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Dirty jobs, done like a gentleman.

Sewage ejector pump repair

Grinder Pump Gents repairs sewage ejector pumps in Baldwin and Mobile counties. If a basement bathroom or lower-level laundry backs up, we check the sealed basin, pump, float and check valve to find what is keeping wastewater from reaching the main drain.

If the high-water alarm is on or sewage is coming up, stop using the fixtures that feed the basin, leave the lid closed and call for help. When you call, tell us which fixtures are affected and what the alarm says.

Request serviceAbout sewage ejector pumps
Engraving of a gentleman descending cellar stairs by candlelight, carrying a pump under his arm toward a basin in the floor.

Plate XIV. Down to the cellar by candlelight. Do not copy the candle.

Is the pump the problem?

One slow sink can have a blockage at that fixture. A toilet and shower backing up together near the same basin, especially with a high-water alarm, can point to a shared drain or pump problem. Tell the technician which fixtures are affected so they can narrow it down.

A sewage ejector lifts wastewater from fixtures below the main drain, such as a basement bathroom. The photo shows a related drain piping job under a raised coastal home. A technician traces how fixtures connect to the main drain before deciding where to work.

New PVC drain main suspended under the floor joists of a raised coastal home
Photograph. New PVC drain main under a raised coastal home. Related drain work by Streamlined Plumbing.

What is in an ejector system

A basin, 30 or 41 gallons in Zoeller's residential packages, set into the floor with a 4 inch inlet and a gas-tight cover. A pump with a float switch, sized to pass 2 inch solids if a toilet drains into it, which is what the residential code adopted in Alabama requires. A 2 inch discharge in Schedule 40 pipe with a check valve, arrow pointing away from the basin, and a full-open shutoff valve. A 2 inch vent tied into the house vent system. And an alarm: Zoeller's indoor APak alarm sounds at 86 decibels and carries a battery backup, so it still warns you when the pump circuit is dead.

How ejector pumps fail

An alarm, repeated cycling, or sewage at a low drain gives the technician a place to start.

  • The pump will not runA tripped breaker or GFCI, a float stuck against the basin wall, or a failed switch. Liberty's sewage pump table starts with power and the float.
  • The pump runs but nothing movesA jammed impeller, a check valve stuck or installed backwards, or the shutoff valve closed.
  • The pump runs periodically with no water being usedLiberty lists that as a check valve letting the discharge drain back.
  • Sewer gas in the roomA warped or cracked lid, a failed cover gasket, a vent disconnected or blocked.
  • Alarm soundingThe level is above the float, from any of the above, or from a wipe wrapped around the impeller.
  • A pump that has simply reached the end of its life, which shows as a motor that hums and trips or a seal that lets water into the motor.

What we check, and what you should leave alone

The cover comes off only with the breaker off and the room ventilated. We test the float through its range, the check valve for seating and direction, the shutoff for position, the vent for draft, and the pump for current draw and a free impeller. A pump that is worn out is replaced with one that passes 2 inch solids and matches the discharge size; the basin is cleaned while it is open and the cover resealed gas-tight.

The homeowner's part: stop using the fixtures that drain into the basin, silence the alarm if it has a silence button, and keep the cover on. Do not lift the lid to see what is wrong. The basin holds raw sewage and sewer gas, and the pump can start while it is open.

Repair or replace

A failed float, check valve or lid gasket can often be replaced on its own. If the pump needs replacing, we match it to the fixtures, discharge and lift, then check whether the basin and controls can stay. We explain the repair or replacement and the price before you approve the work.

Request service from this page

Your name, a way to reach you and what the pump is doing. That is all we need to start. Town and utility are optional.

Sewage backing up or overflowing? Stop using water and call now: (251) 850-8031. On a utility-owned pump, call your utility first.

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Phone or email, whichever you answer faster.

Light steady or flashing, any sound, water around the lid, and when it started.

Add your town and sewer utility (optional)

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How the visit goes

  1. Step 1: Power off, room vented

    Breaker off at the panel and the space ventilated before the cover is touched.

  2. Step 2: Float, valve and vent

    Float cycled through its range, check valve checked for seating and direction, shutoff confirmed open, vent checked for draft.

