Why Newmarket basements need them
Newmarket is largely built on slow-draining clay and till. After snowmelt or a long rain, water collects around foundations and finds its way in. Many subdivisions built since the 1990s have weeping tiles that feed a sump pit by design. In some older houses the weeping tile drains to the sanitary sewer, a hookup the Town now discourages, and a sump pit is often part of fixing that.
Pump types
- Submersible: sits in the pit, quieter, handles more water. Our usual choice.
- Pedestal: motor sits above the pit on a column. Easier to service, louder.
- Cast iron versus thermoplastic: cast iron sheds heat better and lasts longer under heavy use.
A pump with a vertical float switch is less likely to snag on the pit wall than one with a tethered float.
Discharge routing
- Run the discharge up and out through the rim joist with a check valve above the pump.
- Slope the outside pipe away from the house so it drains between cycles.
- Carry the outlet well out past the foundation, two metres or better, and away from neighbours.
- Keep it out of the sanitary sewer; that hookup is prohibited and floods treatment plants with clean groundwater.
Frozen discharge lines are a winter problem. We often add a small air gap fitting near the wall so water has somewhere to go if the outside pipe freezes solid.
Signs you need this in your house
- Water seeping at the floor-wall joint
- No pit in a basement on a wet lot
- Old pit without a lid
- Discharge pipe dumping beside the foundation
We route the discharge well away from the wall so the same water does not cycle back into the pit.
Questions people ask us
How deep is a new pit?
Typically around 60 centimetres, below the slab, with a liner and gravel bed.
Do I need a backup?
If the pump runs often, a backup is a very good idea. See our battery backup page.