Sump Pump & Sewer Pump Service in Milton, GA

Fixing a basement sump pump often means looking beyond the pump itself. In many homes the pit is the end point of a perforated pipe, usually called drain tile, that runs along the foundation and collects groundwater before it can push through the floor or walls. When the drain and the pump work together, the basement stays dry. When one of them falls short, the symptoms can look alike. In a Milton basement, a few clues usually show which one is falling short.

How drain tile and the pit work together

Drain tile is laid in gravel along the footing, outside the foundation, under the slab along the inside of the walls, or both. Water in the soil finds the gravel, enters the pipe and flows toward the sump pit, and the pump lifts it out of the house to an outlet in the yard. An opening in the side of the pit usually shows where the tile enters. Watching that opening during rain tells you a lot about whether water is reaching the pit at all.

Signs the drain is not delivering water

• The pit stays nearly dry during heavy rain while the floor gets wet along the walls.
• Water seeps in at the joint between wall and floor in one area but not others.
• The inlet pipe in the pit is packed with silt or rust-colored sludge.
• A strip of floor near one wall stays damp long after the rain stops.

Signs the pump is the weak link

• Water pours into the pit from the tile, but the level climbs past the point where the pump should start.
• The pump runs constantly in wet weather and still falls behind.
• The pit overflows onto the floor around the lid.
• The pump hums, clicks or stays silent with a full pit.

What clogs drain tile

Fine soil washing into the pipe, gravel that was never wrapped in filter fabric, roots and mineral deposits can all slow or stop the flow. A crushed section, or pipe laid without enough fall toward the pit, lets water sit instead of moving. Exterior footing drains can also fill with leaves and grit if downspouts were tied into them. Sediment that keeps washing into the pit is often a sign the tile is carrying soil along with the water.

How the system is tested

A plumber usually starts with the pump: filling the pit to confirm it starts, empties the basin and stops, then checking the check valve and discharge. Next comes the tile. Where cleanouts exist, water can be run into the tile to see whether it reaches the pit, and the inlet can be flushed to clear silt. A small camera pushed up the tile from the pit can reveal blockages or a collapse. The same kind of equipment is used for a sewer camera inspection of drain and sewer lines, and if a buried section has failed, reaching it may call for drain excavation.

Milton permits for drain and pump work

Milton's Community Development Department issues construction permits, and the city's code generally calls for one for plumbing work, issued to contractors who hold a license or to an owner who lives in the home. Where a project adds underground plumbing, such as drain lines to an ejector basin, Milton's inspection rules call for an underground inspection after the pipe is laid and before backfill.

Questions about sump systems in Milton

Can drain tile be added to a basement that does not have it?

Yes, though it is a substantial job. An interior system means cutting a channel in the slab along the walls, laying perforated pipe in gravel, connecting it to a sump pit and pouring new concrete over it. It is usually considered when water enters along several walls and outdoor fixes such as gutters and grading have not solved it. The pump and pit then have to be sized for the added flow.

Does the sump pump need to run all the time if the drain tile is working?

No. The pump runs only when the tile delivers enough water to raise the pit to its switch level. After heavy rain it may cycle often for a day or more as the soil drains, then slow to occasional runs or stop altogether in dry weather. A pump that runs constantly during dry spells deserves a look at its switch, its check valve and possible sources such as a plumbing leak.

Should gutters and downspouts connect to the footing drain?

Generally not. A footing drain is meant to collect the modest amount of groundwater around a foundation, and a roof can deliver far more water, all at once, right where it is least wanted. Downspouts are better carried away from the house in their own pipe or extensions. If yours are tied into the footing drain or the sump, ask a plumber whether separating them makes sense.

Checking drain and pump together

Before the visit, look at the inlet pipe in the pit during rain if you can do so safely, and note whether water is flowing in. The pump side of things, including backups and alarms, is laid out on Alpha's Georgia sump pump service page. Alpha Plumbing and Sewer can inspect a Milton sump pump together with the drain that feeds it; call (404) 409-4448 to set that up.