Residential · Pit trouble
Sump Pump Repair
A sump pump that fails during a storm turns a minor nuisance into a flooded basement. Most failures give warning first, if you know what to listen and look for.
- Two full hose-fill cycles before we leave
- Pit vacuumed, pump and float inspected
- One call books sump pump repair anywhere in Aurora
Call now(365) 464-5399
Phone only · a plumber answers, not a form
- Licensed plumbers (ask us for details)
- Quote settled before tools come out
- We tidy up after every job
- Aurora & York Region
Sump Pump Repair at a glance
Signs you need this
- Water sitting above the float with no start
- Damp ring on the floor around the pit after a thaw
What's included
- Gear we bring: Wet-vac, submersible test pump, PVC cement and primer, check valves, float switches, a level and a garden hose for the fill test
- Job: sump pump repair
What this page covers
- Pump will not start
- Runs constantly
- Stuck float switches
- Testing before spring thaw
Pump will not start
Check the simple things first: is the pump plugged in, is the outlet live, and has a GFCI or breaker tripped? Then look in the pit. A float wedged against the side wall or tangled in its own cord cannot rise to switch the pump on. Lift it by hand; if the motor runs, the problem is the float, not the pump. If the motor hums but water does not move, the impeller may be jammed with gravel or the pump may have seized.Runs constantly
A pump that runs and runs without emptying the pit may have lost its prime, have a broken impeller, or be pushing against a frozen or blocked discharge line. If the pump runs, shuts off and starts again a few seconds later, water is falling back from the discharge pipe: the check valve has failed or was never installed. And sometimes the pump is simply too small for what the weeping tile delivers during snowmelt.Stuck float switches
Tethered floats swing in an arc and need room to move. Vertical floats ride up and down a rod and can stick on debris. Electronic switches have no moving parts but can fail without warning. When we replace a switch, we set its on and off levels so the pump runs a reasonable cycle, not every few minutes, and we clear silt and stones out of the pit bottom.Testing before spring thaw
Late winter is the time to test, not April. Lift the lid, pour a few buckets from the laundry tub into the pit until the float rises, and watch:- The pump starts on its own.
- The water level drops quickly.
- The pump shuts off cleanly.
- No water flows back once it stops.
- Outside, the discharge line runs clear.
Aurora customers often ask
How long does a sump pump last?
Often seven to ten years, less if it runs constantly. Many homeowners replace it proactively around that age rather than waiting for failure.
Why does my pump smell?
A dry pit can let sewer-like soil gas into the basement. A sealed lid and occasionally topping up the pit usually fixes it.