How do I test my sump pump?

Pour a few gallons of water slowly into the pit. The float should rise, the pump should start, and the water level should drop. If the pump hums without moving water, runs without stopping, or does not start, call us.

How long does a sump pump last?

It depends on how often it runs and how clean the pit is. Pumps that run often in wet seasons wear faster. If yours is old, noisy, or has been cycling more than usual, have it looked at before the next storm.

Do you install battery backups?

We can discuss backup power when you call. A pump does not run without electricity, so if you lose power during a storm, a backup is worth asking about. We will tell you what fits your pit and your setup.

Where should the discharge line go?

It should carry water well away from the foundation, and not into a place that sends it back toward the house or onto a neighbor's property. We check where your line ends as part of every visit. See our exterior plumbing repair page for related yard work.

What does the $79 dispatch fee cover?

It covers sending a licensed plumber to your home to look at the pump and give you an up-front estimate. When you approve the recommended work, the $79 is applied toward your repair total.

Is the work under warranty?

We provide a 5-year warranty on parts and labor when we supply the parts. Ask about the details when you call (469) 552-2881.

Sump Pump Repair & Installation | Aubrey, TX

When the sump pump fails, water goes where you do not want it

A sump pump sits quietly in a pit until heavy rain arrives, and that is exactly when a failed one costs you. Vor-Tex Plumbing Co. repairs and installs sump pumps for homes in Aubrey and across Denton County, as part of our fixture and appliance plumbing work. We are open 24 hours, so a failed pump during a storm is a call we take. Call (469) 552-2881.

Many North Texas homes are built on slabs, so a sump pump is less common here than in homes with basements. Where you do find one, it may sit in a crawlspace, a low area under the house, a window well, or a drainage pit next to the foundation. Pits like these exist because water collects there.

How a sump pump works

Water enters the pit through drain lines or soil seepage. A float switch rises with the water and turns the pump on. The pump pushes the water up and out through a discharge pipe, and a check valve on that pipe keeps the water from flowing back down when the pump stops. Four parts, and when one fails the whole system does.

Common failures

The float is stuck. The pump will not start, or it never turns off. Debris or a pit that is too narrow can hang the float on the side.
The pump runs but moves little water. The impeller may be clogged with grit, or the check valve may be stuck.
It cycles every few seconds. A failing check valve lets water fall back into the pit, so the pump keeps refilling the same water.
It runs constantly. The pump is undersized, the float is stuck, or the pit is filling faster than the pump can empty it.
It makes grinding or rattling sounds. The motor bearings or impeller are wearing out.
The discharge line is frozen or blocked. A frozen line can happen in a hard cold snap and backs water up in the pit.

Repair, replace, or add a second pump

A float switch or a check valve is a quick fix. A motor that has failed, a pump that has run for many years, or one that cannot keep up in heavy rain should be replaced. If the pit floods in storms even when the pump works, the issue may be the capacity of the pump or the pit. We explain what we see rather than guess.

What goes into a new installation

The pit. It needs to be deep enough for the float to travel, clean at the bottom, and sized for the pump.
The pump. Matched to how much water the pit sees.
The check valve and discharge line. Set so water leaves the house and stays out. We check where it ends.
Power. The pump needs a working outlet, and in a wet space the outlet should be protected. We tell you if the outlet needs an electrician.
Backup. We can talk through backup power if the pump has to keep working during an outage.

Test it before the rain

Once or twice a year, and before a forecast of heavy rain, pour water into the pit and watch the pump cycle. Clear any debris you can see without reaching into the water. Never touch the pump or the cord while standing in water, and if the outlet area is wet, stay out and call us.

Call right away if

Water is rising in the pit and the pump is not running.
Water is entering the house or the crawlspace.
You smell something burning from the pump or the outlet. Turn the power off at the breaker only if you can reach it without standing in water.

What a Vor-Tex sump pump visit looks like

You call. We book the first same-day or next-day window, or come out right away if water is rising.
We look and quote on site. The $79 dispatch fee is credited toward the work when you approve it.
We do the work and show you. We test the pump with water in the pit so you see it start and stop.
Warranty. A 5-year warranty on parts and labor applies when we supply the parts.

Drainage in the Aubrey area

Water problems around a house are not always about the pump. The Town of Cross Roads drainage page notes that drainage problems on Keyes Lane and Mill Creek Road in the Oak Shores area were taken up by the town council in April 2024. If you see standing water along your foundation or yard after rain, tell us. It may be a grading or yard drainage question as much as a pump question.

Sump Pump Repair & Installation