How Often Should a Sump Pump Run? – Detailed Guide

How often should a sump pump run? Sump pumps are available in different sizes and therefore, depending on their size, they consume power and electricity differently. However, despite the small size of a sump pump, continuously using it to pump out the water can increase your electricity consumption and your bill significantly.

Therefore, it is highly recommended to use a sump pump only when it is needed. But, this is the most ideal scenario and things do not proceed the way we want them to operate in most cases.

How Often Should a Sump Pump Run?

How Often Should a Sump Pump Run

You might observe that you use a sump pump more than 3 to 4 times a day when your neighbors keep running it all the time. Before running to any conclusion, let’s consider some reasons for running a sump pump.

Reasons of Running a Sump Pump

How Often Should a Sump Pump Run

Ground Water Level

The groundwater level of the area where you are residing greatly determines the frequency of sump pump usage. If the area has a relatively high water table, it will increase the chance of your house getting filled with excessive water especially if it is not managed properly. This case will require you to pump large quantities of water immediately and you might need a larger sump pump such as a 1 hp sump pump, which is designed specifically for heavy-duty applications.

Negative Ground Grade

The negative downgrade can affect you significantly if the foundation of your home is located at a lower point and can increase the chance of rainwater seepage into your home. Thus, you will observe yourself running the sump pump more frequently than you were using before.

This is especially true if you are trying to get the excess water out of your basement after a week of heavy rain. Firstly, I suggest painting the walls of your basement with waterproof paint to prevent damage that might be caused because of excessive moisture and then, using the sump pump to remove the excess water from the basement.

Presence of Underground Spring

You might also run your sump pump a lot if there is an underground spring or water body located near your home. This can cause the water table to rise significantly and might also lead to seepage in some cases. Thus, you might need to run a sump pump constantly in order to get rid of the excess water that might have intruded inside your home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my sump pump run constantly in heavy rain?

You might notice that your sump pump is running constantly during heavy rain. This is because heavy rain can lead to the seepage of excessive water inside your home especially if it is located in a low-grade area. The increased quantity of water in your house needs to be pulled out on a regular basis to prevent the walls from damage, which can be carried out using a sump pump.

Why is my sump pump running so often in the winter?

Sump pumps are operated more than usual in winters because of the increase in the local water table as well as the intense saturation of the ground. This can require you to run the pump at a higher rate to reduce the chance of water seepage in your basement. Similarly, the cold water can also cause the freezing up of the discharge line, which can be resolved by running the pump to generate heat which will reduce the freezing rate.

Why won’t my sump pump work?

There might be a variety of reasons associated with the improper functioning of your sump pump. There might be some operational issues such as problems in activation of the float switch, or the electricity supply. Similarly, you might also observe the jamming in the pump impeller, overheating of the pump, or breakage in the float switch. All these factors can lead to issues with the normal operation of the sump pump and can affect its abilities significantly.

Wrapping Up Sump Pump Running Time

Ideally, a sump pump should be operated only when it is required, however, there are some instances in which you might have to operate it more frequently or even continuously. This is because you might have to pump out the excess water from the house, which can require the pump to operate for a long time

Some common reasons include heavy rain, high water table, or freezing of discharge lines, therefore, instead of comparing your usage to someone else, first identify the reasons behind the increase or decrease in the usage of your sump pump for best output.


We participate in affiliate programs to help us fund MechanicsGear. Some of the links in this website are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product using our link, we will earn a small commission. Don’t worry! This comes at no additional cost to you, and we will never base our reviews on whether or not we earn a commission off of a product. With that said, if you find our review helpful and decide to purchase an item we review, we would be very appreciative if you use our links to do so. It will help us bring you more awesome content in the future!

Leave a Comment