Sump pump installation and replacement
The sump pump is the one part of a drainage system that has to work every time it rains. Here's what goes into choosing and installing one.
A sump pump sits in a pit at the low point of the basement floor. Water from drain tile or from the gravel under the slab collects in the pit, a float switch turns the pump on, and the pump lifts the water up and out through a discharge pipe. When it fails in the middle of a storm, the pit overflows and the basement takes on water anyway. Pump size, switch type and backup all matter.
Is my pump about to fail?
- It runs in dry weather, or cycles every minute or two in rain
- It hums but the water level doesn't drop
- The float hangs up on the pit wall or the cord
- The pit is full of silt, stone or debris
- It rattles, trips the breaker or smells hot
- No one knows how old it is
What options are worth considering?
- Primary pump. Submersible pumps sit in the water and run quieter; pedestal pumps stand above the pit and are easy to service. The installer should size the pump to how much water your pit actually gets, not just replace like for like.
- Battery backup. A second pump on a battery takes over if the main pump fails or the power goes out, which tends to happen during the same storms that fill the pit.
- Sealed lid. Keeps debris and kids' toys out and cuts down on moisture and odor coming from the pit.
- High-water alarm. Warns you when the pit is filling faster than the pump can empty it.
Where is the water allowed to go?
Outside, onto ground that slopes away from your house and doesn't send water onto a neighbor's yard or freeze into an ice sheet across the sidewalk all winter. A discharge that ends against the foundation just feeds the same water back into the drain. Clear water from sump pumps is the kind of flow sewer systems try to keep out, and the City of Binghamton notes that changes to a sewer service may be subject to infiltration and inflow requirements. If your pump is piped into a floor drain or a sewer line, ask the company to trace it and check with your city, town or village before anything changes. In Binghamton, plumbing work, including sewer laterals, must be done by a licensed master plumber.
What affects the price?
- Reusing the existing pit versus cutting and digging a new one
- Pump type, backup system and alarm
- Length of the discharge line and whether it's buried
- Whether a dedicated outlet or other electrical work is needed
Pricing comes from the waterproofing company after someone has been in the basement, looked at the walls, floor joint and sump, and walked the outside of the house. We don't quote prices, and nobody can give you an honest number over the phone before seeing where the water actually comes in.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Is a battery backup sump pump worth it?
If the basement holds a furnace, water heater, freezer or anything you'd hate to lose, a backup is worth a serious look. Power outages and heavy rain often arrive together.
Why does my sump pump run constantly?
Possible causes include high groundwater, a check valve letting water fall back into the pit, a stuck float, or a pump that's too small. Get it checked before the motor burns out.
Related services
More background: Broome County basement water guide.
Wet floor edge, a weeping crack, or a sump that runs all night?
Call and a Broome County waterproofing company will come find where the water is getting in.