Sumps pumps are an invaluable tool in keeping basements and crawl spaces free of moisture and (just like any other object that allows water to pass through it) can become frozen in the winter months. In colder northern climates, frozen sump pumps are more common than other areas, but frozen sump pumps still happen in the midwest. It is possible to completely avoid damage to the pump and your basement from frozen water. For instance, the discharge hose attached to the sump pump is likely to get blocked with ice if the water has a limited amount of space to pass through. DIY stores sell larger hoses that should be attached because they will give the water more room to pass through and stop blockages due to freezing. Another essential tip is to bury the end of the discharge hose in the ground before insulating the section that remains above ground. When the ground freezes, you want to make sure the pipe doesn’t freeze with it. So you should bury the pipe deep enough to bypass the full extent of frozen earth. Using heavy duty duct tape to insulate the pipe is an effective way to prevent freezing in the visible sections.
Another major sump pump issue is that when discharge hoses begin to freeze, motors are forced to work harder and quickly become at risk of overheating and failing altogether. Doing some work around your property’s foundation to redirect water away from your basement will greatly decrease the risk of burning your sump pump out. When possible, you should lay the discharge pipe at a point lower than the actual pump so that gravity can do all the work and keep the water flowing out and away from your home.
Connecting a freeze resistant hose to the end of your discharge hose can greatly increase the distance from your home to the discharge point, it needs to be at least twenty feet from the foot of the home. Also, heating your basement to a level where the water won’t be allowed to freeze is another effective measure you can use to combat freezing water and save your sump pump.