Sump pumps
Sump Pump Installation in Collingwood
The water table under parts of this shoreline sits close to the slab in spring. A sump pump is the machine that keeps it below the floor.
A sump pump keeps groundwater below the basement floor. The weeping tile around the footing collects water and drains it to a pit, and the pump lifts it out of the house. When the pump stops, the water table decides how fast the basement floods.
Why sump pumps work harder near the bay
Wasaga Beach sits on sand with a water table that rises in spring, and low ground near the shore in Collingwood behaves the same way. In those houses the sump pump is not a backup. It runs through every spring melt and every heavy rain.
What sump pump installation involves
- A pit sized and set below the slab, with a lid that seals.
- A pump matched to the inflow and the lift height.
- A check valve so the water in the discharge line does not fall back into the pit.
- A discharge line that runs away from the foundation and does not freeze shut in January.
- A backup: a battery pump, or an alarm at the least.
Sump pump replacement
Pumps wear. A pump that runs constantly, short-cycles, hums without moving water, or has a float that sticks is near the end. Replacing it before the spring melt costs less than replacing it during one.
The discharge line in winter
A discharge line that freezes outside turns a working pump into a flooded pit. The line needs a fall that drains it, and a freeze-relief fitting where it leaves the house helps. Do not run it into the sanitary sewer: most municipalities prohibit that.
Sump pumps in a cottage left for the winter
A seasonal house with a sump pump needs it powered and working through the winter, even when the rest of the plumbing is drained. A cottage shutdown leaves the sump on and tests it before the door is locked.
FAQ
Sump pumps — common questions
Do I need a battery backup sump pump?
If the pump runs every spring, yes. The storm that raises the water table is often the storm that cuts the power. A battery pump or a water-powered backup keeps the pit down during an outage.
Can my sump pump drain into the sewer?
Most municipalities prohibit connecting a sump pump to the sanitary sewer, because groundwater overloads it. Discharge goes outside, away from the foundation. Check with your municipality.
How do I test my sump pump?
Pour a pail of water into the pit. The float should rise, the pump should start, and the pit should empty without the pump running on after it. Test before the spring melt.
Talk to a Collingwood plumber
Collingwood Plumbers needs three things: the town, whether the house is on town water or a private well, and what the water is doing. Those three decide most of the job, from who you should actually call, to whether the fix is a valve, a pump or a pipe.