How to Quiet a Noisy Sump Pump

When rain levels are high, your basement may flood if your home or driveway sits on low land. Excess water is removed from the sump basin using sump pumps and carried away by pipes.

Having a sump pump in your basement can prevent flooding during the wet season, but an incorrectly installed or old pump can cause quite a disturbance. Knowing the exact cause of the noise can help you determine whether the unit needs to be repaired or replaced.

It isn’t uncommon for sump pumps to make noises that interfere with everyday activities, such as watching movies or sleeping well at night. Unexpected breakdown can also be preceded by loud sump pumps.

The guide explains not only How to Quiet a Noisy Sump Pump, but how one becomes noisy to begin with. It will help you restore a sense of calm in your home.

Sump Pumps: What Should They Sound Like?

It’s imperative to understand how sump pumps work before we get into what they should sound like. An excess of groundwater accumulated after heavy rain, storms, and heavy precipitation is collected by sump pumps before it floods your basement or crawl space.

Basements or crawl spaces usually have gravel-lining sump basins where sump pumps are installed. This pit is drained either by drainage in the soil or by multiple drains.ple drains. Float arms or sensors trigger the sump pump before the water rises from the pit.

In a pit, a pump pumps water out through a discharge pipe with a motor and an impeller. The check valve prevents water from returning to the pit by forcing the water one way. Diffluent water is also channelled away from the foundation through the discharge pipe.

Submersible and pedestal sump pumps are available. Exactly as their name implies, submersible sump pumps are submerged in water, complete with a waterproof enclosure that encloses all critical components.

Through the inlet pipe, foot pumps draw water from a pit, while the remaining portions remain above water.

The sound of a well-designed sump pump should be a faint humming noise, similar to the sound of an air conditioner or a refrigerator. It can be reassuring to hear a pump operating in the background, but excessive noise should be investigated immediately.

Types Of Sump Pump Noises And How To Fix Them

When sump pumps run, it’s normal for them to make noise. The proper way to fix a noisy sump pump is to understand the sounds it makes and take action if you hear unusual banging, gurgling, or vibrating noises.

1. A Noisy Motor

The sump pump motor may be lacking lubrication if the noise comes from it.

Due to constant grinding, the moving parts may appear to be drying out and wearing out more quickly.

The Solution:

The following methods can be used to reduce the noise produced by noisy sump pump motors and also one of the best method regarding How to Quiet a Noisy Sump Pump:

• Maintenance: If you have questions about how to apply grease and oil, consult your owner’s manual.
• Cover the pump: Place a lid, piece of plywood, or other form of insulation over the pump to muffle motor sounds and prevent them from resonating throughout the room. Noise pollution is minimized by the presence of plastic covers on some models.
• Installation of rubber stoppers: Stop vibrations and sounds with rubber stoppers or gaskets.
• Investing in cast iron: PVC and plastic pipes are noisy. There is no squeaking and no unnecessary damage in cast-iron systems.
• Replace: A submerged pump that stays below the basin top might be a feasible solution if you have an old model that doesn’t work anymore. Motor socks resonate throughout the basement when pedestal pumps have motors above floor level. Furthermore, some newer pumps are equipped with self-lubricating motors, which allow them to operate quietly.

2. Vibration Noise

The discharge pipe might be hitting the pump basin or wall if your sump pump is making loud noises. Furthermore, the pipeline may be in contact with the floor.

There may be vibration and rattling in the discharge line as water flows through the pipe. As the discharge pipe connecting the sump pump to the sewage pipes circulates the water throughout the plumbing system, the sump pump will produce vibrations.

The Solution:

Wrap pipes with foam insulation where they meet a sink, wall, or floor. In addition to rubber grommets, you can also line up gaps between the discharge pipe and the lid of the liner to eliminate rattling movements that cause vibrating noises.

Rerouting and replacing your sump pump is the most suitable solution if its wires are tangled, twisted, or have too many joints.

A few areas, however, require that water be discharged directly to the outdoors instead of traveling through sewer pipes.

3. Slurping and Gurgling Sounds: The sounds you hear will be the water flowing back down the discharge pipe after it cycles. When a float is improperly set, a pump may run even when there is nothing in the pit, resulting in slurping sounds.

The Solution:

• Switch to a spring valve: By enabling water to flow evenly through the plumbing, this type mitigates gurgling, opposed to a check valve. With spring-loaded valves, the water flow is steady and controlled, reducing gurgling. A valve switch does not empty the basin.
• Adjust the Pump Switch: By doing so, the pump will not run before the basin is emptied. It would seem as if someone was sucking air noisily through a straw if the pump managed to drier out the basin. Since the pump created a siphon, it would create gurgling sounds.
• Water Intake: To stop the intake of air, add a bit of water to the pump. It is imperative to take precautions when doing this to prevent the water from causing further damage.

