A common cause of pump failure is a blocked or frozen discharge line. If the water cannot exit the pipe, the pump will work until it burns out. At Basement Expert, we install solid PVC discharge lines rather than corrugated pipe, which is prone to clogging. We also include “IceGuard” or similar freeze-protection fittings to ensure that even in a rare Seattle cold snap, your water has a path away from the foundation. Regular inspection of the discharge exit is a critical maintenance step for every homeowner.