Phone line soon Schedule a Visit
Schedule a Visit Phone line coming soon
A bathroom pairing wood paneling with black marble, a vessel basin and a built-in tub

Residential plumbing · Metro Detroit

Sump Pump Repair, Replacement and Backup

Sump pump repair and replacement, with backup options and alarms discussed for finished lower levels.

Request Service Phone line coming soon

Overview

Sump Pumps, Explained.

A sump pump spends most of its life waiting. Then, during a heavy spring rain or a rapid thaw, it may run repeatedly for hours, and the finished lower level below grade depends on it working each time. Because it is so rarely noticed between those moments, a worn switch or seized impeller is often discovered only when the water is already rising.

Whether the lower level holds a family room, a laundry, a spare bedroom or simply the furnace and the holiday boxes, the sump system deserves the same consideration as any other protective system. A visit looks at the pump, the basin, the check valve, the discharge line and the power supply as one arrangement, and at what happens if any single part of it fails.

The visit

Sump Pumps: What the Visit Involves

  1. 01

    Test under real conditions

    The basin is filled to trigger the pump, so we can watch the switch engage, the water level drop and the pump shut off cleanly. Run time, noise and vibration all tell us something.

  2. 02

    Inspect the whole system

    The check valve, discharge pipe, basin, lid and electrical supply are examined. A healthy pump connected to a failed check valve or a frozen discharge line will still let a lower level flood.

  3. 03

    Discuss backup protection

    We talk through what happens during a power outage or pump failure, and which backup arrangements, battery or otherwise, suit the home, its plumbing and how the lower level is used.

  4. 04

    Replace or repair

    Switches and check valves can often be replaced alone. Where the pump itself is worn, it is replaced with one sized to the basin and inflow, and the system is tested again before we leave.

A bathroom pairing wood paneling with black marble, a vessel basin and a built-in tub

Making the decision

Primary pumps and backup options

Primary pumps differ in construction, switch type and capacity. A vertical or tethered float switch, a cast or plastic housing, and the height water must be lifted to the discharge all affect which pump suits a basin. Replacing a pump with one that is far larger than needed can cause short cycling, which wears the switch faster.

Battery backup pumps run when power fails or the primary cannot keep up, though only for as long as the battery holds a charge. Water-powered backups use household water pressure instead of electricity and are worth discussing where a home is on municipal water with adequate pressure; their suitability depends on the supply and local requirements. A high-water alarm is a simple addition to any arrangement.

  • Quiet in finished spaces

    A pump beside a bedroom or family room can be intrusive. A sealed, gasketed lid, a quieter check valve and isolating the discharge pipe from framing can make a noticeable difference.

  • Discreet but accessible

    Sump basins are often tucked inside closets or under stairs in finished lower levels. The basin and its controls still need to be reachable for testing, so access is kept clear rather than built over.

  • Where the water goes

    Discharge should carry water well away from the foundation without crossing walks or pooling near a neighbor’s property. In winter, an exposed line can freeze, so its route and termination are worth reviewing.

Questions homeowners ask

Sump Pumps: Questions Homeowners Ask

All questions
How often should a sump pump be tested?

A simple test, slowly pouring a bucket of water into the basin until the pump starts and empties it, is worth doing a few times a year and particularly ahead of the wetter spring months. Watch that the float rises freely, the pump starts promptly and shuts off cleanly. If the pump hums without moving water, or fails to start, that is the time to have it looked at.

Do we really need a battery backup pump?

Heavy storms and power outages often arrive together, which is precisely when a primary pump is most needed and least able to run. A battery backup provides a second line of defense against both power loss and primary pump failure. Whether it is worth it depends on how often your pump runs, how the lower level is finished and what is stored there. For a finished lower level, many homeowners decide it is.

What does the check valve on the discharge pipe do?

The check valve stops the water already in the discharge pipe from falling back into the basin when the pump shuts off. Without it, the pump re-pumps the same water repeatedly, cycling more often and wearing faster. A failing check valve can also be the source of a loud thud when the pump stops. It is an inexpensive part relative to the pump, and worth checking during any service.

Why does our sump pump run even when it has not rained?

In many homes, groundwater keeps reaching the drain tile around the foundation well after the rain stops, especially during a spring thaw or in a high water table. That can be normal. Running every minute or two in dry weather, however, may point to a failed check valve, a discharge line that drains back into the basin, a stuck switch, or water from another source, such as a leaking irrigation line.

Related services

Service areas

Sump Pumps Across Our Priority Communities

Request a visit

Ask About Sump Pumps.

Tell us a little about what is happening and when suits you — a running toilet or a water heater that quit is as welcome as a remodel. We will be in touch to arrange a visit.

  • PhonePhone line coming soon
  • ServingResidential homes across Metro Detroit

Online requests open soon. Until then, this form does not send or store anything you enter.