ResidentialBasements
Sump Pump Repair and Replacement
When a sump pump hums without moving water, or clicks on every half minute, it is close to quitting on you. Repair or replacement is usually a short visit.
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- Pit, float, check valve and discharge line all inspected
- Pump cycled with a bucket test, not assumed to work
- Backwater and sump layout explained for your basement
- Advice on City of Markham flood programs (confirm current terms)
- Licensing details confirmed when you call
- Residential
- Commercial
- Markham & York Region
How the job runs
- The motor hums yet the water stays put.
- It turns on and off very often, even in dry weather.
- It runs non-stop.
- Loud grinding or rattling noises.
- Water near the pit or rust on the discharge pipe.
- It has been in the pit for eight years or more.
What's included on this job
What we open
The pit lid, the float and switch, the check valve and the discharge line.
What we bring
Multimeter, a spare float switch, PVC cutters and couplings, and a wet vac for the pit.
What we replace
Float switch, check valve, a burnt-out pump, or a discharge that has frozen or split.
How we prove it
Pit filled with a hose and the pump run through three full cycles.
Signs you need this
- Pump runs but water stays
- Pump cycles on and off every minute
- Hum without any water moving
- A banging check valve after each cycle
What usually goes wrong
Float switches stick against the pit liner or get tangled in their own cord. Check valves fail and let water flow back into the pit, and the motor keeps restarting. Impellers clog with silt and gravel from the weeping tile. Discharge lines freeze outside in a Markham winter if they are not sloped to drain. And motors simply wear out after years of spring melts and summer storms.
How we handle the job
- Water goes into the pit so we can see the pump start, empty it and stop.
- We check the float, check valve, discharge route and electrical outlet.
- We clean silt from the pit and pump intake.
- If a part has failed, we replace it. If the pump is old or undersized, we suggest a new one.
- We make sure the discharge drains outside and slopes away so it cannot freeze solid.
From the van: Every couple of months, tip some water into the pit; silence means a call to us before the next storm.
Repair or replace?
A stuck float or a cracked check valve is worth fixing. A pump with a worn motor, or one that cannot keep up with your inflow, is better replaced. We tell you which is which and why.
What changes the cost
Parts, pump size, access in a finished basement, and whether the discharge needs rerouting all matter. Adding a backup pump at the same visit saves a second trip.
Humming with no discharge usually means grit locked the impeller; the motor itself may be fine.
Call before it gets worse
Pumps tend to fail during heavy rain, when they are working hardest. A check in spring and fall is cheap insurance.