- On the truck
- Pumps, check valves, ABS, core bit
- What gets opened
- Basement slab, rim joist for discharge
- Tested by
- Hose water into the pit until it kicks on and empties
When you need sump pump installation
Some houses were built with a sump pit but never given a pump. Others have a pump nearing the end of its life, or a pit that floods faster than the existing unit can keep up during spring thaw. Water seeping along the floor-wall joint after a storm, a damp smell that never fully leaves, or efflorescence on the foundation walls all suggest groundwater is pressing in. Where a basement is about to be finished, a properly installed pump is cheap insurance against ruined drywall and flooring.
If you already have a pump that hums but does not empty the pit, start with sump pump repair instead.
How the job is done
We begin by looking at where the weeping tile enters the pit and how quickly water arrives after rain. That tells us how much capacity the pump needs. For a new pit, the floor is cut, the hole excavated, a perforated liner set on gravel, and the slab patched around it. The pump sits on a firm base so it does not suck up grit.
Discharge piping runs up and out through the rim joist or wall with a check valve to stop water falling back into the pit. Outside, the line must deliver water a good distance from the walls, never onto a neighbour's lot and never into the sanitary sewer. To finish, a garden hose fills the crock and we observe several cycles.
Describe the drain, pipe or fixture and get a straight answer on the phone.
Burlington homes and this work
Burlington sits on a mix of clay-heavy soils with the Niagara Escarpment rising to the north, so groundwater moves downhill toward the lake through many neighbourhoods. The storm of August 4, 2014, which dropped close to 200 mm of rain on parts of the city in a few hours, showed how quickly basements can fill. Halton Region and the City of Burlington have since offered programs that help with flood protection work; our letter on Halton flood subsidy programs explains what to check before you book.
What affects the scope
- Whether a pit already exists or one must be cut and dug
- Distance and route from the pit to an acceptable outdoor discharge point
- Finished walls or flooring that need careful work around them
- Choice of pump: pedestal or submersible, cast iron or thermoplastic body
- Whether you add a battery backup pump at the same time
Before we arrive
Empty the corner where the pit is or will go, including shelving and stored items. Find the nearest electrical outlet; a sump pump should have a dedicated, properly grounded receptacle. If you know where the weeping tile runs, or you have the original house drawings, keep them handy.
How the work runs on site
- Pick the pit spot near where water enters
- Cut the slab, dig and set the liner
- Drop in the pump, run ABS discharge with a check valve
- Run a garden hose into the pit to trip the float
Questions we get on this
Can the sump discharge into my floor drain?
No. Groundwater must go outside to grade or an approved storm connection, not into the sanitary sewer.
What is the usual sump pump lifespan?
Expect roughly seven to ten years, less with heavy cycling or a budget model.
Do I need a backup pump?
If your pump runs often or the basement is finished, a backup is worth serious thought. Power failures and storms tend to arrive together.
One call to (365) 414-5748 puts you through to a Burlington plumber.