We hope you’re staying safe in this unprecedented rain event.  The recent heavy rains have been devastating in many ways – including pumps being flooded.  However if you have found that your pump is under water following the deluge, you may not necessarily need to replace it with a new one.  In many cases, a pump can be removed and dried out so that it operates again.

It really depends on the type of pump, and the amount of time it’s been under water.  So it is important that you either remove the pump or drain the water from around the pump as soon as you can, and of course remove the debris which you’re bound to have around the pump.  If you’re not appropriately experienced with removing the pump, please get a professional to do so, as this is a piece of electrical equipment in direct contact with water.

Drying can be as simple as removing the water, removing the external debris, and storing the pump in dry/covered location and waiting.  Or it may require professional drying – which is normally done in an industrial oven. 

This will normally involve pulling the motor apart and drying out all the bearings and wiring.  For diesel pumps you will need to inspect the fuel system to ensure that water hasn’t penetrated.  Which is done by inspecting the diesel fuel lines – both the intake and return lines.      If water is detected in the fuel system, the diesel should be drained and the fuel lines need to be disconnected and blown out to ensure no water or sediment is remaining in the tubes.

If an engine driven pump (either Petrol or Diesel) has been inundated with water, the fuel tank and engine oil will need to drained, cleaned out and replaced before reuse.   Air cleaners will also need to be cleaned and dried out, including air intake manifolds.  The engine’s internal components will also need to be cleaned of condensation and water debris.

Internal debris and sediment, and your ability to remove it from inside the pump, will normally be the biggest determinant as to whether the pump can be saved.

If you do need to have someone come out to inspect your flooded pump, Century Rain can normally have a pump professional on site within 24 hrs.

Take care and stay safe.