What does this sump pump annual checklist cover?

14 items across 5 sections, covering lockout and access, pump condition, basin service, controls and redundancy, and more. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.

Who should run this inspection?

The plumbing service tech on the annual pit service, with the pump lifted out of the basin.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

Once a year, timed so the basin can be pumped down and cleaned when inflow is low rather than during a wet spell.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

10 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 12 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.

What most often fails a sump pump annual inspection?

Basin skimmed at the top but never pumped down and cleaned to the floor, so grit keeps grinding the seal. On a duplex pit the lag pump has never actually carried a cycle, so a dead lag pump is only discovered when the lead one quits.

Can I use this checklist in RTI?

Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Free checklist

Sump pump annual maintenance checklist

The annual sump pump service is the deep pass: the measurements, cleanings and tests a quarterly round doesn't reach. This checklist keeps the full service on record with the photos that make it defensible later. Work is commonly verified against manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Start free with this checklist Download as PDF

The checklist

Every item, and the photo evidence it needs

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.

Lockout and access

Pump power locked out and tagged before lifting
Circuit locked and tagged by each worker, or cord unplugged and tagged, pump proven dead before handling; a run waits until the pump is back in water, under the procedure's temporary release, then re-lock.
Pit worked from the rim or under the confined-space permit
Pump lifted by its rope or guide rail from the rim with nobody entering the pit; a pit classed as a confined space is entered only under the site's permit procedure.
No photo

Pump condition

Pump lifted, inspected and impeller checked
Pump raised out of the basin, volute and impeller free of stringy debris, seal area dry with no oil sheen, cord and strain relief undamaged.
Run current and temperature observed
Amp draw read against the motor nameplate during a run and the housing not running hot or noisy, which flags a binding or worn bearing.
Lifting rope, rail and discharge union inspected
Lifting rope or chain not frayed or corroded, guide rail and brackets tight, union or quick-disconnect gasket sound so the pump seats back without a leak.

Basin service

Basin pumped down and cleaned to the floor
Standing water and accumulated sludge removed, pit walls and inlet cleared, so the reset float levels reflect a clean basin.
Inlet pipes and drain tile openings flushed
Each inlet into the pit flushed or rodded from the rim until it runs clear, no silt, roots or gravel plugging the drain tile entry.
Basin walls, liner and pump stand inspected empty
With the pit pumped down, liner or concrete walls free of cracks letting soil in, pump stand or base level and sound, and the cleanout waste bagged for disposal.

Controls and redundancy

Duplex alternation and lag callout tested where fitted
Controller stepped through so each pump takes a turn as lead and the lag pump proves it starts and carries on high water.
No photo
Check valve serviced and full cycle re-proven
Check valve flapper freed or replaced, then a full fill-and-pump cycle run to confirm no run-back and clean cut-out.
Float switch cleaned and levels reset
Float body and tether wiped of scum and grease, switch mounted at the manufacturer's levels, then the pit level raised with water to prove start, stop and alarm points.

Return to service

Pump seat, union and cover checked after the test runs
Pump square on its stand or rail, union tight and dry after the runs, cords secured above the water, and the cover refitted and fastened.
Lock removed and pump returned to automatic
Lock and tag cleared by the person who hung them, control set back to auto, and the monitoring company or BAS operator told the high-water alarm is live again.
No photo
Service readings recorded for next year's comparison
Amp draw, time from start to cut-out and the cleanout findings entered against the pump so next year's service is read against this baseline.
No photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Basin skimmed at the top but never pumped down and cleaned to the floor, so grit keeps grinding the seal.
On a duplex pit the lag pump has never actually carried a cycle, so a dead lag pump is only discovered when the lead one quits.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this sump pump annual checklist cover?: 14 items across 5 sections, covering lockout and access, pump condition, basin service, controls and redundancy, and more. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
Who should run this inspection?: The plumbing service tech on the annual pit service, with the pump lifted out of the basin.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: Once a year, timed so the basin can be pumped down and cleaned when inflow is low rather than during a wet spell.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 10 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 12 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
What most often fails a sump pump annual inspection?: Basin skimmed at the top but never pumped down and cleaned to the floor, so grit keeps grinding the seal. On a duplex pit the lag pump has never actually carried a cycle, so a dead lag pump is only discovered when the lead one quits.
Can I use this checklist in RTI?: Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Related checklists

Sump pump QuarterlySump pump quarterly maintenance checklistFloat switch, check valve and basin condition confirmed on the quarterly round13 items13 photos

Run it with the Photo Gate

A checklist nobody can submit half-finished

Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 12 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.