Pump Running, Pit Filling
Emergency Sump Pump Repair
Move what you can off the floor, then call.
Licensed and insured plumbers. Open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Based in the South Metro.
Check the discharge line where it exits the house.
- Sump pit
- Float switch
- Sump pump
- Discharge line
A sump pump that keeps running while the pit stays full usually points to a failed check valve, a frozen discharge line, or a stuck float switch, not a dead motor. Cut power at the breaker, then call Charli’s Emergency Plumbing at 952-521-0880.
What to do the moment it fails
Cut power to the pump at the breaker before you touch anything in or near the pit.
Do not reach into standing water to unplug it.
Check the discharge line where it exits the house.
A frozen or blocked exterior run can stop a working pump from moving water.
Move anything you can off the basement floor while you still have time.
Call 952-521-0880 and describe what the pit is actually doing.
That detail changes the diagnosis.
Then call 952-521-0880.
Why sump pumps fail during rain or snowmelt
A sump pump has one job and three common ways of failing at it. The motor burns out, which is the failure everyone expects. The float switch sticks against the side of the pit or gets tangled in its own cord. Or the pump runs perfectly and the water simply has nowhere to go, because the discharge line outside is frozen, crushed, or buried under snow.
That last one is a Minnesota problem specifically. The exterior discharge run sits out in the open air where it freezes first. A pump cycling every ninety seconds against a frozen line will burn itself out doing exactly what it was told to do, which is worth knowing before you assume the motor is the problem.
In March, during a fast melt, do not skip the discharge line. It is the part of the system that sits outside, and it is easy to overlook until the basement is already wet.
What sump pump repair involves
A plumber checks the system part by part, not in the order that looks scariest. The float switch and its travel inside the pit come first, since a stuck float looks identical to a dead pump from upstairs. The check valve comes next, the one-way valve on the discharge line that keeps water from falling back into the pit between cycles; a failed check valve makes the pump run constantly because it is re-pumping the same water over and over. The sump discharge line itself, especially the exterior run, gets checked last, for a freeze, a crush point, or a disconnected fitting.
Honest answer on timing: it depends on distance, weather, and how many emergencies are running at once. The person you speak with will give you a straight picture for your address.
Backup power and battery options, mentioned honestly
A battery backup sump pump, or a water-powered backup on a home with municipal water pressure, keeps the pit pumping through a power outage, when a primary pump has no power to run. Neither is a permanent fix for a pump that is already failing for a mechanical reason. A backup system is worth discussing as part of preventing the next failure, not as a substitute for fixing tonight’s.
A battery backup only helps if the battery itself still holds a charge, which is easy to forget about until the moment it matters. A backup that has not been tested since it was installed is, in practice, no backup at all.
Testing worth doing before the next storm
Pour a few gallons of water into the pit and watch the full cycle: the float should rise, the pump should start within a few seconds, and the water level should drop steadily until the pump shuts off on its own. A pump that hesitates, cycles rapidly, or strains audibly during this test is telling you something before a real storm does.
Check the discharge line’s exterior end each fall, before the ground freezes, for anything that could block it once winter sets in: a bird’s nest, a section that has settled and now pitches the wrong way, or a splash block that has drifted out of position. None of this takes long, and all of it is easier to fix in October than at 2am during a February thaw.
When it can wait, and when it cannot
A dry pit and a pump that has not run since summer is a daylight problem, worth a look before the next storm rather than tonight. A pit that is actively filling with the pump silent, or a finished basement with water already reaching the carpet edge, is not. If you are not sure, call. If it can safely wait until morning, we will say so.
Sump pump repair across the South Metro
- Sump pump repair in Eagan
- Sump pump repair in Lakeville
- Sump pump repair in Shakopee
- Sump pump repair in Apple Valley
- Sump pump repair in Savage
- Sump pump repair in Prior Lake
- Sump pump repair in Rosemount
- Sump pump repair in Farmington
- Sump pump repair in Inver Grove Heights
Related problems worth a second look: water line repair if the pit itself is dry and the water is coming from the yard or a supply line instead, and burst pipe repair if a broken pipe upstairs is what is actually filling the basement the pump cannot keep up with. For more on keeping the discharge line from freezing before the next storm, see the Minnesota winter plumbing guide.
Not sure whether tonight is the night to call? See the call-now-or-wait guide, or check the full FAQ.
Call 952-521-0880. We are open right now.
Questions about sump pump repair
My sump pump runs constantly but the pit never seems to empty. What does that mean?
A pump that runs and runs without actually lowering the water level usually points at a failed check valve, the one-way valve on the discharge line, letting water fall back into the pit between cycles. The pump is doing real work, it is just pumping the same water twice. It is worth a call, though it is rarely as urgent as a pump that has stopped entirely with water rising.
Why did my sump pump stop working during a snowmelt?
During a fast melt, the cause can be a frozen or blocked exterior discharge line, not the pump. The motor can be working perfectly and still move no water if the line outside has nowhere for that water to go. Checking the discharge line where it exits the house, before assuming the pump is dead, is worth the extra minute.
Is a sump pump failure ever something that can wait?
A dry pit with a pump that simply has not run in a while can usually wait for a daytime check. A pit that is actively filling with the pump silent, especially during a storm or a melt, cannot. Move what you can off the floor and call.
Is a battery backup pump worth having?
It can be, especially for a finished basement, since a battery backup keeps the pit pumping through the exact scenario a primary pump cannot cover: a power outage during a storm. It only helps if the battery has actually been tested, not just installed and forgotten.
The pit does not have to win
Open 24 hours a day. Call 952-521-0880 and describe what the pit is doing.