Sump Pump Installation
A reliable sump pump is your secondary defense against flooding. We install professional-grade pumps with battery backups for peace of mind.
Surrey receives roughly 1,500 millimetres of precipitation annually, with the bulk of it arriving between October and March. For homes with crawlspaces, especially those in lower-lying areas of Newton, Bridgeview, or along the Serpentine and Nicomekl river floodplains, that volume of rainfall can overwhelm perimeter drainage and allow water to accumulate beneath the floor. A properly sized and installed sump pump is the most reliable mechanical defense against crawlspace flooding.
A sump pump system consists of a collection pit (the sump basin) excavated into the lowest point of the crawlspace floor, an electric submersible pump seated inside the pit, a discharge line routed through the foundation wall to daylight outside the home, and a check valve on the discharge to prevent back-flow when the pump cycles off. In a properly designed system, water that percolates through the soil or arrives via interior perimeter drain tile flows by gravity to the sump pit and is pumped out before it can pool and create moisture problems.
The choice of pump matters significantly. Sump pumps are rated by horsepower and gallons-per-hour capacity, and the right specification depends on the size of the drainage catchment area and how quickly water accumulates during peak events. Undersized pumps run continuously during heavy rain events, wear out faster, and may not keep pace with inflow. We size pumps to handle well above the expected worst-case scenario for a given home's drainage conditions.
We strongly recommend battery backup systems for every sump pump installation. This is particularly important in the Lower Mainland because the heaviest rainfall events — precisely when you most need the pump — are also the conditions most likely to cause power outages. A battery backup unit activates automatically when grid power is interrupted and can typically run for 8 to 12 hours on a fully charged battery, which covers most outage durations. For properties with extended outage risk, a generator-compatible transfer switch is a further option.
Signs that a sump pump installation may be needed include visible water staining on the crawlspace floor after rain events, mud or silt deposits on the vapor barrier, a history of flooding after heavy rainfall, a high water table that is evident in nearby drainage ditches staying full through the dry season, or simply the absence of any active water management system in a home where the crawlspace is at or near grade.