Who should consider a backup
- Homes with finished basements or living space below grade
- Sump pits that fill quickly during rain or spring melt
- Anyone who travels and leaves the house empty for days at a time
- Houses with a basement apartment where a tenant could lose belongings
How a backup system works
A second pump sits in the same pit, slightly higher than the main pump, with its own float. If water rises past the main pump's level, the backup kicks in, running from a deep-cycle battery charged by a smart charger. An alarm sounds so you know the main pump has a problem.
- Fit the backup pump and its check valve alongside the main pump.
- Mount the battery box and charger off the floor.
- Tie the discharge into the existing line or give it its own exit.
- Test both pumps and the alarm.
Keeping the battery healthy
Batteries are the weak link. Most last a few years, and a charger with a status light helps you catch a tired battery early. Write the install date on the battery case. Some homeowners choose a water-powered backup pump instead, which uses city water pressure and needs no battery but must be allowed by the local water rules, so we check before recommending one.
Tools, access and testing
| Tools we bring | Submersible pump, check valve, saw for the floor slab |
|---|---|
| What we open | Sump pit, discharge line, backwater valve lid |
| What we test | Float switch cycles, alarm, battery runtime |
Where in Brampton we do this
We take battery backup sump pump calls right across the city, including Peel Village, Fletcher's Meadow, Professor's Lake, Castlemore and the streets around them.
Questions we get
How many hours can the backup keep pumping?
That comes down to battery size and how quickly the pit refills. In a typical storm, a good battery can manage many hours of intermittent pumping.