How to Clean the Intake on a Submersible Pump

Turn off all power to the submersible pump at the breaker panel. An electric shock could occur if the pump still has power going to it during the cleaning.

Search for the inlet side of the pump. In most cases an arrow is on the pump face that shows which way the water flows. Also in most cases, only the inlet on a submersible pump has a screen to stop foreign objects from getting inside the pump.

Pull out any vegetation or other large objects that may be blocking the intake screen. Use a brush to brush away any other debris that may be clogging the screen.

Wipe off the intake area with a rag to make it as clean as possible. When finished, reinsert the pump back into place and turn the power back on.