Winter Power Outage in Chicago: How to Protect Your Plumbing and Sump Pump

What a Winter Power Outage Does to Your Plumbing in Chicago, and What to Do About It

 

When it comes to power outage plumbing Chicago homeowners face during winter storms, three things happen to your plumbing. Pumps stop: the sump pump, a basement ejector pump, a private well pump. The heat stops, which puts every pipe along an exterior wall on a clock. And people reach for generators, grills, and space heaters in ways that can hurt them far more than the outage itself. This guide covers what stops working, how to keep a basement dry, how to run a generator without poisoning your household, how to protect pipes and the water heater if the house gets cold, and what to check when the power returns.

 

Which Parts of Your Plumbing Need Power

 

Most homeowners can’t say offhand which of their plumbing depends on electricity. Walk through the house and write the list down for your own home:

 

• Sump pump, and its alarm if it has one.

 

• Ejector (sewage) pump, if a basement bathroom, laundry, or bar sink drains to a pit instead of by gravity.

 

• Well pump, if you’re on a private well. No power means no water pressure.

 

• Water heater. An electric heater stops heating. A gas heater depends on its design: a standing-pilot model can keep working, while one with electronic ignition or a power vent needs electricity.

 

• Heating system. Your furnace or boiler and its circulators are what keep pipes from freezing, so a heating outage is a plumbing problem too.

 

• Septic system pumps or alarms, if yours has them.

 

Also confirm where your main water shutoff is and which breakers feed these items. That is much easier to do in daylight with the power on.

 

The First Few Things to Do When the Lights Go Out

 

• Look at the sump pit and note the water level, so you can tell later whether it’s rising.

 

• Check that your carbon monoxide alarms have working batteries.

 

• If it’s cold, open the cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls and let a faucet on an outside wall trickle (more on both below).

 

• Make sure everyone in the house knows where the main water shutoff is.

 

• If you’re considering a generator, read the generator section below before you start it.

 

The Sump Pump: The Outage Failure That Floods Basements

 

A sump pump with no power doesn’t pump, and outages often arrive with the same weather that fills the pit. NOAA hydrology research notes that ice in soil reduces its permeability, and National Weather Service forecasters list frozen ground among the conditions that raise basement flooding risk when heavy rain or snowmelt arrives. A thaw or a rain-on-snow event can send water to your foundation drains just as an ice storm takes the power out.

 

A battery backup runs the pump on a battery when the power fails. How long it lasts depends on the battery’s size and condition and on how fast water is entering the pit, so there is no universal number. Ask whoever installs it what runtime to expect for your pit, find out when the battery needs replacing, and test the system on a schedule. Our sump pump battery backup installation covers adding one.

 

Power isn’t the only winter failure point. A backup pump does nothing if the discharge line is frozen, which is a separate problem we cover in our guide to a frozen sump pump discharge line in Chicago.

 

If You Have an Ejector Pump

 

An ejector pump lifts wastewater from below-grade fixtures up to the sewer line, and it needs electricity to do it. With the power out, wastewater from those fixtures collects in the pit, which has limited room. Until power returns, treat the basement bathroom, laundry, and any sink that drains to the pit as out of service. If you’re not sure whether you have a sump pump, an ejector pump, or both, our guide on sump pumps versus ejector pumps explains the difference.

 

Generators: Where Outages Turn Deadly

 

Running a sump pump from a generator is common, and so are the mistakes that go with it. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s generator safety alert sets the basic rules:

 

• Never use a generator inside a home, garage, crawlspace, or shed, even with fans running or doors and windows open. Deadly carbon monoxide can build up quickly in those spaces and linger for hours after the generator is shut off.

 

• Use it outside only, away from doors, windows, and vents. The CDC puts the distance at at least 20 feet, and says not to run one in a garage or carport.

 

• Never plug a generator into a wall outlet to power the house wiring. This is called back feeding, and it can electrocute utility workers and neighbors served by the same transformer.

 

• Store generator fuel outside living areas, in proper containers.

 

• Use battery-operated carbon monoxide alarms, or plug-in alarms with battery backup, on every level and near sleeping areas.

 

• Never burn charcoal indoors for heat or cooking, and clear snow away from the outside vents of furnaces and other fuel-burning appliances, which includes a gas water heater.

 

If you want a generator to run a sump pump, the safe route is a transfer switch or interlock installed by a licensed electrician, so the pump stays on its normal circuit and the generator stays outside.

 

 

When the Heat Goes Out Too: Protecting the Pipes

 

Slow the cold down

 

University of Illinois Extension recommends letting hot and cold water trickle at night from a faucet on an outside wall, and opening cabinet doors so more heat reaches uninsulated pipes under a sink or appliance near an outer wall. Pipes in exterior walls, unheated spaces, and floors over garages are the ones most exposed. Our hard freeze countdown covers the rest of the house in the 48 hours before a cold snap.

 

If the heat stays off: draining the system

 

Purdue Extension’s guidance for a winter power failure lays out the full procedure for a heating emergency. In order, it says to:

 

• Shut off the water at the main valve, or turn off the well pump.

 

• Drain the pressure tank if you have one.

 

• Open all faucets until they drain completely.

 

• Drain the system by disconnecting pipe unions or joints as close to the main valve as possible.

 

• Insulate pipes that can’t be drained.

 

• Drain toilet tanks, disconnect and drain a water softener, and empty drain traps.

 

• Disconnect power or shut off the fuel to water-using appliances, and drain them.

