Home Tip: Sump Pump Testing, Smoke Alarm

Sump Pump Testing & Maintenance – With fall just around the corner and the potential of heavy rains and snow melt, take the time to test your sump pump and make sure it is working properly.

To test your sump pump, start by filling a 5 gallon bucket of water and dumping it into the sump pit where the pump is located. If this activates the pump and the water pumps out, then you know everything is operating correctly.

It is also very important to make sure the outlet pipe in your yard is free and clear of debris.This will keep the water from being trapped in the pipes and potentially backing up into your basement. Additionally, make sure that the discharge happens far enough away that it drains away from the foundation. If it is too close, it simply seeps back into your basement.

Smoke Alarm Maintenance – It is very important for you and your family’s safety to make sure your smoke alarms are working proper. Checking the batteries is one of the easiest things you can do to ensure the alarms are working properly. A great way to remember to check the batteries is to do it in the fall when you change your clocks back from daylight savings time. Be sure to also vacuum dust and dirt off your smoke alarms to keep them from malfunctioning – they can be set off from dust building up around the housing of the alarm.