Services ยท Basements
Sump Pump Repair for Homes Across the GTA
A sump pump usually fails in one of four ways: the float sticks, the switch dies, the check valve leaks back, or the motor gives out. Each has a tell.
- Pit, pump, float and check valve tested together
- Backwater valve options for the main drain
- Water poured through to prove it works
Diagnosis first, tested after
- Licensed & insured: ask us
- Camera before cutting
- Water-tested repairs
- Booked by phone
Signs it is time to call
A pump that hums but moves no water, one that runs constantly, one that cycles every few seconds, or a pit filling to the rim while the pump sits silent all need attention. So does a loud clunk every time the pump shuts off, which usually means a failing check valve letting the column of water drop back.
Pour a bucket in the pit before the storm, not during it.
On the job, step by step
We test the outlet and breaker first. Then we lift the float by hand to see whether the pump starts. If it does, the float was hung up on the pit wall or a cord. If it hums, the impeller may be jammed with gravel. If nothing happens, the switch or motor has failed. We also check the check valve, the discharge for ice or crushing, and the pit for silt that chokes the intake.
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Runs nonstop | Float stuck up or pump too small |
| Short-cycles | Bad check valve or pit too small |
| Hums, no water | Jammed impeller, frozen discharge |
| Silent, pit full | Dead switch, motor, or tripped breaker |
GTA houses and what they change
Pumps in GTA basements work hardest in spring thaw and summer storms. Pits that collect fine silt from clay soil wear impellers faster. Old pumps installed with flexible hose and no union are hard to service; we often replace that plumbing at the same time. A pump past about ten years of hard work is usually better replaced than repaired.
Before you pick up the phone
Ask whether the plumber carries replacement pumps on the truck so you are not left without one overnight. Call (365) 387-8531.
Signs you need this
- Water at the floor drain or around the furnace after a heavy storm
- Sump pump runs constantly, cycles fast or hums without pumping
- Damp efflorescence along the bottom of foundation walls
What is included
- Bucket and garden hoseFill the pit to watch the float, switch and discharge
- Check valve and union fittingsStop discharge water falling back into the pit
- Typical cause
- Overwhelmed sewers, failed pumps, open laterals
- Access point
- Sump pit, main drain under the floor
- Proof of fix
- Water poured through, valve flap seen closing
Common questions
What lifespan should a sump pump have?
Run time decides it. Many last seven to ten years; a pump in a very wet pit may wear sooner.