Common Grinder Pump Problems

Do you know where your wastewater goes once it heads down the drain? If you have a grinder pump in Camden County, MO, it goes into a holding tank—along with any solids—so that a grinder pump can grind up the solids and water into a slurry. Next, that is pumped into the public sewer lines so that it can be treated at a wastewater plant.

Unfortunately, sometimes grinder pumps can malfunction. If you know where your grinder pump is located on your property and want to keep an eye on how it’s doing at any given time, follow these steps to look for common grinder pump problems.

Blockages

If you see sewage leaking into your yard or water pooling around the grinder pump location, it’s likely that you have a blockage. Grinder pumps are often designed with a floater that helps activate the grinding action. When the floater gets covered in grease or other solids, sometimes it doesn’t trigger the pump—or it may start running when it doesn’t need to be.

When you notice your grinder pump running before it should, shut off the electricity, open the tank and check the floater. If it appears to be covered in debris, clean it off.

You might also see blockages when you put things down the wastewater line that don’t belong there, like large food scraps, cooking oil, grease, cat litter and more. The easiest way to avoid this problem is to simply be careful not to flush any unapproved items. This will extend the life of your grinder pump.

Clots

Is your grinder pump in Camden County, MO making a whining noise? You might be dealing with clots, which are smaller blockages or silt backups. The clots will eventually build up, causing the grinder pump to run even when there’s no wastewater to treat. If you notice this problem, you’ll probably need to call in a professional to pump out the silt or blockage so you can continue to use your pump normally.

Freezing wastewater

Finally, if your grinder pump isn’t buried deep enough below the frost line, you might end up with frozen wastewater and machinery. If you’re installing a grinder pump for the first time, you’ll need to evaluate where the frost line is and make sure the pump is buried well below it. Otherwise, the frozen wastewater will affect the pump’s ability to operate, causing blockages and backups that could have some seriously gross results. The pipes leading to the tank can freeze as well, so take care to remember them when you’re looking for signs of frozen wastewater and other issues.

Enviro-Line Co., Inc. offers grinder pumps and equipment in Camden County, MO—our business represents wastewater treatment equipment manufacturers, and we work with residential as well as commercial and municipal clients. We can help you find or replace your grinder pump, no matter the size and scope of your project. Call us today to get started, or stop by to talk to one of our friendly staff members.

Categorised in: Grinder Pumps