4. Slurping Noise

It sounds like someone sucking or slurping when a sump pump dries out.

The sound usually comes from sump pumps when the pre-set shut-off height is not properly set.

Water should not move to the machine’s intake area before the pump turns off.

The Solution:

The sump pump should always have water in it at the beginning. You’ll then need a check valve in your discharge line.

When water flows back down the pipeline, swing valves may make slurping noises. These are intended to be discharged when pumping is completed.

In order to prevent further problems, you can replace the valves with spring-loaded ones. You should stop the slurping sounds after performing maintenance on it.

5. Clanging Check Valves:

It’s normal for most sump pumps to make a metallic clang at startup, but a constant clang may be indicative of a failing check valve. Clanging is another issue associated with older valve designs.

The Solution:

Clanging sump pumps can be resolved in several ways:

• Wrap Insulation: If pipes or sections make contact with each other, cover them with rubber or waterproof foam.
• Install Rubber Stoppers: Place rubber stoppers under the sump pump’s lid to minimize noise generated by the internal components upon contact.
• Upgrade Pipes: In the case of multiple joints or a poorly installed pump, consider rerouting pipes for a better flow of water. Straighter lines can be created by correcting the discharge pipe position. Consequently, it will be less likely that the pumps will make noise.
• Replacing Piping: If your pipes are rusting, maybe it’s time to replace them.

6. Rattling and Banging: An improperly designed sump pit, incorrect pump placement, and poorly insulated pipes and lids can also result in excessive sump pump noise.

In addition, sump pumps may eventually become noisy if they work hard.

Check valves must be installed if they cannot be seen above or below the sump pit. There will be noise once a check valve is installed.

The sump pump vibrations pass through the drain pipe as it operates.

The sudden drop in pressure inside the pipe will cause loud banging noises when the machine stops.

Banging sounds can also be caused by pipes that rub or bump against nearby walls or ceiling coverings.

The Solution:

It’s just a matter of securing discharge piping if you want to fix a sump pump making banging noises.

You can use 12-gauge wire for this. If the sounds originate from a particular part of the pipes, you’ll need an extra bracket.

The pipe brackets should be attached firmly to the floor joists with wood screws. Make sure you test your sump pump yearly in addition to maintaining it to avoid the noise recurring.

7. Grinding Noise

The impeller of your sump pump might be failing if it is making grinding sounds.

If the sump pump’s impeller is jammed, it can be disastrous to leave it to run hard.

Impellers are the fans that pull water into the fan from the bottom. When the fan spins, the water passes through the pipe. Damaged parts will prevent the machine from doing its job correctly.

The Solution:

Keep your basement dry and safe by replacing the faulty impeller in your basement.

The bottom screen of the pump can be removed in order to clean impeller blockages if there is a disengaged impeller.

8. Humming Noise: Sump pumps usually make a low humming noise. If it does not pump water, you should be concerned when the humming becomes louder than usual.

The Solution:

Add or replace the filter: To collect debris in the sump pump, install a filter. The pump will remain quiet and reliable once the filter is installed.

Clean: If the vent hole is clogged, clean it after removing the impeller. Use the float switch to turn on and off the sump pump three to four times.

Inspect the Check Valve: Most check valves include an arrow indicating fluid flow. Ensure that the check valve is pointed toward “Discharge,” not “Pump.”

Warm the Pipes:There’s a possibility that the pipes will freeze if the weather is cold enough. If there is still ice inside, you can melt it with a space heater.

9. Non-Stop Running : A faulty float switch, faulty check valve, or clogged discharge line are among the causes of a sump pump running continuously.

Briefly! Sump pumps can run continuously if the machine is too large for your basement.

Any incorrect size will cause problems, whether it’s too small or too large. Pumps are best matched to the basins they are installed in.

The pump will have to pump harder if it is placed in a large basin if it is undersized.

A continuous running noise is produced as if the machine will break down any minute.

The Solution:

For smooth and quiet operation, it is important to choose pumps and basins that are complementary in size.

Keep the machine lubricated and maintained to minimize friction.

Additionally, cast-iron designs are preferable to cheap plastic ones, as plastic is easy to overheat.

Final Words

We have covered almost every aspects to make sure to help in your query related to How to Quiet a Noisy Sump Pump. In addition, Fixing a noisy sump pump requires method and caution. Your basement will remain quiet with proper maintenance and replacement.

Originally published at https://soundproofreviews.com on January 19, 2022.