Fig. 03
Won't Turn On
Pit is full and the pump is silent. We test the GFCI outlet, the float switch, the impeller, and the motor in order, then fix the one that's actually failing instead of selling you a new pump.
Sump Pump Installation and Repair in Orange County, Done by a Licensed Plumber
4.9 · 309 Google reviews Licensed & insured · CA Lic. #997050
Request an estimate
Overview
Why Homeowners Choose Graham Plumbing and Drain Cleaning
Sump pump installation and repair keeps water out of the low points of your home: the crawlspace, the garage-level slab, the subgrade utility room, the graded corner of a low-lying lot where winter storm runoff pools. Graham Plumbing and Drain Cleaning installs, repairs, and services sump systems across Orange and LA County, and the mistake we correct most often is a pump that was never sized to its pit, so it short-cycles itself to an early death or can't keep up when a February storm dumps runoff faster than it can pump. We diagnose the actual fault before quoting, size the pump to the pit and the water it has to move, and add a backup so the next power outage during a storm doesn't leave you with a flooded crawlspace. Licensed, bonded, and insured, with same-day and 24/7 emergency service. Call (714) 367-4996.
One honest note up front, because plenty of out-of-state advice gets this wrong: most Southern California homes are slab-on-grade and don't have the below-grade basements you see in the Midwest, so a sump pump here is usually protecting a crawlspace, a low-lying yard drain, a subgrade garage, or a graded corner that collects runoff, not a finished basement. Costs vary with the type of pump, the depth and condition of the pit, the discharge routing, and whether you're adding a battery backup or a secondary pump. Anyone quoting a flat number over the phone without seeing where the water goes is guessing. Every job is different. Contact Graham Plumbing and Drain Cleaning for an accurate estimate.
(714) 367-4996Sump Pump Not Working: Where to Start Before You Replace It
A sump pump that won't run is either not getting power, has a stuck float switch, or has a seized motor, and the order you check those in matters. Start with the obvious: the pump has to be plugged into a working GFCI outlet, and on older Orange County homes that outlet in the crawlspace or garage is often original and trips or corrodes. Next is the float switch, the single most common failure on a sump pump. The float is what tells the pump to turn on when water rises, and if it's stuck against the pit wall, tangled on the discharge pipe, or waterlogged, the pump sits dead while the water climbs.
A pump that hums but doesn't move water usually has a jammed or broken impeller, or the check valve has failed and water is draining right back into the pit. We test the float, the impeller, the check valve, and the motor in that order before we ever talk about a replacement. If water is pooling faster than any pump can keep up, the real problem may be a source leak feeding the pit, and our leak detection service locates it. Call (714) 367-4996 and we'll find out why yours stopped.
Plumber for Sump Pump Repair: Fixing the Cause, Not Just the Symptom
Sump pump repair makes sense when the fault is a single isolated part and the pump itself is sound. A stuck or waterlogged float switch, a failed check valve that lets water flow back, a clogged intake screen, or a discharge line that's routing water back toward the foundation are all repairs, not replacements. We see check-valve failures constantly, because when that one-way valve wears out, every time the pump shuts off the water in the vertical discharge pipe drops back into the pit, the float rises again, and the pump cycles over and over until the motor burns out.
Here is when a plumber for sump pump repair is the right call:
1. The pump runs but cycles on and off every few seconds. Failed check valve or a pit sized wrong, both fixable. 2. The pump runs but water isn't leaving the pit. Jammed impeller, clogged intake, or a discharge line blocked or frozen at the exterior. 3. The pump is silent when the pit is full. Stuck float switch or a dead outlet, the two cheapest things to fix on the whole system. 4. Water is discharging but coming right back. Discharge terminates too close to the foundation and drains back toward the pit.
"A sump pump that short-cycles isn't a pump you replace, it's usually a check valve or a pit that was never sized right. We fix the cause, not the symptom."
Replacement is the honest call when the motor is seized, the housing is cracked, or the unit is past about seven to ten years and has run hard through several storm seasons, because at that point the bearings and seals are worn and a repair buys you months. Call (714) 367-4996 and we'll tell you which side of that line yours is on.
Backup and Submersible Sump Pump Installation: Ready for the Next Storm
The single most valuable thing you can add to a sump system in Orange County is a backup, because the storms that overwhelm a crawlspace are exactly the storms that knock out the power. A primary pump runs on household current, and when a winter storm takes down the grid, that pump goes dead at the moment you need it most. A battery backup sump pump sits in the same pit with its own battery bank and float set an inch or two above the primary's, so if the power fails or the primary can't keep up, the backup takes over automatically and keeps pumping.
