frozen Sump Pump Line ?
Here some handy tips to avoid the frozen sump pump line problem :
(1) - Bigger is Better
The discharge pipe of your sump pump is more likely to be blocked with ice if the water has a limited amount of space to pass through.Using a larger discharge hose will give the water more space to pass through and provide less water freezing.
(2) - Reduce the sump pump workload
As the discharge hose of the sump pump begins to freeze, the pump motor is forced to work harder and becomes under the risk of overheating and failing completely. Doing some work around the foundation of the property to direct water away from your basement will result in your sump pump having less work to do and reduces the risk of it becoming blocked with frozen water.
(3) – Heating
It may be more useful to heat the basement to a temperature that allows the continued flow by not giving the water a chance to freeze.
(4) – Use the Advantage of Gravity
If possible, lay the discharge pipe at a point so that the water’s exit is lower than the sump pump itself. Gravity will naturally do the job of keeping the water flowing out and away from the property. Where this is the case, the water is less likely to freeze and block the pipe, as it is not given the opportunity to do so.
(4) – Insulation
It is a good idea for the end of the discharge hose to be buried in the ground before insulating the section that remains above ground. If the ground is frozen, bury the end deep enough to avoid the frozen surface. Make sure that the material you use to insulate the visible section of the pipe is effective, such as heavy duty tape and/or pipe lagging straw .
(5) – Increase the discharge distance
You can increase the length of the discharge hose by connecting a freeze-resistant hose to the end of the discharge hose.to avoid water to collect , make a distance of at least 20 feet away and use a smooth rigid hose.This method can also be applied when a backup pipe is connected to the sump pump. This should be located in a different direction to the main discharge hose so that it can be used if the main hose freezes.
Readers also see : How to Fix a Frozen Sump Pump Line.
