Signs you need this fixed
- Motor drones yet the pit level holds
- Floor drain bubbling up during rain
- Carpet edge damp after a thunderstorm
- Float wedged on the liner wall
How water gets in
- Surface water running toward the house from roofs, downspouts and poor grading, seeping through cracks.
- Groundwater pushed up through the floor when the water table rises after heavy rain or snowmelt.
- Sewer backup through the floor drain when the City system or your own lateral is overloaded.
Many older parts of the city have combined sewers, carrying both rainwater and household waste. In a severe storm they can fill, and the lowest opening on the line is often a basement floor drain.
Outside fixes first
Start at the roof and work down. Clean the eavestroughs. Extend each downspout well clear of the walls, onto soil that falls away from the house. Toronto has required downspouts to be disconnected from the sewer in most cases; see our essay on downspout disconnection. Fill low spots near the walls. Check window wells for drains and covers. These steps cost little and stop a surprising amount of water.
Plumbing protection inside
- Backwater valve on the main drain, so sewer water cannot reverse into the house.
- Sump pump once the foundation drains are cut off from the sanitary line.
- Capped foundation drain connections so storm water stays out of the sanitary line.
A seasonal checklist
- Spring: test the sump pump, clear the eavestroughs, check the backwater valve flap.
- Summer: before heavy storm season, keep storage off the basement floor.
- Fall: clean leaves from eavestroughs and window wells; shut off outdoor taps.
- Winter: keep snow banks from piling against the foundation, and clear the sump discharge so it does not freeze.
What is included on the visit
Tools on the truck
- Float switch tester and backup battery
- Camera for the weeping tile and lateral
- Wet vac and floor squeegee
What we open
Sump lid, the backwater valve access cap or the floor drain
How we test it
Hose water into the pit until the switch trips, twice
How the job runs
Ring the line
Say what is dripping, backing up or banging. Water still flowing? We guide your hand to the valve first.
Find the cause
The plumber traces the fault, with a scope or gauge where one earns its keep.
Pick the fix
Options come in everyday language, and nothing starts until you choose.
Repair & prove it
We finish, run the water to prove it, wipe up and leave a short written record.
Calls we field, answered plainly
Will a backwater valve keep out every kind of water?
No. It stops sewer water from backing up. Surface and groundwater need grading, sealing and a sump pump.
What should I do first when the basement floods?
Protect people first; cut the power only when the panel can be reached without standing in water, then follow our first-hour guide.