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Basement & flood work

Sump Pump Repair in Burlington

Sump pumps rest for most of the year and then has to work hard through a spring thaw. When it hums, cycles nonstop or does nothing at all, the basement is the next thing to flood.

  • Pumps, pits and backwater valves
  • Float and alarm tested in front of you
  • Floor patched after the dig
  • Storm-season checks on request
Call now(365) 464-5184

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Signs it needs repair

  • It keeps running through dry spells.
  • It turns on and off every few seconds.
  • It hums but water does not drop in the pit.
  • You hear a loud thud each time it shuts off.
  • The pit is full and the pump never started.

What's included

  • Concrete saw and jackhammer for the floor
  • Submersible pump and check valves
  • ABS fittings and solvent cement
  • Water alarm and float test kit

Our work on site, in order

Off comes the lid, and we watch one complete cycle. Most failures come down to a few things: a float switch tangled against the side of the pit, a check valve stuck open so water drains back down after every cycle, an impeller jammed with gravel, or a discharge line frozen or crushed outside. We pull the pump, clean the intake screen and impeller, free the float, and test it in a bucket. If the motor is weak or the switch has failed, we replace the pump with a properly sized unit, a new check valve and a fresh union so it can be serviced later. Then we pour water into the pit until it cycles and watch it run.

Spring test: before the snow melts, empty a bucket into the crock. The pump should kick on, drain it down and shut itself off.

Tell-tale signs

  • Pump cycling constantly or not at all
  • Water seeping up at the floor drain in heavy rain
  • Damp walls near the pit or a sewage smell
  • A past flood with no backwater valve installed

What makes the job bigger or smaller

Pit condition matters. A cracked liner or a pit full of silt shortens any pump's life. Discharge lines that end right at the foundation dump water back into the weeping tile. Short-cycling sometimes means the pump is oversized for a small pit. Frequent outages in your area make a battery backup worth discussing.

Job at a glance

Work
Sump Pump Repair
Trade
Basement & flood work
Where
Burlington and nearby
Book
(365) 464-5184

Burlington homes and this job

Lower neighbourhoods near the creeks, and houses that took water in the August 2014 storm, often rely heavily on their sump. Many were fitted with pumps and backwater valves under the City's flood protection programs. Those pumps are now old enough to need service. If your house has no pit at all, see sump pump installation.

Worth asking your plumber

  • Is the pump the right size for this pit?
  • Where does the discharge end?
  • Is the check valve working?
  • How old is the pump?

How the visit runs

  1. 1

    Trace the weeping tile, floor drain and lateral layout.

  2. 2

    Open the floor where the pit or valve needs to sit.

  3. 3

    Set the pump or valve, glue up the piping and test with water.

  4. 4

    Patch the slab with fresh concrete and show you how the alarm sounds.

Questions we hear

How long do sump pumps last?

Expect roughly seven to ten years, fewer for a pump that works hard. Test yours each spring.

Can I plug it into an extension cord?

Not long-term. A dedicated outlet is safer and more reliable.

Why does it smell?

A dry pit lets sewer gas or stale water odour rise. A sealed lid helps.

Call now(365) 464-5184