Ejector Pump Alarm Going Off? Basement Bathroom Down?
Ejector pump repair and replacement for homes and businesses across Metro East Illinois, 24/7 emergency response available.
- Repair-first approach, we fix it when we can
- Licensed, Bonded & Insured
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Repair-first approach, we fix it when we can
- Licensed, Bonded & Insured
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Repair-first approach, we fix it when we can
- Licensed, Bonded & Insured
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Repair-first approach, we fix it when we can
- Licensed, Bonded & Insured
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
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From Emergency Repairs to Full Installations
Whether it’s a leaking pipe, a failing water heater, or plumbing for a brand-new build, our licensed team handles projects of every size across the metro east region.
Emergency Plumbing
Burst pipes, sewer backups, no hot water, when it can’t wait, we answer. Day or night, Priority Plumbing shows up fast and fixes it right the first time.
Drains &
Sewer
Slow drains, clogs, and sewer line problems don’t fix themselves. From drain cleaning to full sewer replacement, we diagnose the root cause and get it flowing again.
Commercial Plumbing
Businesses can’t afford plumbing downtime. We handle everything from backflow testing and maintenance contracts to restaurant drain service and new construction rough-ins.
Water
Quality
If your water smells, tastes off, or leaves buildup on everything — there’s a fix. We install whole-home filtration, water softeners, HALO systems, and treat well water at the source.
Water
Heaters
No hot water is never convenient. We repair, replace, and install both tank and tankless water heaters — usually same day, and always with upfront pricing.
Pumps
Sump pumps, well pumps, ejector pumps — we install, repair, and replace all of them. Don’t wait for a pump failure to become a flooded basement or a dry tap.
Emergency Plumbing
Burst pipes, sewer backups, no hot water, when it can’t wait, we answer. Day or night, Priority Plumbing shows up fast and fixes it right the first time.
Drains &
Sewer
Slow drains, clogs, and sewer line problems don’t fix themselves. From drain cleaning to full sewer replacement, we diagnose the root cause and get it flowing again.
Commercial Plumbing
Businesses can’t afford plumbing downtime. We handle everything from backflow testing and maintenance contracts to restaurant drain service and new construction rough-ins.
Water
Quality
If your water smells, tastes off, or leaves buildup on everything — there’s a fix. We install whole-home filtration, water softeners, HALO systems, and treat well water at the source.
Water
Heaters
No hot water is never convenient. We repair, replace, and install both tank and tankless water heaters — usually same day, and always with upfront pricing.
Pumps
Sump pumps, well pumps, ejector pumps — we install, repair, and replace all of them. Don’t wait for a pump failure to become a flooded basement or a dry tap.
If Your Basement Has a Bathroom, You Probably Have an Ejector Pump
Most homeowners with a basement bathroom know they have a toilet, a sink, and a shower down there. What many don’t know is what makes those fixtures work, because a basement bathroom that sits below the main sewer line can’t drain by gravity. It needs a pump to move waste upward to the main sewer line. That pump is the ejector pump, and when it fails, every fixture in that basement bathroom, and often the basement laundry area, becomes unusable immediately.
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Ejector pumps are submersible sewage pumps installed in a sealed pit in the basement floor. They receive wastewater from below-grade fixtures and pump it up to the main sewer line under pressure. When they work correctly, you don’t think about them. When they fail, or when the sealed pit lid is compromised, the symptoms are hard to miss.
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We repair and replace ejector pumps for residential and commercial customers throughout Metro East Illinois. Priority Plumbing Services is licensed, bonded, and insured in Illinois (License No. 055-045366). Ejector pump failures that render basement plumbing unusable are treated as the urgent service calls they are, we’re available 24/7. Every ejector pump job is backed by our 1-year warranty and 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Signs Your Ejector Pump Needs Attention
- Ejector Pump Alarm Is Going Off
Most ejector pump systems include a high-water alarm, a float-triggered alert that activates when the pit water level rises higher than normal, indicating the pump isn’t keeping up with inflow. An alarm going off means the pump has either failed, is overwhelmed, or has a float or switch issue. Stop using the basement fixtures immediately and call us, continuing to add sewage to an alarm-stage pit causes overflow.Â
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Urgency: Call immediately — stop using basement fixtures and call (618) 207-1647.
