If you live in an apartment or a high-rise, you probably don't have a sump pump. If you have a basement, you likely do. Many homes have sump pumps. Some are used to lift water up to the sewer line while others are intended to remove water that seeps into basements below grade. Whatever it's purpose, if it isn't working properly or working at all, it spells trouble for the homeowner. It will not take long to find out there's a big problem brewing. To prevent as many potential problems as possible, plug a sump pump into a dedicated wall outlet rather than sharing the one that's closest. The latter procedure could mean failure if the breaker is tripped. To be sure it's still working properly, test your sump pump by regularly pouring in buckets of water until it activates the pump motor, especially if the house will be left empty for any period of time. And that's the On The House tip for today.