Signs you need this
- Pump short-cycling or humming without moving water
- Water standing in the pit after rain
- Sewage pushing up through the floor drain
- Check valve slamming after every cycle
Kit on the van, and the method
- Pit liner, check valve and union fittings
- Float switch and alarm tester
- Wet vac and pump-out hose
- Backwater valve access-lid tools
Before we leave: Hose-fill the crock until the float lifts, then time a full start, empty and shut-off cycle.
How backups work
A backup system pairs a 12-volt DC pump with a deep-cycle battery and a charger. We mount the standby unit in your existing pit, set a little above the main pump and switched by a separate float. While the main pump handles water normally, the backup stays idle. If the primary fails, loses power or cannot keep up, the level climbs to a higher float and the standby unit takes over.
Each pump discharges through its own check valve, either into a shared line or a separate pipe. We prefer that the two discharges join only after each has its own check valve, so water from one pump cannot cycle back through the other.
Backups move less water than a full-size AC pump. Think of them as outage insurance, never as a stand-in for the main pump. If your main pump is aging, look at sump pump repair or a new installation alongside the backup.
Battery care
The battery is the part most likely to let you down. Deep-cycle batteries lose capacity over a few years, faster when kept in a damp, cold basement. A charger that keeps the battery topped up is essential, and so is checking it.
- Keep the battery in its vented box, off the floor, close to the pit.
- Check the charger's status light each month.
- For flooded lead-acid batteries, check fluid level and top up with distilled water.
- Replace the battery on the maker's schedule rather than waiting for a failure.
Alarm options
A pump that runs silently in the night is useful. Knowing that it ran is better. Most backup controllers sound an audible alarm when the backup activates, when the battery is low, or when the charger fails. Some add a high-water float alarm independent of both pumps. Wi-Fi models send a notice to your phone, which matters if the house is empty during a storm. We go through the options and install the one that fits how you use the house.
Water-powered alternatives
Homes on municipal water can sometimes use a water-powered backup pump that uses city pressure to eject water without electricity. It needs no battery but consumes water while running and requires a proper backflow preventer. Whether it suits your house depends on supply pressure and local requirements, and we will tell you plainly if it does not.
Pairing a backup pump with a backwater valve covers both of the common basement water threats.
What the install involves
We set the backup on a stable base inside the pit, plumb its discharge with a separate check valve, mount the battery box nearby, and wire the controller to its alarm. Then we test it with the primary unplugged so you hear exactly what an activation sounds like.
Asked on the phone
How long will a battery backup run?
Run time comes down to battery size, pump draw and how frequently the pit refills. Light duty can last much longer than a heavy thaw. We size the battery to your pit's behaviour.
Is there room for a standby pump in my current pit?
Usually, yes, if the pit has room for a second pump and float. Small pits sometimes need a combination unit.
Does a backup need its own outlet?
The charger plugs into a standard outlet. Ideally that outlet is not on the same circuit as the primary pump.