Sump Pump Running Constantly in Buffalo, NY

Why it happens in Buffalo

First, rule out the pump

Fixr and Bob Vila list a few simple failures that make a pump run nonstop. They are worth checking before you assume a big water problem.

Then look at the water

If the pump itself is fine, then a lot of water is reaching your house. In Buffalo that usually comes from three places.

Snow melt. Buffalo gets about 95 inches of snow in a normal year. NOAA data lists a 50-year frost depth of 59 inches. In a thaw, melt water sits on top of the still-frozen ground and flows sideways into the drain tile around your basement. The pump works hard until the ground thaws.

Clay soil. Buffalo sits on the Erie Plain, the bed of old glacial lakes. Much of the soil is clay. It drains slowly, so groundwater stays high next to the foundation for days after a storm. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers listed water pressure as one of four forces on basement walls in Amherst.

Roof water close to the house. A downspout that ends at the wall, or a discharge pipe that dumps right next to the house, can send the same water back into the pit in a loop.

How it usually gets fixed

1. Fix the pump parts. Free the float, replace a check valve or clear the line. These are small jobs.
2. Move the discharge. Run the outlet far enough from the house that the water does not come back, with a way to keep it from freezing.
3. Upgrade the pump. Replace an old or small pump and add a battery backup for power outages.
4. Fix the grading and downspouts so less water reaches the foundation.
5. Add or repair the drain. If the pump has no drain feeding it, or the old tile is clogged, a new inside drain gets water to the pit before it reaches the floor.

The ranges below come from national cost guides. Your estimate lists what your pit and drain need.