How your sump system works
Many Ottawa homes, especially in suburbs built from the 1970s on, have a sump pit in the basement. Weeping tile around the foundation collects groundwater and carries it to the pit. When the water rises, a float switches the primary pump on and it pumps the water outside through a discharge line.
It works well until one of these happens:
- The power goes out in a storm, which is exactly when water is coming in
- The pump wears out, usually without warning, often after 7 to 10 years
- The float sticks or the switch fails
- The discharge line freezes or is blocked
- The pump can't keep up in a heavy rain or a fast snowmelt
Battery backup, alarm or generator?
These do different jobs, and you don't always need the most expensive one.
| Option | What it does | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Battery backup pump | A second pump in the same pit that runs on a deep-cycle battery when the main pump can't keep up or the power fails | Runtime depends on battery size and how much water comes in. It won't run for days. |
| High-water alarm | Warns you, with a loud alarm or a phone alert on some models, when the pit level gets too high | Tells you there's a problem. It doesn't move any water. |
| Second AC pump | Backs up a pump failure, not a power failure | Useful in pits with heavy, constant flow |
| Whole-home generator | Keeps everything running, the sump pump included | Often $10,000 or more. For basement protection alone, a battery backup is usually the better value. |
We'll look at your pit, your current pump, how often it runs and where it discharges, and recommend what actually fits your house, not the biggest thing in the catalogue.
Is your sump ready for the next storm?
Book a sump check. We'll test what you have and tell you honestly whether you need anything at all.
The City rebate
The City of Ottawa's Residential Protective Plumbing Program covers sump pumps with battery backup for homes built before January 1, 2004:
- Up to $1,500 for a primary or secondary sump pump with battery backup in an existing pit
- Up to $3,000 when a new sump pit has to be built
- 100% of the permit fee
The permit has to come before the work, and replacing a device you already have doesn't qualify. Adding a battery backup pump where you don't have one can. We'll check your eligibility and handle the permit.
What we install
- Primary sump pumps sized for your pit and the water you get
- Secondary battery backup pumps with a deep-cycle battery and charger
- High-water alarms, including models that send a phone alert
- New sump pits where a home doesn't have one
- Check valves and discharge lines, routed so they don't freeze or dump water back at the foundation
Keep it working
Test the pump each spring and fall: pour a bucket of water into the pit and watch it switch on and off. Check the battery backup's test button and battery age. Most deep-cycle batteries need replacing every 3 to 5 years.