The sound of a sump pump gurgling is not an uncommon occurrence. In fact, it can be downright frightening to hear that distinctive noise coming from your basement. However, as scary as the gurgling may seem at first, it’s usually nothing to worry about and should only serve as a reminder for you to have your sump pumps checked out by a professional.
Why Do Sump Pump Make Gurgling Noises?
The sound of sump pumps gurgling is not an uncommon occurrence.
A sump pump performs two essential functions: pumping water away from the foundation of a building and removing water from beneath the floor level all year long. If you live in an area with heavy rainfalls or snow melt, then this device is even more important because without one there would be no way for excess water to drain away fast enough and your home
What are the causes sump pumps to make gurgling noises?
Typically, it’s caused by air escaping from the sump pump pit due to water level being too high and overflowing. If you hear gurgling noises you need to check the drainage, size of the basin and horsepower of the pump to make sure it fully drains.
How to Fix Gurgling Sump Pumps
You can fix gurgling sump pumps by looking for common causes and solutions.
The first thing to do is figure out what sump pump gurgling sounds like. Is it a loud, intermittent noise or a low gurgle that sounds more like a small leak? Both noises can be cause by different problems so you will have to investigate further in order to determine the real cause of the noise.
Next, check the basin for a build-up of debris. This could be causing a gurgling sound as the gravel rattles around the sump pump pit.
After that check the water level in your snake drain.
The final area to check is the drain pipes. The pipes should be tight and below the water line when the check valve activates the sump pump. If the pipe is leaking it may allow air into the line and cause the gurgling noise.
Sump Pump Gurgling When Shut Off
Sometime your sump pump will make gurgling noise while it is not running. The gurgling sound will stop when the sump pump turns on or when the pressure in the drain line settles. If your home has a snake drain the problem might be with water and air moving back and forth around the drain and piping.