Any plumbers here?
 

Need some advice on a sewage pump/check valve. Mine works most of the time but occasionally, like maybe once/month it gets too full and backs up my downstairs toilet. Nothing too crazy, it hasn't flooded the basement (yet) but its still worrying me. After poking around on the float with a stick the pump turns on and all is fine but then sometimes after all the water is pumped out the pump still runs for a good 30 seconds before turning off. I'm considering just replacing the whole damn thing for peace of mind.

One other thing I want to do is replace the check valve with a better quality one. I thought if the pump was unplugged I would be able to remove the valve with no issues, but when I start to unscrew the hose clamps that secure the check valve to the pipes liquid death starts spraying everywhere. I've seen people remove their check valves on a couple Youtube videos and this doesn't happen to them. Any ideas?

One more thing I literally just now noticed...the pump emptied the pit, nobody has ran any water downstairs since and there is water in it again...that has to be a failing check valve, correct?

Are you talking about the sump pump pit in your basement floor?

Yes, sewage pump/lift. All water from basement flows to it...sinks, toilet, shower etc.

Is the valve directly over the pit?

Maybe you won't see this until morning... Anyhow, I'm not a plumber but the fact your pump is continuing to cycle and you're getting water back in the basin seems to me like it's all related to a failing check valve and I think replacing that is all you need to do.

If your valve is over the pit, just take a length of pipe or something and stick it up the pipe and push against the valve to open it and release that backflow water, then unscrew your valve so you don't get sprayed.

In addition to the check valve, I suspect the float switch. Might be worth checking if there is anything preventing the float from moving freely or if you can replace the switch without replacing the whole pump.

As far as spewing sewage, do you have a ball valve above the check valve? If so close it before trying to loosen the hose clamp. If not, curse the idiot who installed it for not installing a ball valve above it. In this case, you might try loosening the lower side of the check valve first. Be sure to install a ball valve above the check valve when you replace it.

is the float of the tethered variety? If so, I'd recommend a Zoeller pump with a different design style, as tethered floats can get stuck in a position within the sewage ejection pit that doesn't allow them to shutoff.



plumbing supply houses all over town stock them :) good luck

the reason you are encountering a quantity of sewage/water when you attempt to remove the check valve, is because it's doing its job, preventing the effluent-just-pumped from returning to the pit, traveling back down the 'stack' (vertical pipe) at the moment of pump deactivation.

Unplug the pump and loosen the band (coupling hose-clamp) partially to let it drain. Installing a literal 2-inch PVC ball valve immediately down-stream from the check valve on the discharge line will eliminate this issue in the future, if you have a new pump/check installed.

It sounds like your float switch is going bad. Depending on the age of the pump, you may want to go ahead and install a new one. I'd start by running a bunch of water and letting the pump cycle a couple of times so that when you change out the check valve, the water in the riser is fairly clean. I would install a ballvalve and union on either side of the new check valve to make maintenance/replacement easier in the future.

I'm not a plumber, but I did stay at a plumber's house one night on account of he ran a bed and breakfast in North Carolina.

The old house was okay I guess, but this plumber guy was some kind of insane, sleep-walking, nocturnal, zombie fiend intent on keeping every damn body in the house up all night because he would prowl the halls at all hours. The plank floors were squeaky as hell and he was obviously the most equilibrium-afflicted, tinnitus-impaired zombie in the entire state ... probably the world really, because, while he was roaming around the place, he would bump into the walls and moan like somebody had stolen his testicles and hid them in a secret room. He bumped into my door around 3:00 am and scared me so bad I decided to move an armoire and an ancient tennis racket he had hanging on the wall in front of the door to block it. Then for breakfast, he kinda stared at us with his bloodshot-red, demon-eyes and the only breakfast was some McDonald's coupons he handed out to his guests.

FAX

Thanks guys. The check valve is directly above the pump and no, there is no ball valve. The new check valve I want to install has a ball valve on it.

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Zoeller-...RoCgY0QAvD_BwE

Also my current pump is the green Zoeller that is very popular, at least from above it looks just like it.

It's been many years since I had to deal with something like that but it sounds like the same thing as when I had to replace my check valve.

I so thought you were going to say "...but I did stay at a Holiday Inn." Carry on

So, does anyone have any suggestions on removing the check valve without getting sprayed? Is there a better idea than wrapping it with a towel while I unscrew the hose clamp?

As far as I know, wrapping it in a towel is probably about as good as you'll get.

Replacing that check valve will be the ultimate lesson in "Shit rolls downhill".