  3. Step 3: Pump test

    Check the pump’s current draw and look for a jam or signs of a failed seal within the manufacturer’s service limits.

  4. Step 4: Repair or replace

    Failed part replaced, or the pump replaced with a 2 inch solids pump matched to the discharge and float type; basin cleaned.

  5. Step 5: Reseal and prove

    Cover resealed gas-tight, system run through a fill-and-pump cycle, alarm tested.

Questions people ask

Is an ejector pump the same as a sewage pump?

Yes. A sewage ejector pump and a sewage pump are the same indoor pump in a sealed basin. A grinder pump is a different machine that grinds solids and pushes them to the street under high pressure; see the comparison guide if you are not sure which one you have.

Can toilet paper clog an ejector pump?

Normal amounts of toilet paper are designed to break down. Wipes, rags and grease can jam the impeller or interfere with the float.

How often should a sewage ejector pump be replaced?

Check the model, age and service history. A technician can test the float, valve and pump before you decide what to replace. Follow the inspection schedule for your model.

What happens if an ejector pump fails?

Wastewater can build up in the basin and back up at a low fixture, such as a shower or floor drain. Stop using fixtures that drain to the basin. If you’re unsure which fixtures feed it, pause water use until you can get help.

What are the signs of ejector pump failure?

An alarm, a pump that runs longer each cycle, gurgling at the lowest fixture, sewer smell in the room, a pump that hums and trips, or a float that has to be nudged to start it. Any of them is a reason to book the repair before the basin overflows.

Do you also service sewage pump stations outside?

Yes, as residential lift station repair, which has its own page. Outdoor ejector-style basins serving a garage apartment or pool house are handled the same way as the indoor systems on this page.

Sources and facts

  1. The operating plumbing business explains how an ejector lifts wastewater from a basement bathroom into the main gravity drain. streamlinedplumbing251.com/… (read 2026-11-07)
  2. The operating plumbing business gives customers a price to approve before work starts. streamlinedplumbing251.com/faq (read 2026-11-07)
  3. Zoeller 912 residential sewage ejector systems: 30 and 41 gallon basins, 4 inch inlet, 3/16 inch vent hole, check valve sold separately, APak indoor alarm 86 dB with battery backup. Zoeller 912 residential sewage ejector systems manual, manuals.plus/… (read 2026-11-04)
  4. IRC P3007: sump at least 18 by 24 inches with a gastight cover; ejectors receiving water closet discharge handle 2 inch solids; check valve plus full-open valve; 21 gpm minimum on a 2 inch discharge. Adopted for Alabama residential plumbing by rule 720-X-1-.02. 2021 International Residential Code, Section P3007 Sumps and Ejectors (text via up.codes), up.codes/…; Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board rule 720-X-1-.02 (2021 IRC adopted for residential plumbing), admincode.legislature.state.al.us/… (read 2026-11-04)
  5. Zoeller sewage system instructions: 2 inch Schedule 40 discharge (not DWV), check valve arrow away from the basin, 2 inch vent to the sewer vent system, inspect every 3 months. Zoeller pre-plumbed sewage system instructions, zoellerathome.com/…; Zoeller sewage pump instructions SW1316, zoellerathome.com/… (read 2026-11-04)
  6. Liberty P380/P680 troubleshooting: pump will not run (power, float), runs without moving water, runs periodically without water being used (check valve). Liberty Pumps P380/P680 sewage pump manual 1167000A, www.libertypumps.com/… (read 2026-11-04)
  7. E-One do-not-flush list includes wipes of any kind, rags and grease. E/One Owners Guide (LM000403 Rev G), eone.com/… p.3 (read 2026-11-04)

Related

  1. Grinder Pump vs Ejector Pump: The Real Differences
  2. Sewage Ejector Pump Problems: Float, Alarm, Smell, Cycling
  3. Grinder Pump Backing Up or Overflowing: Stop the Water
  4. Residential Lift Station Repair in Baldwin and Mobile
  5. Sewage Ejector Pump Installation to the Residential Code
  6. Sewage Ejector Pumps: What They Are and How They Work
  7. Grinder Pump Repair in Baldwin & Mobile Counties, AL

Need your ejector pump checked?

Tell us which fixtures are backing up, where the basin is and what the alarm says.

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