Repair is a different call than a new install. On a repair we start with what actually failed: a float switch stuck against the pit wall, a seized or burned-out motor, a check valve that lets water fall back into the pit, or a clogged intake screen. Most Norwalk homes sit on slab, so the pump you're calling about is usually protecting a crawlspace, a garage, a low side yard, or a below-grade utility area, not a finished basement. That changes what we look at first, and owner Anibal Nava has learned that the pumps here fail on the rain-season schedule, not on the summer one.
Sump pump repair we handle in Norwalk
Most sump pump problems come down to a handful of faults, and few of them need a whole new pump. Here is what we service on pedestal and submersible units: stuck or misadjusted float switches, worn or seized motors, failed check valves that let the discharge column fall back into the pit, clogged or silted intake screens, cracked or disconnected discharge lines, tripped or corroded electrical connections, and float switches that hang on the pit wall because the pump has shifted. A pump that sat dry all summer and then wouldn't start on the first fall rain is the single most common call we get here. Basins in the LA basin sit idle through our long dry stretch, and a motor or float that seized in place shows up the moment the rain season loads the pit. If you need a plumber for sump pump repair and you are not sure what is wrong, that is fine, that is the diagnosis, and we tell you what failed and what the fix costs before any work starts.
Sump pump won't turn on or has no power
A sump pump that will not turn on traces to one of four things, and we check them in order so you are not paying for guesswork: power at the outlet, the float switch, the motor, and the wiring. First stop is power. A sump pump should run on its own dedicated GFCI outlet, and a tripped GFCI or breaker is the most common no-power cause we find, especially after our first hard rain when a damp pit trips the GFCI. Second is the float. If the float is stuck down against the pit wall or its tether has fouled, the switch never tells the motor to start even though power is fine. We lift the float by hand to confirm the motor will fire. If it does, the fault is the switch, not the pump. If power is present and the float is free but the motor stays silent or only hums, the motor itself has failed and that is where repair versus replacement comes in. Two things are safe to check yourself before you call: confirm the pump is plugged in and the GFCI has not tripped, and confirm nothing has bumped the float off its normal travel. Don't call us if a tripped GFCI reset solves it and the pump runs clean. You just fixed it yourself.
Sump pump runs constantly or won't shut off
A pump that runs nonstop or will not shut off is almost always the float switch, and it is a fast fix when it is caught early. When the float sticks in the up position, the motor never gets the signal to stop, so it runs dry and burns out fast, sometimes within a day or two. We check the float travel, clear any debris binding it, confirm the tether length is set right for the basin, and replace the switch if the contacts are worn. The other cause is a failed check valve. Without a working check valve, every time the pump shuts off the water in the vertical discharge pipe falls straight back into the pit, which refills it and triggers the pump again in a short-cycle loop that grinds the motor down. In our slab-heavy service area, we also see pumps short-cycle because the basin is undersized for the inflow it is getting from a saturated crawlspace or a high water table after a wet week. A pump running constantly is not just an annoyance. It is a motor destroying itself, so catching it early is the difference between a switch swap and a full replacement. This is exactly the kind of call to make before the next rain, not during it.
When repair is the wrong call
Here is the honest version most companies will not put in writing. Don't spend money repairing a sump pump that is already telling you it is done. If your pump is past 7 to 10 years old, has a burned-out or seized motor, has run dry long enough to cook the windings, or has a cracked housing, a repair is throwing good money after bad. In those cases a new pump is cheaper over any real timeframe, and we say so on the spot instead of billing you for a patch that fails on the next storm. If your pump is under about 5 years old with a single isolated fault, a stuck float, a bad check valve, a clogged screen, the opposite is true: repair it and move on. And if a repair still leaves you with no protection during a power outage, that is a different conversation about a backup pump, not a repair. When the pump is genuinely past saving, see our primary and back-up sump pump installation page for correct sizing and a battery backup so you are not caught out during the next outage.
Got questions?
Frequently asked questions
My sump pump hums but doesn't pump any water. What's wrong?
A hum with no water almost always means the motor has power but the impeller is jammed or the motor bearing has seized. Debris, gravel, or a stuck impeller are the common causes, and on an older unit the motor itself may have failed. We open the pump, check whether the impeller can be cleared, and test the motor. If it is a jammed impeller on a newer pump, that is a repair. If the motor has seized after running dry, that is a replacement, and we tell you which one you have before quoting.
Should I repair or replace my sump pump?
Repair when the pump is under about 5 years old and the fault is a single part like a float switch, a check valve, or a clogged intake screen. Replace when the pump is 7 to 10-plus years old, the motor is seized or burned out, or the housing is cracked. We give you the age, the actual fault, and a written quote for the repair so you can compare it against a new pump before you decide.
How often should a sump pump be serviced?
Once a year is the right cadence, and here the best time is early fall before the rain season loads the pit. A pump that sat dry all summer is the one that fails on the first storm. A yearly service means testing the float and the check valve, pouring water in to confirm the pump cycles and shuts off cleanly, clearing the intake screen, and checking the discharge line for cracks or clogs. Fifteen minutes of checking in October prevents a flooded crawlspace in February.
Are you licensed, bonded and insured?
Yes. Nava's Elite Plumbing carries a current California master plumber registration, $1M general liability coverage, and workers' comp on every technician. A certificate of insurance naming you or your property manager is available on request before we start.
Do you give upfront pricing?
Every job is quoted in writing before any work begins. We price by scope, not by the hour, so the number you approve is the number you pay — barring scope changes you approve in writing.
Do you require money down?
No deposit on standard service calls. On larger projects (repipes, sewer replacements, gas line installs) we phase work into progress payments tied to city inspection milestones — you never pay ahead of completed work.