How the job runs
- 1Stay safekeep out of water that may touch outlets, the furnace or extension cords
- 2Name the waterclean supply water, grey drain water or groundwater each point to a different fault
- 3Stop the sourceshut a supply, unplug a failed sump or plug a floor drain as appropriate
- 4Pump downuse a portable submersible pump to clear standing water to a safe discharge
- 5Repairreplace the pump, fix the pipe or clear the drain that caused it
01Reading the water
The colour and the entry point tell most of the story. Clean water near the laundry or furnace room suggests a supply line, a burst washer hose or a tank that rusted out. Brown water creeping in along the joint between slab and wall is groundwater, often because the sump pump failed during a storm. Water welling up through the floor drain is coming from the sewer side.
We trace it before pumping, because the evidence disappears with the water.
| Clear, cold water | Usually a supply leak or failed water heater |
|---|---|
| Muddy water at the walls | Groundwater: sump, weeping tile or foundation crack |
| Smelly water at the drain | Sewer backup or surcharge |
02Pumps and discharge
We carry submersible pumps that move water out through a window or door to the lawn, well away from the foundation. Pumping into a floor drain only works if the sewer side is clear, and during a surcharge it is not.
03Then the real fix
Once the floor is visible we repair the cause: a new sump pump with a check valve, a replaced heater, a new braided washer hose, or a camera inspection of the main drain. We also suggest a battery backup or a backwater valve where it makes sense.