Flooding or a pump failure right now? Call 0451 001 503. We answer 24/7. More on our emergency plumbing page.
Quick answer: A failed stormwater pump flooded an Epping basement during a 2am storm. GT Plumbing pumped the water out before it reached two cars and the family photo albums, repaired the pumps the next morning, and charged about $1,400 all up.
The phone went at 2am during one of those big storms that hit Sydney’s north. A family in Epping had water rising in their basement. Two cars were parked down there, along with boxes of their stuff, including the family photo albums.
The house had stormwater pits with submersible pumps, built for exactly this kind of night. But the pumps had stopped. It could have been a tripped circuit, an overload or just age. Either way, nothing was moving the water out and the rain wasn’t letting up.
What we did
2:00am. I picked up straight away. First I tried to talk them through resetting the pumps and using the manual override over the phone. If you can fix it yourself in five minutes, you shouldn’t have to pay for a call-out, and we don’t charge for that call. But they’d never had to touch the system before, there was water and electrics in the same space, and they were understandably stressed. They asked me to come out.
On the way. I keep portable pumps on the truck for stormwater emergencies, so there was no waiting for gear. I loaded up and headed to Epping.
On site. I checked the retention pits, confirmed both pumps had failed, and got the portable pumps going to get the water out of the basement. We got it cleared before it reached the cars or the boxes.
Next morning. I went back in daylight to properly inspect, service and get both pumps working again. Then I walked the owner through the whole system: where the pits are, how the pumps work, what the manual override does and how to use it safely. Next time, they’ll be able to handle the first part themselves.
What was saved
- Both cars, untouched
- The family photo albums, completely dry
- Furniture and everything else stored down there
- Any long-term damage from water sitting in the basement
“The photo albums were the thing. Everything else you can replace. But those memories, that’s what we were racing against the clock for. Knowing someone came out at 2am and genuinely cared about that, you don’t forget it.” Epping homeowner
What it cost
- After-hours call-out (2am attendance): $700
- Labour, first two hours (all the work was done within that time): $700
- Total: about $1,400
I’m sharing the numbers because people are scared of after-hours plumbing bills, and some of that fear is earned. Plenty of big operators charge a heavy call-out fee just to turn up, then after-hours rates on top. For this family, the whole job came to around what their insurance excess would have been, so they didn’t need to make a claim at all.
If your property has stormwater pumps
- Find out where your pits and pumps are before you need to
- Learn how to reset the pumps and use the manual override, or ask us to show you
- Check the pumps run every few months by lifting the float switch, ideally before storm season
- Keep the pits clear of leaves and silt
If you’re in Epping, Eastwood, Ryde or nearby and something goes wrong at 2am, call me on 0451 001 503.
Quick questions
Check whether the pump circuit has tripped, try the manual override if you know how, keep clear of water near electrics, and call a 24/7 plumber.
Lift the float switch every few months to make sure the pump starts, ideally before storm season, and keep the pits clear of leaves and silt.
