Sump Pump Repair & Installation in Barrie

Signs your sump pump needs attention

A sump pump sits in a pit in the basement floor. Groundwater from the drainage pipe around the foundation runs into the pit, and the pump lifts it out of the house through a discharge pipe. Watch for these signs:

• The water in the pit rises, but the pump does not start.
• The pump runs, but the water level does not go down.
• The pump starts and stops every few seconds.
• The pump runs without a stop, even in dry weather.

What usually goes wrong

• The float switch is stuck. The float tells the pump when to start. If it catches on the side of the pit, on the power cord or on debris, the pump may not start, or it may not stop.
• The intake is blocked. Silt, gravel and debris in the pit can block the screen at the bottom of the pump.
• The check valve failed. This valve on the discharge pipe stops the water in the pipe from falling back into the pit. When it leaks or sticks open, the water falls back and the pump runs again and again.
• The discharge line is frozen or blocked. In winter, ice at the outlet or in the line outside can stop the water.
• The pump is worn out. A motor that has run for many seasons can fail without warning.
• The power is out. A standard pump does not run in a power failure, often in the same storm that brings the most water.

What you can safely check

1. Pour water slowly into the pit until the float rises. The pump should start, lower the water and stop on its own. If it does not start, stop adding water.
2. Look at the outlet outside. Clear snow, ice or leaves away from the end of the pipe.
3. Keep the lid on the pit, so that children, pets and debris stay out.

Unplug the pump before you put your hands into the pit. If there is a battery backup pump, switch it off or disconnect its battery too. If the floor is wet around the pump or the outlet, do not touch the cord, the plug or the outlet, and do not step into the water. In Ontario, a new outlet or a new circuit hired out is work for a Licensed Electrical Contractor.

Repair, replacement and backup pumps

We find the cause first: the pump, the float, the check valve or the discharge line. Sometimes a float or a check valve is the problem. Sometimes the pump itself has reached the end of its life. We explain what we found and the options before we start.

A backup pump with its own battery can keep water moving when the power goes out. One customer wrote: “They gave me options to replace my broken sump pump.” That customer chose a pump with a battery backup and app alerts.

A basement bathroom below the sewer line needs a different pump. For that, see our page on sewage ejector pump repair in Barrie.

When to call

If the pump has stopped and the water in the pit is rising, call a Barrie emergency plumber. We are open 24 hours. For a pump that is noisy, old or cycling too often, book sump pump repair or a replacement through our contact page.