A submersible sump pump is the standard for most installations because it sits down in the pit, runs quieter, and handles more water than an older pedestal style. When we install a submersible or a backup, we size the pump to how much water the pit actually has to move, set the check valve twelve inches or so above the pump outlet so it can't backflow, and route the discharge so it terminates well away from the foundation at a downward grade. Routing discharge water back toward the house is the most common mistake we correct on other companies' installs. Get a free quote and we'll spec the right pump and backup for your home.
Sump Pump Problems We Fix Across Orange County
Fig. 04
Runs but Won't Pump or Short-Cycles
Motor runs but the pit doesn't drain, or the pump cycles on and off every few seconds. Usually a jammed impeller or a failed check valve. We clear or replace the failing part.
Fig. 05
Submersible Pump Installation
New submersible sump pump sized to your pit and the water it has to move, with the check valve and discharge routed to code so it can't backflow or drain toward the foundation.
Fig. 06
Battery Backup Pump
A battery backup pump set in the same pit with its float above the primary's, so a storm-season power outage doesn't leave your crawlspace unprotected. The single best upgrade for OC homes.
Fig. 07
Discharge Line Correction
Discharge line terminating too close to the house, sending water right back toward the foundation. We re-route it to a downward grade well away from the structure so it drains for good.
Fig. 08
Sump Pump Maintenance
Annual service before storm season: we test the float, clean the intake and pit, check the check valve, and confirm the discharge is clear so the pump is ready when the first storm hits.
Sump Pump Maintenance: The Test That Prevents a Flooded Crawlspace
A sump pump is one of the few systems in your home that sits idle for months and then has to work perfectly the day a storm hits, which is exactly why it fails when you need it. The failure you don't see coming is the pump that ran fine last winter, sat dry all summer, and now won't start because the float seized or the intake silted up. A few minutes of maintenance before storm season prevents almost all of it.
Here's the pre-season check we run, and what you can do yourself between visits:
- Pour a bucket of water into the pit and confirm the pump kicks on and shuts off cleanly as the float rises and drops. - Clear the pit and the intake screen of silt, gravel, and debris that collect over a dry summer and clog the inlet. - Check the check valve and the discharge line for a clean, unobstructed path that terminates away from the foundation. - Test the battery backup if you have one, because a battery that's three or four years old may not hold a charge when the outage comes.
"The pump that fails is almost always the one nobody tested since last winter. Ten minutes before storm season is cheaper than a flooded crawlspace after."
If a sump problem is really a drain that's backing up into the pit, that's a different fix, and our drain cleaning service clears the line. New pump going in alongside other work is part of our broader fixture installation service. For the full picture on our full-service residential plumbing including sump systems, we handle it end to end.
When You Don't Need to Call Us
Not every sump concern needs a service call, and we'd rather tell you that than sell you a visit. If your pump runs when you pour a bucket into the pit and shuts off cleanly, it's working, and you don't need us out just because it's been quiet. If the float looks tangled on the discharge pipe, freeing it by hand is a genuine two-minute fix. Where you should stop and call a plumber: a pump that's silent with a full pit, one that runs constantly and won't shut off, water pooling faster than the pump can move it, or any electrical smell or tripped breaker when it runs. And here's the honest one a lot of companies won't say: if your home is a standard slab-on-grade OC house with no crawlspace, no low-lying drainage problem, and no history of water intrusion, you very likely don't need a sump pump at all, and anyone pushing one on you should explain exactly what water it's protecting against first.
Serving La Mirada, Brea, and the 714 With Same-Day and 24/7 Service
Graham Plumbing and Drain Cleaning is a family-owned company working out of the 714. We serve La Mirada, Brea, Anaheim, Orange, Garden Grove, Fullerton, Buena Park, Santa Ana, and the surrounding Orange County and LA County cities. A lot of the housing stock we work on was built between the 1950s and 1970s, with crawlspaces and low-lying lots where winter storm runoff collects, and older GFCI outlets that fail the first time a pump draws hard. Same-day service is available, and we're reachable 24/7 for a pump that's failed with water rising in the pit. Call (714) 367-4996 and we'll get a licensed plumber out to you.
Reviews
What Our Customers Say
Rated 4.9 on Google across 309 reviews.