- Sewage Smell in the Basement
A persistent sewage odor in the basement, particularly near the ejector pit, typically indicates a compromised pit lid seal. The ejector pit is designed to be airtight to contain sewage gases. A cracked lid, a lid that’s not properly seated, or a failed vent connection allows sewage gas to escape into the basement living space. Sewage gas contains hydrogen sulfide, a health hazard at elevated concentrations.Â
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Urgency: Call soon — sewage gas in a living space is a health concern that warrants prompt attention.
- Basement Toilet Won't Flush or Drains Very Slowly
A basement toilet that won’t flush or barely drains, with no visible clog in the bowl, is usually an ejector pump failure. The pump isn’t moving waste out of the pit, so waste has nowhere to go when the toilet is flushed. Attempting to force it with additional flushes causes the pit to overflow rather than clear.Â
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Urgency: Call today — a non-functioning basement toilet due to ejector pump failure needs same-day attention.
- Basement Bathroom Fixtures Backed Up or Gurgling
Gurgling from basement fixtures like the toilet, the sink, and the shower drain, when nothing is being used, or slow drainage from every basement fixture simultaneously, indicates the ejector pump isn’t cycling correctly or the pit is filling faster than the pump is clearing it. Either condition warrants a service call before it becomes a backup.Â
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Urgency: Call soon — gurgling from all basement fixtures simultaneously means the ejector system is under stress.
- Pump Runs But Pit Doesn't Clear
An ejector pump that’s audibly running but not clearing the pit, water level stays high or rises despite the pump operating, usually has a failed impeller, a clogged discharge line, a broken check valve that’s allowing discharged sewage to return to the pit, or a pump that’s lost its prime. Any of these conditions render the pump ineffective despite appearing to operate.Â
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Urgency: Call today — a running pump that isn’t clearing the pit will overflow the pit once the motor overheats and stops.
Types of Ejector Pump Service We Handle
- Ejector Pump Repair
Float switch repair and replacement, check valve replacement, discharge line clearing and repair, impeller cleaning, and pit alarm system service. We assess whether the pump can be repaired cost-effectively before recommending replacement, consistent with our repair-first approach. For a relatively new pump with a single failed component, repair is almost always the right call. We give you both costs and honest reasoning.
- Ejector Pump Replacement
Full ejector pump replacement when the unit has failed beyond cost-effective repair, reached end of life, or is undersized for the fixture load it serves. We carry common ejector pump units, 1/2 HP and 3/4 HP sewage ejector pumps, and complete most replacements same-visit. We size the replacement correctly for the number of fixtures draining into the pit and the discharge line head pressure required.
- Ejector Pit Lid Replacement & Sealing
Replacement of cracked, damaged, or improperly seated ejector pit lids, the primary source of sewage odor from ejector systems. We also reseal pit lid connections, repair or replace vent connections from the pit, and inspect pit condition during lid service. A properly sealed pit lid is the first line of defense against sewage gas in the basement.
- Ejector System Installation for Basement Additions
New ejector pump system installation for basement bathroom additions, basement kitchen installations, or any below-grade plumbing addition that can’t drain by gravity to the main sewer line. We size the pit, pump, and discharge line correctly for the planned fixture load, install to Illinois plumbing code, and pull the required permit for new system installations.Â
Benefits of Professional Ejector Pump Service
- Restore Basement Plumbing Fast
An ejector pump failure makes every below-grade fixture unusable, basement toilet, laundry sink, basement shower, all of it. For households where the basement bathroom is a primary bathroom, or where the laundry is in the basement, this isn’t a minor inconvenience. We treat ejector pump failures as the urgent service calls they are and aim for same-day response throughout Metro East Illinois.
- Address the Sewage Gas Hazard Properly
A compromised ejector pit seal allows hydrogen sulfide and methane, sewage gases, to enter the basement air. At low concentrations, sewage gas causes headaches and odor. At higher concentrations it becomes a health and safety hazard. Properly sealing the pit lid and repairing vent connections eliminates the source of sewage gas rather than masking it with ventilation. We address the seal, not the smell.
