Sump Pumps in Alpine, CA

Signs the pump needs help

• Water standing in the crawl space or pit after a storm
• A motor that hums, grinds or won't start
• Constant cycling once the rain has stopped
• Mud, gravel or nothing at all coming out at the discharge end
• A musty smell rising through the floor
• A pump that hasn't run since spring and may have seized

Alpine conditions

Alpine is an unincorporated East County community where hillside and canyon lots are common and nights run colder than at the coast. The median home was built around 1986, and about 38 percent predate 1980, so raised foundations with crawl spaces are part of the mix. Runoff coming downslope during winter storms is the usual reason a pit gets installed.

Utilities split sharply. Padre Dam Municipal Water District serves the central-western part of the community, and a County study notes that roughly 81 percent of the plan area by land relies on private wells or small water systems. On the sewer side, the San Diego County Sanitation District covers part of Alpine, sending wastewater to the City of San Diego's Point Loma plant, while about 98 percent of the plan area is not on municipal sewer and uses private onsite wastewater systems. Two practical points follow. Sump water must go to the yard, never into an onsite system, where rain can overload it. And on a well property, a water-powered backup pump is useless when the power fails, because the well pump stops too; a battery unit is the backup that works.

Alpine is unincorporated, so building permits go through the County of San Diego for new or altered piping.

What affects the cost

• Replacing a float or check valve versus the whole pump
• Sump or ejector, the latter tied to the sewer or onsite system
• Crawl space or outbuilding access
• Cleaning silt and gravel out of the basin
• A long discharge run on a larger lot
• Battery backup and alarm options

When you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who covers Alpine. Mention whether the home is on Padre Dam water or a well, whether it's on County sewer or an onsite system, and where the pit sits. Unlock gates and note any long driveway so the plumber can find the way in.