What is a sewage ejector pump?
Most plumbing drains by gravity. Where a bathroom, laundry or kitchen sits lower than the sewer line, gravity cannot do the job. The waste runs into a sealed basin in the floor, and a pump in that basin grinds or pushes it up to the sewer line. A float switch turns the pump on when the basin fills.
Who has one?
- Homes with a basement bathroom or laundry.
- Hillside homes with rooms below street level, common in the Hayward hills, Castro Valley and Oakland.
- ADUs and garage conversions set lower than the main sewer connection.
- Some commercial buildings with below-grade restrooms.
How do I know my ejector pump is failing?
- The lower-level toilet, shower or sink will not drain while the rest of the house is fine.
- Sewage smell near the basin.
- The pump runs all the time, or turns on and off every few seconds.
- The pump hums but nothing moves.
- The alarm on the basin sounds.
- Water or sewage around the basin lid.
What usually goes wrong?
The float switch sticks or fails. The check valve fails and waste runs back into the basin. Wipes and other things that should not be flushed jam the pump. The discharge line clogs. Or the motor wears out. A switch or a valve is a repair. A dead motor means a new pump.
How do you repair or replace it?
We test the pump, switch, check valve and discharge line and find the cause. You get the cost before work starts. For a replacement we fit a pump sized for the fixtures it serves and the height it has to lift, with a new check valve, and reseal the basin. When the job needs a permit, we pull it.
Is an ejector pump the same as a sump pump?
No. A sump pump moves groundwater and rain. An ejector pump moves sewage. They are built differently and are not interchangeable. For groundwater, see sump pump repair.
Who is Friendly Services?
A family-owned plumbing company with over 20 years in Hayward. License CSLB #1156315 (C-36 plumbing), $1M general liability cover and workers' comp. Our own work has a five-year workmanship warranty, and we have 100+ five-star reviews online. We answer 24/7 for emergencies.