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.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 7
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The plumbing service tech on the annual pit service, with the pump lifted out of the basin.
When in the schedule
Once a year, timed so the basin can be pumped down and cleaned when inflow is low rather than during a wet spell.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
Pump condition
- 2 photos
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.
- 1 photo
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.
Basin service
- 2 photos
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.
Controls and redundancy
- 1 photo
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.
- 1 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.
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.
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 7 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Common questions
- What does this sump pump annual checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections, covering pump condition, basin service, controls and redundancy. 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 does every item ask for a photo?
- 7 of the 5 items call for photo evidence. 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.
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