 

Two details from that guidance matter. First, Purdue says not to put antifreeze in water-using appliances, and that automotive (ethylene glycol) antifreeze is not safe in any part of a home water system. Propylene glycol, the kind sold for RV plumbing, is the one it describes as generally safe for drain traps you can’t empty. Second, shut the water heater’s power or fuel off before you drain it. Draining the system is real plumbing work, since it means opening pipe joints, and if you’re not comfortable doing it, our emergency plumbing services can do it for you.

 

If your house has a hot water heating system with radiators or baseboard, Purdue treats it separately. If the heat will be off for several hours or more in freezing weather, keep the water circulating if you have any power for the circulator pump. If the room temperature falls below 40°F, Purdue says you should probably begin draining the heating pipes, and it advises consulting a heating contractor about antifreeze for the system.

 

If a pipe freezes anyway

 

Shut off the water supply, open the faucet on the frozen section so the water has somewhere to go as it melts, and warm the pipe gradually. Don’t use a propane torch or any open flame. Most thawing tools need electricity, so without power the practical steps are to shut off the water, open the faucet, and call a plumber. If a pipe has already split, turn off its water supply immediately. Our pipe thawing service and burst pipe services handle both.

 

Your Water Heater in an Outage

 

The tank is an emergency water supply. Purdue Extension says a typical heater can provide roughly 30 to 60 gallons, and the City of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management lists it as a source if your stored water runs out, to be strained through paper towels or clean cloth and treated before drinking. To draw from it:

 

• Turn off the electricity or gas to the heater first. If you shut off gas, follow the manufacturer’s relighting instructions or have the gas utility or a plumber relight it.

 

• Close the cold-water inlet valve.

 

• Open a hot faucet somewhere in the house to let air in.

 

• Draw water from the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Expect rust and sediment, so let it settle and treat it. Our guide on what causes water heater sediment explains why it’s there.

 

The rule that matters most comes when power returns: don’t turn the heater back on until the tank is full of water. Purdue warns that leaving the heating element on in an empty tank can burn out the elements or create a safety hazard. If your heater misbehaves after an outage, our water heater services team can check it.

 

No Water: Wells, Toilets, and Drinking Water

 

On a private well, no power means no water, because the pump is electric. Homes on municipal water are less likely to lose pressure in a short outage, but check with your utility. The City of Chicago, Ready Illinois, and the CDC all recommend storing at least one gallon of water per person per day, and at least a three-day supply. A bucket of water poured into the bowl will flush a standard toilet if the supply is out and the drains still work. The City of Chicago’s emergency water guidance covers storage and treatment.

 

If your home suddenly loses water pressure or you have no running water despite the power being on, the problem may extend beyond your plumbing system. A municipal water main break can interrupt service to entire neighborhoods and may require different steps than a household plumbing emergency. See our guide on what to do during a water main break in Chicago to understand what causes these disruptions and what homeowners should do next.

 

When the Power Comes Back

 

• Check the sump pump. Confirm it starts and that water leaves through the outlet. A pit that filled during the outage may need a few cycles to catch up.

 

• Restore water slowly if you drained the system. Close the drains, open the main valve slowly with a faucet open, and check fittings and pipes for leaks before you leave the house.

 

• Wait to turn the water heater on until the tank is full.

 

• Look for leaks as the house warms. A pipe can split while frozen and only start leaking as it thaws. Check ceilings, walls below bathrooms, and basements for stains and dripping.

 

• Test your carbon monoxide alarms if you ran a generator.

 

• Call a plumber for anything that looks wrong rather than waiting to see if it gets worse.

 

Before the Next Outage

 

• Install or test a sump pump battery backup, and confirm your discharge line is clear of ice.

 

• If you want generator power, talk to a licensed electrician about a transfer switch or interlock.

 

• Put battery-operated carbon monoxide alarms on every level.

 

• Store at least a three-day supply of drinking water, and keep a bucket for flushing.

 

• Write down which plumbing depends on power, and where the main shutoff and breakers are.

 

• Have a plumber inspect and protect vulnerable pipes before cold weather arrives with a pipe winterization service.

 

• Save a plumber’s number where you can find it in the dark.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How long will a sump pump battery backup run?

It depends on the battery’s size and condition and on how fast water is entering the pit, so there is no universal answer. Ask the installer for the expected runtime for your pit, and test the system on a schedule.

 

Can I run my sump pump on a generator?

Yes, but safely. Keep the generator outside and away from doors, windows, and vents, with the CDC’s 20-foot distance as the minimum, and never backfeed through a wall outlet. The proper way to connect it to a pump is a transfer switch or interlock installed by a licensed electrician.

 

Can I drink the water in my water heater tank?

The City of Chicago’s emergency guidance lists it as a source if your stored water runs out, to be strained and treated first. Turn off the power or gas to the heater, close the cold-water inlet, open a hot faucet, and draw from the drain valve. Expect sediment.

 

When should I drain my plumbing during an outage?

Purdue Extension’s procedure is written for a heating emergency in freezing weather, and it doesn’t name a single hour count. For a hot water heating system, it says to probably begin draining once room temperature drops below 40°F. If your house is approaching freezing and you can’t restore heat, call a plumber rather than waiting.

 

Can I turn my electric water heater on as soon as the power returns?

Not until the tank is full of water. Powering an empty or partly empty heater can burn out its elements.

 

Do my toilets work without power?

If the water supply is still on, a standard toilet flushes by gravity. If the supply is out, pour a bucket of water into the bowl. Fixtures that drain to an ejector pump can’t discharge without power, so avoid using them until it returns.

 

Plan Before the Storm

 

The plumbing problems that follow a winter outage tend to come in the same order: a pit that floods, a pipe that freezes, a water heater damaged on restart, and a household exposed to carbon monoxide. Each is easier to prevent than to repair. If you’d like your sump pump, backup, and pipes checked before the next storm, our sump pump services team will go through the system with you.

 

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