Signs you need sump pump installation
Some homes never had a pump; others have one that has run its course. If your basement takes on water after heavy rain or spring melt, if the existing pump cycles constantly, or if a finished basement is planned on a lot with a high water table, a new installation is worth discussing.
A pump that hums without moving water, a float that sticks against the pit wall, or a discharge pipe that freezes each winter are all signs that the current arrangement is not doing its job. Replacing just the motor rarely fixes a poorly laid-out system.
How we approach it in Markham houses
Many Markham subdivisions from the 1990s onward were built with foundation drains tied to a sump pit, while some older homes drain by gravity to the storm system. We start by finding out which you have, because the City of Markham has encouraged disconnecting foundation drains from the sanitary sewer, and the right discharge point depends on that.
We look at the pit size, the incoming drain tile, the discharge route and where the water ends up outdoors. Water should be directed away from the foundation and not toward a neighbour's property or onto a walkway where it will freeze.
Clues pointing to sump pump installation
- Pump short-cycling every few seconds.
- A humming motor with no water moving.
- Damp walls or efflorescence near the pit.
- Water returning up the floor drain in a storm.
New pits, pumps and discharge lines
| Component | What we look for |
|---|---|
| Pit (basin) | Large enough to prevent short cycling, with a sealed lid |
| Pump | Sized to the inflow, with a float that has room to travel |
| Check valve | Installed and accessible, so discharged water cannot drop back into the crock |
| Discharge | Sloped to drain, protected from freezing, ending well away from the house |
Where power cuts are a worry, we leave room in the pit layout for a backup pump to be added later; our sump pump repair page covers keeping an existing unit running. Installations in Thornhill on the Markham side often involve cutting a new pit into an older slab, which takes more care with dust and debris.
Before you call
- Note where water enters the basement and after what kind of weather.
- Check that there is a dedicated outlet near the pit.
- Look outside to see where the existing discharge pipe ends, if there is one.
If you also treat your water, keep the pit clear of filtration system backwash lines unless the layout was planned that way. And if a shower upstairs behaves oddly at the same time the pump runs, our article on shower temperature swings may explain the unrelated but common pressure issue.
Questions homeowners ask
Sump pumps prompt practical questions, mostly about sizing and where the water should go. Here are the ones that come up on almost every visit, answered as plainly as we can. If your basement has a quirk not covered here, describe it when you call and we will tell you what to expect.
Markham note: village-core houses tend to hide cast iron and galvanized behind plaster, while Cornell and Box Grove builds run PEX to a manifold. We ask the year your house was built so the right fittings ride along on the truck.
Straight from the phone log
How do I know what size pump I need?
It depends on how much water enters the pit and how high the pump has to lift it. We watch the inflow rate and measure the discharge rise before recommending a pump.
Can the discharge go into the storm sewer?
Rules vary by property and municipality. In Markham the usual practice is to discharge to the surface away from the foundation; check with the City before connecting to anything underground.
Does a new pump need a check valve?
Yes, in nearly every case. Without one, water in the discharge line falls back into the pit each cycle and the pump works much harder than it should.
Ready to get it fixed?
One call, a clear explanation, and work finished tidily before we leave.