Intermission: water on the floor

Basement Flooding Plumbing Help in Newmarket

Mopping up is the easy part. The real job is working out how the water got in, closing that door, and making sure the next storm or thaw plays to an empty basement.

Pit, float, check valve and discharge checked as one system
Battery backup and alarm options explained plainly
Two full pump cycles proven before we pack up
Spring melt and storm calls answered first

Cues for a basement flooding plumber

Water rose from the floor drain during heavy rain or snowmelt.
The sump pit filled and the pump never started, or ran without lowering the water.
Sewage or grey water came up a basement toilet, shower or laundry tub.
Damp spreads from one wall after every storm.
A supply pipe split and sprayed while you were out.

Basement water job sheet

Tools on the truck: Wet vac, pit cleaning scoop, PVC saw and cement, check valves, float switches
What we look at: Pit depth and liner, float travel, check valve flap, discharge route outside
What fails most: Stuck floats, seized impellers, frozen or crushed discharge lines, dead backup batteries
How we prove it: Fill the pit with a hose and watch two full on-off cycles

What fails inside the pipe, and why

Town basements flood from three main sources, and the fix depends on which one showed up. Groundwater pushes in where the sump system cannot keep up, which is common in low spots near the East Holland River and the Fairy Lake valley. Sewer backup happens when the municipal line surcharges in a downpour and pushes back through the lowest drain in the house. Supply-side floods come from a burst pipe, a failed water heater or a washer hose.

Older homes that have never had a backwater valve are most exposed to sewer backup. Our primer on buying an older home covers what to look for. The same storms hit neighbours in Aurora, where we often see the same pattern.

On the job: tools, parts and steps

Make it safe. If water is near outlets or the furnace, keep out and have power cut by a qualified person. We shut off the water supply if a pipe is the source.
Find the entry point. Floor drain, sump, fixture, wall or burst pipe each leave different marks. We trace it rather than guess.
Fix the plumbing cause. That might mean a new sump pump, a cleared main line, a repaired pipe or a backwater valve.
Document it. We note what failed and why, with photos, which helps when you talk to your insurer.

What decides how big the job gets

Clearing a blocked floor drain is far less than cutting a concrete floor to install a backwater valve. Replacing a seized sump pump sits in between. Access, depth of the sewer, and whether pipes in the slab need replacing all move the number. Where a damaged supply line runs through finished walls, our repiping work may be the longer-term answer. You get the price before work starts.

Shut it off and call, or book it?

Water still coming in is an emergency. So is sewage on the floor, which carries real health risk. Stop using sinks, toilets and the washer so you are not adding to the backup, stay out of standing water, and call (365) 517-0623. If a pipe burst, close the main shut-off first and see burst pipe repair. A single damp patch that has dried can wait for a booked inspection, but don't let it wait past the next forecast storm.

Asked on site

Does insurance cover basement flooding?

It depends on your policy and the cause. Sewer backup is often a separate endorsement, so call your insurer early and keep photos of everything.

Can you pump out standing water?

We can deal with water in the sump and drains. For large volumes in finished space, a restoration company has the right extraction gear.

Does a backwater valve end basement flooding for good?

No. It stops sewage pushing back through your drains. Groundwater still needs a working sump system and good grading.