Septic Pump Repair and Replacement
When the pump that sends effluent to your field fails, sewage has nowhere to go but back into the house. We find the pump, diagnose it properly, and replace it — often saving you from a new field you never needed.
Many septic systems around Moncton cannot move effluent to the disposal field by gravity. The tank sits too low, or the field sits too high, so the system relies on an effluent pump in a separate pump chamber between the tank and the field. As long as that pump runs, you never think about it. When it stops, the system backs up — and the symptoms look a lot like a failed field.
That is why we check the pump before anyone talks about replacing a field. A pump replacement is a fraction of the cost of a new disposal field, and far easier on your lawn. As a septic contractor serving southeastern New Brunswick, we see this every season.
Signs your septic pump may have failed
- Sewage backing up into the lowest drains, toilets or floor drain in the house.
- A high-water alarm sounding or lit up, if your system has one.
- A tripped breaker labelled “septic pump” or “sewage pump” that will not stay on.
- A pump that runs constantly or never shuts off — often a stuck float or failed check valve.
- A tank that is full again shortly after being pumped out.
- Odour or wet ground around the tank or the pump chamber.
Related: why a septic pump keeps running or will not shut off.
Does your system even have a pump?
Plenty of homeowners do not know. Older systems change hands, paperwork gets lost, and the pump chamber is usually buried. A few clues:
- The tank is deep. Four or five feet of soil over the tank lid is a strong hint that effluent has to be lifted to reach the field.
- The field is uphill from the tank, or at about the same level.
- There is a breaker in your electrical panel labelled for a septic or sewage pump.
- There is an alarm panel or a second lid or riser between the tank and the field.
If you are not sure, that is fine — finding out is part of what we do.
How we repair or replace a septic pump
Diagnose first
We confirm whether the problem is the pump, its float or controls, the line to the field, or the field itself. Replacing a pump will not fix a failed field, and we will tell you which one you are dealing with.
Locate the pump chamber
When nobody knows where the chamber is, we excavate carefully from the tank toward the field and probe ahead with a steel rod so we do not hit a tank, pipe or wire by accident.
Replace and test
The failed pump is removed and a new pump suited to sump use is installed and run through its cycle to confirm it switches on and off properly. If the wiring or controls need work, that is done by a licensed electrician, as New Brunswick requires.
Pump down and restore
Once the new pump is working, the chamber is drawn down, the excavation is backfilled, and the sod goes back in place. We dig only where we need to, so lawns come through with as little damage as possible.
Never enter a pump chamber or septic tank. They are confined spaces and the gases inside can kill quickly. If your pump is cycling non-stop, turn it off at the breaker and call for service.
Recent job: a backup in Cocagne that was not the field
A homeowner in Cocagne had sewage backing up into the house and expected to need a new field. The deep tank and a breaker labelled “Septic Pump” told us there was a pump somewhere. We found a buried pump chamber with a failed effluent pump, replaced it, and had the lawn restored — in under five hours including travel.
“…willingness to try something different and not jump to the first conclusion saved me over $18,000 dollars…”
Pump, tank or field?
A backup can come from a failed pump, a damaged tank, or a field that no longer accepts effluent. If the tank itself is cracked or failing, see septic tank replacement. If the field has truly failed, the answer is a new system. Our job is to figure out which one you have before you spend money.
Related: pumps, pump chambers and holding tanks in New Brunswick.
Serving southeastern New Brunswick
We repair and replace septic pumps across Greater Moncton and the communities we serve in southeastern New Brunswick, from our base in Steeves Mountain. Call or text (506) 233-6272 and tell us what you are seeing.
Ready to talk about your septic system?
Serving homeowners, builders, and property owners throughout Greater Moncton and southeastern New Brunswick.