Mamba Drainage Services
Sump Pump Installation Vancouver
Atmospheric rivers are getting bigger every November. The cheap sump pump the previous owner installed is not going to clear what is coming.
We install, replace and service the pump that keeps your basement dry. Installation, replacement, repair and battery backup, 24/7 across Greater Vancouver. Call (778) 961-0824.
The right pump for Vancouver rain loads
Vancouver has the wettest big city climate in Canada. Annual rainfall averages 1,189 mm and it arrives in concentrated atmospheric river bursts from November through February. Pacific moisture meets the Coast Mountains and dumps, and your perimeter drain system is the only thing standing between that water and your basement floor.
A sump pump is the heart of any perimeter drainage that works. Water from the foundation drain runs into the pit, the float switch trips, the pump lifts water up the discharge line, and out it goes to the storm sewer or daylight. When the pump fails, because it is fifteen years old, or the float is jammed with sediment, or the power went out mid storm, the pit fills, water backs up into the foundation drain, and a wet basement is the next thing you hear about.
Most Vancouver hardware stores sell a plastic housing 1/3 HP pump that lasts four to six years if you are lucky. We install cast iron 1/2 HP units rated for 25 year service. Zoeller M53 and M267, Liberty 257 and 287, or the Wayne CDU980E depending on pit size and head height.
Why the upgrade matters. Pump capacity is rated in gallons per hour at a given head pressure. A 1/3 HP plastic pump moves about 1,800 GPH at ten foot head. A Zoeller M267 in cast iron moves 4,200 GPH at the same head. During an atmospheric river pushing 60 mm of rain an hour at your foundation, the cheap pump cannot keep up. The better pump can.
On a new install we excavate the pit, set a sealed liner with knockouts for the inlet line, sit the pump on a brick or platform off the pit bottom so the impeller stays out of the silt, plumb the discharge in 1.5 inch or 2 inch Schedule 40 PVC with a check valve, and run that discharge to the storm sewer where the property is permitted for it, or daylight it at least ten feet from the foundation.
Signs your sump pump is on borrowed time
Sump pumps rarely fail dramatically. They slow down over years, then quit during the worst storm of the winter.
- The pump is older than ten years and has never been serviced
- The float lags when you pour a bucket of water into the pit
- The pump runs every minute or two in the dry season, June through August
- The motor grinds, rattles or hums without moving water
- The discharge outlet is buried in leaves or backfilled by summer landscaping
- The pit has no lid, so sediment, leaves and rodents drop straight in
- There is an extension cord running to the pump instead of a dedicated GFCI outlet
- You have lost power more than once in the last three Novembers and have no battery backup
What Vancouver customers say
Ryan was great! My landlord called him to fix my blocked kitchen sink. He showed up the same day (on a Sunday) and fixed the problem. He even cleaned the sink and dried up all the water that had leaked before he got there. And he was very careful coming in and out of the house so my cat wouldn’t get out. I’d definitely recommend him.
Ryan is INCREDIBLE. He has been responding to all of us (four houses and families!) affected by a sewage back up. This is all on Boxing Day and beyond, in terrible weather full of ice, cold and rain. He is so knowledgeable, and knew what was needed right away. Just the top of his field I am sure. As well as that, he is incredibly calm, respectful, kind and fair. I am truly amazed by this person's capacity and competence in combination with his noble, calm presence in the face of a real mess. Thank you Ryan, so very much!
I had very positive experience with Mamba Services, Ryan was amazing to work with and took care of my drain issues in no time. He arrived on time, was very professional and efficient in carrying out the work. What impressed me was how honest he was in recommending needed repair. He was very patient in explaining the different options. I will certainly call them for future projects.
Had an excellent experience. Ryan was fantastic, it was an after hours call late in the evening and he showed up exactly in the time frame he gave. Took care of the kitchen sink issue within minutes all systems were running like new. Pricing was extremely reasonable, Ryan was patient and explained everything to me while fixing my problem. I would highly recommend this company for any plumbing work.
Ryan was efficient, experienced, and knowledgeable. He was able to squeeze me into his schedule with short notice and wasted no time with my appointment. He arrived on site inspected the issue, and was quickly at work with resolving the problem. I am very pleased with his service and honesty. He provided recommendations that will help assist me in future occurrences.
24/7 emergency dispatch
Replace the pump in September, not at 2 AM in November
The pump that has been down there twelve years is on borrowed time. Free written quotes, and battery backup on the quote for every Vancouver install.
Sump pump FAQ, Vancouver
Cast iron only. Zoeller M53, M267 and M98. Liberty 257 and 287. Wayne CDU980E. All of them carry a 5 year manufacturer warranty and run 15 to 25 years in typical Vancouver conditions. We do not install the plastic pumps from the hardware store. Cast iron costs two to three times as much up front and lasts three to five times longer, so over the life of the pump it is the cheaper unit.
For any Vancouver home, yes. The atmospheric rivers that fill your sump are the same weather systems that knock the power out, and no power means no pump. A backup is far cheaper than a flooded finished basement, and insurers often discount the premium when a documented backup is in place.
Yes. Constant cycling outside the rainy season usually means groundwater is getting into the pit through a cracked liner or a broken perimeter drain. The pump will burn itself out from over running. We diagnose it with a camera and a pressure test, then fix the upstream problem rather than replacing a pump that was never the fault.
Yes, and it is a common job in older Vancouver homes that relied on gravity drainage from the perimeter drain. We excavate the pit, install a sealed liner, tie in the existing drain tile or replace it if it has failed, and install a complete cast iron pump and discharge system. The quote assumes an unfinished basement and goes up if a slab cut is needed.
There are two legal options in BC. A storm sewer connection where your property’s storm permit allows it, or daylight at least ten feet from the foundation. Never to the sanitary sewer. That is a code violation and it causes backups. We check your permit situation and route the discharge correctly.
5 year manufacturer warranty on the Zoeller and Liberty pumps. 2 year workmanship warranty on the Mamba install. 3 year manufacturer warranty on backup batteries. All the paperwork goes out by email on install day.
Call (778) 961-0824. We run 24/7 emergency dispatch and the truck carries replacement pumps and emergency backup units. While you wait, shut off power to the failed pump, and do not stand in water with a live circuit. Open a window for ventilation and move whatever you can off the floor.
Pour a five gallon bucket into the pit before September every year. The float should trip as the water reaches it and the pump should clear the bucket without labouring. If either step drags, the pump needs service or replacement. Do it in early autumn, before the first atmospheric river, not during one.
Yes. A sealed lid keeps sediment, leaves and rodents out, cuts evaporation, and some Vancouver homes have a radon issue from an open pit. It also keeps the float clear, which is the single most common reason a working pump does not start.
24/7 EMERGENCY DISPATCH
Water where it should not be?
Ryan picks up. Live dispatch, and you get a real arrival window on the call.