sump pump not just sucking

Hi All. I need some help with my sump pump. We have a standard 1/4 hp mastercraft pedestle sump pump. While the pump is running it seems to eject water from somewhere near the intake. Almost as much as is being pumped out. Is this normal, or should it only be sucking water out of the pit. Second item is there does not seem to a check valve or an air relief hole. How serious are these items? Enough to warrant getting a new sump pump. Oh should I mention that the float arm on occasion (the worst in the middle of the night during spring thaws and rains) seems to stick.

Thanks

Straal

Without a check valve (either integral or add-on), you could get a bunch of water falling back into the sump hole when the pump turns off. Why pay to pump it 2,3 or more times? From the outlet of the pump, there should be no leaks...is something cracked or not tightend up properly?

Thank Jim. At this moment I can't tell if there's a crack or if something needs tightening. I need the pump in place and working as we are getting a lot of water into the sump pit. But generally speaking there should not be any water exiting from around the intake area, right?

Straal

If you don't have a check valve, or it is either not installed properly or stuck open, that column of water will fall back down into the sump when the pump turns off. It could just be a bad/missing check valve. Gravity usually wins...

Some pumps require an 1/8" or 3/16" hole to be drilled into the discharge pipe about 4" above its connection to the pump. I've seen other pumps in which this hole is an integral part of the pump housing itself. If either is the case with yours, what you are seeing is normal. You definitely need a check valve though.