Just found out sump pumps can actually get clogged up by iron bacteria—yeah, bacteria that feed on iron in groundwater. Apparently, they form this slimy, rusty-colored goo that can mess up the pump pretty bad. Had no idea this was even a thing until my neighbor mentioned it. Now I'm wondering what other weird stuff can cause sump pump issues... anyone got more oddball facts or experiences?
"Apparently, they form this slimy, rusty-colored goo that can mess up the pump pretty bad."
Yeah, ran into that iron bacteria slime myself—nasty stuff. A couple other oddball things I've seen cause sump pump headaches:
- Gravel bits or small stones getting sucked in and jamming the impeller.
- Frogs... yep, frogs. Had one somehow get inside and clog things up. Still can't figure out how it managed it.
- Dryer lint buildup from laundry drainage—surprisingly common and sneaky.
Honestly, sump pumps seem to attract weirdness like magnets.
"Dryer lint buildup from laundry drainage—surprisingly common and sneaky."
Never seen dryer lint myself, but I've pulled out plenty of mystery gunk. Best fix I've found is putting a mesh screen over the intake...cheap, easy, and keeps most weird stuff out.
Mesh screen is a solid idea, but just a heads-up from experience:
- Mesh can clog pretty fast if you're dealing with laundry drainage regularly. I tried it once and ended up having to clean it way more often than I wanted.
- If you go that route, maybe pick a screen that's not super fine—lets water through easily but still catches the big stuff.
- Another trick I've seen is using a lint trap right at the washing machine drain hose itself. They're cheap, disposable, and catch most of the lint before it even hits your sump pit.
- Also, keep an eye on it the first few weeks. I learned the hard way that "set it and forget it" doesn't really apply to sump pumps...especially when mystery gunk is involved.
Good luck—hope your sump stays gunk-free!
Good call on the lint trap at the washer drain—I started doing that a few months ago and it's saved me a ton of hassle. Cheap packs at the hardware store, takes maybe 30 seconds to swap out when it's full. Beats dealing with a clogged sump pit every time.
As for the iron bacteria thing, I had that slimy rust-colored stuff in my pit too. Didn't know exactly what it was at first, just figured it was regular rust or buildup from minerals. Ended up pouring a little bleach-water solution down there every couple months, and it seems to keep it under control. Nothing fancy, just enough to knock back whatever's growing down there.
Agree about mesh screens—tried that briefly, but it clogged way too fast. Maybe I picked one that was too fine, but I got tired of cleaning it constantly.
