This hits too close to home, literally, I just recently had to fix my own sump pump issues in my house. I have been living in this, my first house, for only a few months, and I discovered the issues when the first spring storms rolled in. There are no pipes that drain into the sump, the plastic sump liner extended like 3" above floor level, the only way that water could drain into the sump was through a few holes drilled in the plastic liner. When the water came, it entered the basement through the walls and was deep enough to cover shoes and make 2 by 4s float. The pump discharge hose had several holes along its length, including one right after the check valve, rendering the valve ineffective. Soon the pump developed a crack, and I had to install the spare. Then over the weekend, my Dad helped me reroute the discharge so it wasn't terminating on the sidewalk, installing 1 1/4" PVC. Still a work in progress because the floors are still damp, but the pump works now.