- Correct Sizing for New Installations and Replacements
An ejector pump sized for a single toilet and sink may be undersized if a basement bathroom addition adds a shower and a laundry connection. Every fixture that drains into the ejector pit adds to the peak flow demand the pump must handle. We calculate the fixture unit load and size the replacement or new pump correctly, so the system performs as needed rather than struggling under demand it wasn’t sized for.
- Prevent the Pit Overflow Scenario
An ejector pit that overflows, because the pump has failed and waste continues to be added from upstairs fixtures that drain into the basement system, or because the alarm was ignored, is a sewage backup situation inside the basement. Cleaning up raw sewage from a basement floor is a remediation project, not a plumbing repair. Responding to ejector pump symptoms early prevents the overflow entirely.
- Licensed Installation That Meets Code
Ejector pump installations, particularly for new basement bathroom additions, require a permit in Illinois. The pit must be properly vented, the lid must be sealed correctly, and the discharge line must be correctly sized and routed. We install to code, pull permits where required, and ensure every component of the ejector system is configured correctly. Every installation is backed by our 1-year warranty.
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Proudly Serving Five Counties Across Southern Illinois
From our home base in Pocahontas, we serve homes and businesses across Madison, Bond, Clinton, Montgomery, and Macoupin Counties. One local team that shows up fast and gets it done right. If you’re in the Metro East or surrounding areas, we’ve got you covered!
Ejector Pump Questions
What is an ejector pump and do I have one?
An ejector pump, also called a sewage ejector pump or sewage pump, is a submersible pump installed in a sealed pit in the basement floor. It receives wastewater from below-grade fixtures like basement toilets, sinks, showers, and laundry drains, and pumps it upward under pressure to the main sewer line. If your home has a basement bathroom or a laundry room below the level of the main sewer line, you almost certainly have an ejector pump. Look for a round sealed pit cover, typically 18 to 24 inches in diameter, in the basement floor near the bathroom or utility area.
What is the difference between an ejector pump and a sump pump?
A sump pump handles groundwater, it removes water that seeps into the basement from the water table or surface drainage, discharging it away from the foundation through a discharge line. An ejector pump handles sewage, it pumps wastewater from below-grade fixtures into the main sewer line. The two pumps often coexist in the same basement but serve completely different purposes. They are not interchangeable and are installed in separate pits.
How long do ejector pumps last?
Most ejector pumps last 7–10 years under normal residential use. Commercial applications with higher fixture loads wear pumps faster. Pump life is affected by the type of materials flushed into the system, wipes, feminine hygiene products, and other non-flushable items that enter the ejector pit clog and damage the impeller significantly faster than normal sewage and toilet paper. A pump receiving appropriate waste from properly maintained fixtures reaches its full expected lifespan.
What is the difference between an ejector pump and a grinder pump?
Both are sewage pumps for below-grade applications. An ejector pump handles unground sewage, it pumps waste in its original form and is appropriate when the discharge line is large enough (typically 2 inches or larger) and the discharge run isn’t excessively long. A grinder pump grinds sewage into a fine slurry before pumping, used when the discharge line is smaller diameter or the discharge run is very long, requiring the waste to be pumped farther under higher pressure. We assess which type your system uses and replace in kind or upgrade when the application warrants it.
Why does my basement smell like sewage near the ejector pit?
The ejector pit is designed to be completely sealed such as the lid, all pipe penetrations, and the vent connection to the plumbing vent stack should be airtight to contain sewage gases inside the pit and plumbing system. A sewage smell near the pit almost always means the seal has been compromised, a cracked lid, a lid that isn’t properly seated, a failed rubber grommet around a pipe penetration, or a disconnected vent. We locate the seal failure and repair it. This is not a problem that improves on its own.
Do you install ejector pumps for new basement bathroom additions?
Yes. New ejector pump system installation for basement bathroom additions throughout Metro East Illinois such as pit installation, pump sizing and installation, discharge line routing, vent connection, pit lid sealing, and permit coordination. We size the system for the planned fixture load and install to Illinois plumbing code. Get us involved early in the basement addition planning, the ejector system layout affects where fixtures can be positioned and how the drain rough-in is configured.Â