Why Is My Sump Pump Making a Strange Noise?

If you have noticed that your sump pump is starting to make a strange rattling, clicking, or grinding noise even though it is still working, you should investigate quickly. This is a warning sign that something is going wrong. 

Debris in the Pit 

The most benign potential cause of a strange noise from your sump pump is the presence of debris in the sump pit or pump that is being pushed around. This can cause rattling or clicking sounds and will be resolved by removing the debris in question. A more worrying possibility is that the debris has become tangled in the internal parts of the sump pump itself. 

This is more likely to cause a grinding sound as the sump pump struggles to work as it is intended to. The debris most likely to cause this will be medium or small. Anything long and flexible, for example, scraps of twine, are very likely to cause this issue. The worst thing about this is that this kind of debris is likely to cause serious damage if you do not catch it early. 

Internal Damage to the Pump 

If there is no visible debris that could be causing the sound, there is a chance that there is damage to your sump pump that is impeding its function but has not yet caused it to break down fully. Potential causes of this include damage to the motor or intake mechanism. Alternatively, the sump pump could be unstable and shaking as the motor functions. 

Finally, on a more benign note, there is a chance that the discharge line is improperly placed. Water traveling at anything over a 45-degree angle will make exponentially more noise. Water traveling at a 90-degree angle can be very noisy and the force of its movement may cause the discharge line to rattle as it passes through. This is a benign issue, however, and only requires noise mitigation measures.