Frozen Sump Pump Discharge Lines
How To Prevent Ice From Clogging & Ruining Your Sump Pump Discharge Lines
Sump pump discharge lines can easily freeze during freeze/thaw cycles. Once frozen, they can be clogged for months.
Depending on how it's been designed, the discharge line of a sump pump system can be a major weak point in a sump pump system.
When a sump pump system is improperly designed, it becomes vulnerable to clogs in the system, including clogs related to frozen discharge lines.
As a discharge line begins to clog, a sump pump system will be forced to work harder to keep up, leading to overheating and sometimes pump failure. And if the system clogs or fails entirely, then your basement will flood.
At Basement Systems, we've carefully designed our discharge lines to avoid clogs of any kind -- including those related to ice in the lines. We've also added a little something extra to make sure that out systems are running strong -- all the time!
We have the warranted solution you need to keep your basement dry all the time! Call us for a free basement waterproofing estimate today!
Once a sump pump discharge line has frozen, your pump is no longer able to pump water from the basement, and your system is disabled. This basement problem is both common and avoidable.
Icy Sump Pump Discharge Lines
A proper discharge line should be large in size to help avoid clogs from debris and ice buildup. Additionally, the discharge point should include a grated opening that will keep out animal and debris.
For aesthetic reasons, as well as to avoid a tripping hazard in your yard, we recommend burying the discharge pipe underground.
Your contractor should take care to carefully remove and replace the sod when burying the pipe to avoid any cosmetic damage to your yard. Some contractors will attempt to bury the discharge line below the frost line, which we find is an disruptive, expensive, and ultimately unnecessary process.
The discharge line should also be sloped downhill, using gravity to naturally drain out the system. This will keep the lines free of water that could potentially freeze and clog the system.
IceGuard® adds a grated section of pipe at the opening of your discharge line, giving water a second way out if the pipe freezes with ice.
Protecting Your Sump Pump Discharge Lines From Freezing
At Basement Systems, we've come up with a simple, common-sense solution for freezing sump pump discharge lines: the IceGuard® System.
IceGuard® is a plastic, grated drain opening that's installed on the outside of your home, at the base of your discharge line.
If your discharge line freezes or somehow becomes clogged or blocked, this opening gives your drainage system a second "out" that does not include the inside of your basement or crawl space.
IceGuard® is a simple product that is offered exclusively to Basement Systems contractors. If you have our TripleSafe system, which incorporates two primary sump pumps in your system, each discharge line is equipped with its own IceGuard® attachment.
We Can Stop Freezing Discharge Lines!
At Basement Systems, we've designed a waterproofing system that's designed to handle it all -- including frozen discharge lines.
If you'd like to learn about how we can help you permanently dry your basement, contact us today!! We offer free basement waterproofing estimates to homeowners throughout the Canada and the United States, and we have someone in your neighborhood!
Each of our free estimates includes a personal, on-site inspection, a professional consultation, and a written cost estimate. We'll also send you a full-color complimentary copy of our full-color waterproofing book for you to keep.
Looking for a price? Get a no cost, no obligation free estimate.