★★★★★4.9/ 309 reviews
★★★★★
I am very happy with the work done today by Graham Plumbing! They were prompt, professional and they were honest in their pricing. Robert called to let me know when he would arrive. He wore shoe covers to protect my floors and kept me up to date on the whole project. He also offered some suggestions for other plumbing…
Caryl— Google review★★★★★
Have been calling them out for a few years now whenever I have any plumbing needs. No matter who they send out I’ve always been met with courtesy and professionalism. They always have…
T G★★★★★
This review is long overdue. Graham Plumbing has handled numerous projects for us, ranging from minor repairs to major installations. Throughout every job, they have been professional,…
Renuka Patel★★★★★
It's always a pleasure to have Graham Pluming handle my plumbing issues. Today Robert did an excellent job diagnosing and repairing a leak from my second story bathroom. He was pleasant,…
Terri Young★★★★★
Thank you Sean! My range is no longer sticking out . I had recently upgraded my range due to the last one breaking but unfortunately the gas line behind the stove was actually protruding and…
D NavReady to Protect Your Home From the Next Storm?
Failed pump, short-cycling, or ready for a submersible install with a battery backup before storm season? Graham Plumbing and Drain Cleaning handles sump pump installation and repair across Orange County with same-day availability and 24/7 emergency service. Call (714) 367-4996 and talk to a licensed plumber.
Common questions
A few things people ask us regularly.
01 How much does sump pump installation cost?
Sump pump installation cost depends on the type of pump, the depth and condition of the pit, how the discharge line has to be routed, and whether you're adding a battery backup or a secondary pump. A straightforward swap into an existing pit that's in good shape is at the lower end. A new pit, a re-routed discharge line, or a backup battery system adds to the job. A submersible pump costs more than a basic pedestal unit but is the right choice for most installs. Every job is different. Contact Graham Plumbing and Drain Cleaning for an accurate estimate rather than a phone quote that ignores where the water actually goes.
02 How often should I test or service my sump pump?
You should test it before storm season, at minimum once a year, and ideally again mid-winter if we get a run of storms. The test is simple: pour a bucket of water into the pit and confirm the pump kicks on as the float rises and shuts off as the water drops. While you're there, clear any silt or debris from the pit and the intake screen, and if you have a battery backup, confirm the battery still holds a charge. A pump that sat dry all summer is the one most likely to fail the first time it's called on, so the pre-season check matters more than people think.
03 My sump pump runs but isn't pumping water. What's wrong?
A pump that hums or runs but doesn't move water usually has a jammed or broken impeller, a clogged intake, or a failed check valve that's letting water drain right back into the pit. First confirm the discharge line isn't blocked at the exterior. If the line is clear and the pump still won't move water, the impeller or the check valve is the likely culprit, and a short-cycling pump that turns on and off every few seconds is almost always a bad check valve. We test the impeller, the check valve, and the discharge routing before recommending a replacement, because a good pump with a failed check valve is a repair, not a new unit.
04 Do I even need a sump pump in Southern California?
In most of Southern California, no, because the majority of homes are slab-on-grade with no below-grade basement to protect. A sump pump here earns its keep when you have a crawlspace that takes on water, a low-lying lot or graded corner where winter storm runoff collects, a subgrade garage or utility room, or a documented history of water intrusion. If your home is a standard slab house with none of those conditions, you likely don't need one, and we'll tell you so. Where you do have a crawlspace or a low point that floods in storm season, a properly sized pump with a battery backup is worth having before the next atmospheric-river storm.
05 Is a battery backup sump pump worth it?
A battery backup is the most valuable upgrade you can add to a sump system in Orange County, because the winter storms that overwhelm a pit are the same storms that knock out the power, and a primary pump running on household current goes dead in an outage. The backup sits in the same pit with its own battery and a float set just above the primary's, so it takes over automatically if the power fails or the primary can't keep up. If a flooded crawlspace would cost you real money in damage, the backup pays for itself the first time the grid goes down during a storm. We'll size it to your pit and show you how it hands off.
06 Is a failed sump pump an emergency?
A pump that's silent with a dry pit and no rain in the forecast usually isn't a middle-of-the-night emergency, and a tangled float you can free by hand can wait. Water rising in the pit with a pump that won't start is a different story, especially during a storm, because a flooded crawlspace damages framing and can create a mold problem within a day or two. Graham Plumbing and Drain Cleaning offers same-day service for sump work across Orange County and is available 24/7 for a failed pump with water climbing. Call (714) 367-4996 and we'll tell you honestly whether it can wait until morning.
07 Can I install or repair a sump pump myself, or should I call a plumber?
Most homeowners can handle the basics: testing the pump with a bucket of water, freeing a float that's tangled on the discharge pipe, and clearing silt from the pit and intake screen. Where you should call a licensed plumber is anything involving the electrical, the check valve, the discharge routing, or sizing and installing a new pump. Getting the pump size wrong makes it short-cycle and fail early, and routing the discharge back toward the foundation just moves the water in a circle. On older Orange County homes the GFCI outlet feeding the pump is often original and part of the problem, which is an electrical fault, not a pump fault. We catch that before it becomes a flooded crawlspace.