Sump Pump Repair in Ajax

Telltales that call for sump pump repair

• The pit fills and the pump does nothing.
• The pump runs and runs without lowering the water.
• Short cycles: on for a few seconds, off, on again.
• A loud thunk in the discharge pipe each time the pump stops.

How we do the work

We unplug the pump, lift the lid and look. A float wedged on the crock's side or snagged by its own wire is the classic fault, fixed by repositioning or switching to a vertical float. A failed piggyback switch can be replaced on its own. A pump that hums but cannot move water may have a jammed impeller full of gravel or a blocked intake screen.

Short cycling usually points to a worn check flap that lets the column drop, or a float set too tightly. The thunk is the check valve slamming; a quiet-closing valve solves that. If the pump itself has burned out, we will say so and fit a replacement.

1. Unplug and inspect pit, float and intake.
2. Test switch and motor directly.
3. Check valve and discharge for blockage or freezing.
4. Repair or replace parts and refill to test.

On Ajax streets

Discharge lines that run to the surface outdoors can freeze in a cold snap, and a pump pushing against ice runs hot and fails. In older Ajax homes with long discharge runs, we often add a frost-free outlet or an air gap so the line drains between cycles.

Price swings on

Whether a switch or float alone will do, or a full pump replacement is needed.

Worth asking the plumber

• Is the motor still sound?
• Is my discharge freezing?
• Would a different switch type suit this pit?