Signs Your Sump Pump Is Overwhelmed (And What to Do About It)

Your sump pump’s supposed to be the hero of your basement — quietly pumping water away when the rains come. But sometimes, even heroes get overwhelmed.

If you’re in Etobicoke and your basement’s still wet despite having a sump pump, something’s not right. It might be running constantly. It might not be keeping up. Or worse — it might have failed altogether.

Let’s talk about how to spot the signs your sump pump is overwhelmed, and what to do before you end up knee-deep in water.

First — know this: a sump pump can only do so much. If the rain is heavy, the water table is high, or your system was poorly installed, it can get pushed past its limit fast.

The #1 sign of an overwhelmed sump pump?
It’s running non-stop. Even hours after the rain ends.

That usually means water is still pouring in — or the pump is too small to handle what’s coming.

You might also hear it struggling — weird humming, rattling, or sputtering.
Other times, it just gives up — no sound, no action, just silence while your basement fills up.

Even if it seems like it’s working, check your discharge line. If that line is clogged, frozen, or disconnected, your pump could be cycling endlessly for nothing — and the water has nowhere to go.

 What UPR Does in Etobicoke

We’ve been in enough flooded basements to know this problem inside and out.

When we inspect a sump pump setup, we check:

• Is the pit deep enough?

• Is the pump rated for your home’s water load?

• Is the discharge line set up correctly — and frost-proof?

• Is there a backup pump or battery system?

If any part of that chain is weak, it only takes one storm to find out the hard way.

We upgrade, reconfigure, or rebuild sump systems to handle Etobicoke’s harshest rain — and we don’t leave until you’re dry, inside and out.

 Bonus Tip for Etobicoke Homeowners:

If your sump pump doesn’t have a backup power source, you’re one power outage away from a flood. We’ll show you the best battery or water-powered options for your setup.

Call 647-833-6743

Contact UPR

If your sump pump’s stressed and your floor’s getting wet — UPR makes sure it’s your last regret.
Serving Etobicoke & the GTA with sump pump installs, upgrades, and 24/7 flood response.