Plumbing service
Sump pump replacement and repair
Sump pumps fail quietly. The motor wears, the float sticks against the liner, or the check valve flaps loose, and nobody notices until the pit overflows during a storm.
- Common failures: Seized motor, stuck float switch, failed check valve
- Warning sounds: Humming without pumping, rapid short cycling, a thud when it stops
- Typical life: Varies with use; many pumps need replacing within a decade
- What we replace: Pump, check valve, union fittings and float as needed
- Licensed, insured trade work (details confirmed when you call)
- Diagnosis before anything is cut
- Emergency calls taken
- Etobicoke and the west end
At a glance
- Common failures
- Seized motor, stuck float switch, failed check valve
- Warning sounds
- Humming without pumping, rapid short cycling, a thud when it stops
- Typical life
- Varies with use; many pumps need replacing within a decade
- What we replace
- Pump, check valve, union fittings and float as needed
Diagnosing the old pump
We lift the pump, look at the intake screen and test the float through its full travel. A unit that buzzes while the water level sits still has a jammed impeller or a failed motor. One that runs constantly may have a float caught on the cord or a check valve letting the discharge drain back.
- Sometimes the problem is the pit: a liner full of silt and gravel from the weeping tiles chokes the intake and burns out pumps prematurely.
Choosing the replacement
The pump is chosen for the volume your pit really gets and how high it must lift it to the outlet. A bigger pump is not always better: an oversized unit short-cycles in a small pit and wears out faster.
- We fit unions so the next swap is a five-minute job, and a fresh check valve, because the old one has seen the same hours as the pump.
Making it last
Clean the pit of silt once a year, keep the cord tied clear of the float, and test it before the spring thaw. If the pump runs often in dry weather, it may be cycling groundwater from a high water table or a leaking supply line, which is worth investigating.
- We leave the new pump tested and the old one taken away.
Signs to watch for
- Pump hums but water level does not drop
- Runs every few minutes in dry weather
- Loud bang from the pipe when it shuts off
- Rust or sediment in the pit
- Water above the normal float level
How the job runs
Pull and test
The old pump comes out for inspection.
Clean the pit
Silt and debris are removed from the liner.
Install new pump
New pump, check valve and union fittings are set.
Run through cycles
We fill the pit and confirm clean start and stop.