Sump Pump Repair in San Bernardino, CA

Signs the pump is in trouble

• Water stays in the basin after a storm and the motor never kicks on
• The motor hums but the outdoor pipe stays dry
• Short bursts of running every few seconds
• A gurgle or splash back into the pit each time it shuts off
• Damp flooring, a musty odor or a tide line on a below-grade wall
• A breaker or GFCI outlet that trips when the pump starts

What is different in San Bernardino

The housing stock leans old in parts of the city. City-data.com's year-built figures for ZIP 92404 show about 72 percent of houses built in 1979 or earlier. Older houses are where you are most likely to find a cellar, a stairwell drain or a pump that a past owner installed and routed however was handy.

San Bernardino Municipal Water Department runs both the drinking water system and wastewater collection and treatment. The city maintains the sewer main in the street, and the property owner maintains the sewer lateral. That split matters for pumps: a sump hose tucked into a cleanout or floor drain sends storm water down the lateral you are responsible for, and into a system built for household wastewater. A plumber can move that discharge outdoors.

A below-grade bathroom or laundry is a different job. It needs a sewage ejector pump that legitimately feeds the lateral, with its own sealed basin and vent.

If you are pricing a backup pump that runs on water pressure, SBMWD's cross-connection control program inspects some residential properties and requires a backflow device where a hazard exists. Ask about that before choosing a water-powered unit; a battery backup sidesteps the question.

What affects the cost

• Replacing a float switch or check valve versus the whole pump
• Sump pump or sewage ejector, and the basin size
• How far the discharge line has to run to daylight
• Cracked, silted or lidless basins that need replacing
• Battery backup or a high-water alarm added to the job
• A permit from the City of San Bernardino Building & Safety Division where plumbing is changed

When you call

The number on this page connects you with an independent plumber who works in San Bernardino, from Verdemont to the West Side. Tell them whether water is rising right now, whether the pit handles groundwater or sewage, and what the pump sounds like. If water is near the outlet, turn off that circuit at the panel and stay out of standing water. The plumber can say whether the work needs a permit from the city's Building & Safety Division.