Water and drain service
Sump pump installation, replacement and repair in NYC
A basement that takes on water in a storm needs a pump that works when the storm hits. We install, replace and service sump pumps and battery backups in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan.
Sump pump services
From a new pit in a finished basement to a backup pump on an existing one.
New sump pump installation
Pit location and sizing, pump sized to the inflow, check valve, sealed lid and discharge to an approved point.
Sump pump replacement
Failed, undersized or noisy pumps replaced with a cast-iron submersible matched to the pit.
Battery backup pumps
A second pump on a battery that runs when the power fails, which is exactly when the big storms arrive.
Water-powered backup pumps
Runs on city water pressure, no battery to maintain, for homes with adequate pressure.
Discharge line work
Frozen, blocked or illegally connected discharge lines rerouted. In NYC, sump discharge to the sanitary sewer is not permitted.
Testing and service
Float, check valve and discharge tested, pit cleaned, alarm installed. Part of our maintenance plans.
Why pumps fail in the storm they were bought for
A sump pump sits in a pit doing nothing for months, then has to run continuously for hours. The common failures are a stuck float switch, a check valve that let water fall back and cycle the pump to death, a discharge line that froze or clogged, and the big one: a power outage during the storm. A backup pump is not an upgrade; for a finished basement it is the system.
We size the pump to the pit and the inflow, not to what was on the shelf, install a proper check valve and a sealed lid, and test the whole system under load before we leave. Then we show you how to test it yourself: pour water in, watch it pump out, listen for the check valve.
Basement flooding in NYC is as often a sewer backup as groundwater. If water comes up a floor drain rather than through the walls or floor, the fix is a backwater valve, not a pump; we will tell you which you have.
Test your pump before storm season
- Pour a bucket of water into the pit
- Pump should start before the pit is full and shut off after
- Listen for the check valve closing (one thump)
- Check the discharge outside is clear
- Test the battery backup by unplugging the main pump
- Have it serviced every fall
Sump pump installation and replacement by borough
Same-day and scheduled service in every neighborhood we serve.
Brooklyn
ZIP codes 11201–11256
- Williamsburg
- Greenpoint
- DUMBO
- Brooklyn Heights
- Cobble Hill
- Carroll Gardens
- Red Hook
- Park Slope
Queens
ZIP codes 11004–11697
- Astoria
- Long Island City
- Sunnyside
- Woodside
- Jackson Heights
- Elmhurst
- Corona
- Flushing
Staten Island
ZIP codes 10301–10314
- St. George
- Tompkinsville
- Stapleton
- New Brighton
- West Brighton
- Port Richmond
- Westerleigh
- Clifton
Manhattan
ZIP codes 10001–10282
- Financial District
- Battery Park City
- Tribeca
- SoHo
- Chinatown
- Lower East Side
- East Village
- Greenwich Village
Questions
How long does a sump pump last?
About 7 to 10 years for a good cast-iron submersible. Pumps that cycle constantly because of a bad check valve fail much sooner.
Do I need a battery backup sump pump?
If the basement is finished, or if a flood would reach the boiler or water heater, yes. Power outages and heavy storms arrive together.
Can a sump pump discharge into the sewer in NYC?
No. Sump and groundwater discharge may not be connected to the sanitary sewer. We route discharge to an approved point outside.
My sump pump runs constantly. Is that normal?
No. A failed check valve, a stuck float, a high water table or a broken water line nearby are the usual causes. Constant running burns out the pump; have it checked.
Related: Sewer backup · Leak detection · Maintenance plans
Basement taking on water?
Sump pumps and backups installed and serviced in all four boroughs.
646-980-2411