Cutaway illustration of a basement sump pit with a primary pump, a battery backup pump, drain tile, and a discharge pipe with a check valve exiting to the yard

B1 · Utility room · Coon Rapids & north metro

Sump pumps & battery backups.

AP Plumbing repairs and replaces sump pumps in Coon Rapids and 14 north-metro cities, adds battery backup pumps, and fixes the check valves and discharge lines that keep groundwater out of your basement. Sump water goes outside, never into the sanitary sewer.

Call (612) 245-7341 Signs to watch for

5.0 · 513 Google reviews

What you’re looking atA sump system, from tile to yard

Check valve
Keeps the water in the discharge pipe from falling back into the pit after each cycle. A failed one makes the pump short-cycle.
Discharge outlet
Sump water has to leave the house and flow away from your foundation and your neighbor’s. Tying it into the sanitary sewer isn’t allowed.
Sump basin & cover
Collects groundwater from the drain tile. Under Minnesota’s radon-resistant construction rules, sump baskets must have sealed covers.
Primary pump & float
Starts when the float rises. Zoeller says a pump that rarely runs should be cycled at least once a month to confirm it works.
Battery backup pump
Keeps pumping when the power goes out, which is often when storms raise the water table.
Drain tile
Perforated pipe around the footing. Minnesota code requires subsoil drains around buildings with basements or floors below grade.

01The short answer

A sump pump only matters on the worst day.

In one paragraph

A sump pump has to work during the storm, and the power outage that sometimes comes with it. That takes a healthy pump, a working check valve, a discharge that goes outside, and ideally a battery backup. Test it before spring: pour water into the pit and watch it cycle.

Groundwater collects in the drain tile around your foundation and runs to the sump pit, and the pump lifts it out of the house. When any link in that chain fails, the basement floor is next.

Where the water is allowed to go

The Metropolitan Council says sump pumps must not be connected to the sanitary sewer: clear water overloads the system and can cause sewer backups into homes. Cities enforce it. Anoka, Lino Lakes, Shoreview and Spring Lake Park prohibit it by code, and Champlin, Fridley and Mounds View also set rules for where discharge can go.

What we work on

Failed pumps and floats replaced
Battery backup pumps added
Check valves and discharge lines repaired or replaced
Discharge tied into the sanitary sewer rerouted outside

02Symptoms

When the sump pump is the problem.

Most failures give you a warning first.

Pumps: what you notice → what it usually means
What you notice	What it usually means	How soon to call
Pump won’t start	A tripped breaker, an obstructed float or a clogged intake screen.	Right now
Water around the pit or along the walls	The pump can’t keep up, or the drain tile is blocked.	Right now
Runs constantly	A stuck float, a failed check valve or a very high water table.	Today
Hums but the water doesn’t drop	A clogged intake or jammed impeller, or a failing motor.	Today
On, off, on again	A failed check valve letting water fall back into the pit.	This week
Discharge line freezes in winter	The outlet needs a better route or freeze protection.	This week

03Repair or replace

Fix the setup, or replace the pump?

Repair it if

It’s the float, the check valve or the discharge line
The pump runs strong once cleared
You just want a battery backup added

Replace it if

The motor hums but won’t pump
It’s aging and the wet season is coming
It can’t keep up with the water coming in

Met Council private-property grants can cover foundation drain disconnections and a new sump pump when tied to that work. Ask your city whether it participates.

04Minnesota field notes

Where sump water can go, and the rules behind it.

Rules and numbers that apply to homes here, each with its source.

Sanitary sewer
Not allowed
Sump pumps and building drains must not be connected to the sanitary sewer system.
Source: Metropolitan Council, Inflow and Infiltration
Lawn discharge
Away from homes
One- and two-family homes may discharge to lawns if the water flows away from the house and the neighbor’s and doesn’t create a nuisance.
Source: Minnesota Rules 4714.1101
Sump covers
Sealed
Under Minnesota’s radon-resistant construction requirements, sump baskets must have sealed covers.
Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Radon Resistant New Construction
Drain tile
Required
Minnesota code requires subsoil drains around the perimeter of buildings with basements, crawl spaces or floors below grade.
Source: 2020 Minnesota Plumbing Code §1101.6
Testing
Monthly
A sump pump that rarely runs should be cycled at least once a month to confirm it works.
Source: Zoeller, choosing the right sump pump (2025)
Grants
Met Council
Private-property I/I grants can cover foundation drain disconnections and a new sump pump tied to that disconnection.
Source: Metropolitan Council, Private Property I/I Grant Program

Checked October 2026. Codes and city rules change; your permit office has the final word.

05Real work

Pumps replaced, basements kept dry.

AP Plumbing job photo: sump pump replacement in a basement floor — **Job photo**Sump pump replacement in a basement floor

Denis was very helpful and quick to schedule.

BreannaNetworx review

“Denis answered the phone at 8:30 at night when we had some water coming up from our floor drain. He told us what it could be, and came out the next day right away.”
Breana R. · Google review · Apr 2025

Pumps questions, answered.

Straight answers, with the source when a rule or number is involved. Still not sure? Call and describe it.

Call (612) 245-7341

Can my sump pump drain into the sewer?

No. The Metropolitan Council says sump pumps and building drains must not be connected to the sanitary sewer, because clear water overloads the system and can cause sewer backups into homes. Cities including Anoka, Lino Lakes, Shoreview and Spring Lake Park prohibit it by code.

Source: Metropolitan Council; city codes

How often should I test my sump pump?

Zoeller recommends cycling a pump that rarely runs at least once a month. Pour a bucket of water into the pit, make sure the float lifts, the pump starts and the water drains, and listen for the check valve closing when it stops.

Source: Zoeller (2025)

Do I need a battery backup sump pump?

If water ever comes into your pit during storms, a backup is cheap insurance. Battery-powered and water-powered backup pumps keep protecting a basement during power outages, which is when the primary pump can’t run.

Source: Zoeller (2025)

Why does my sump pump run all the time?

Usually a stuck float, a failed check valve letting water fall back into the pit, or a high water table after heavy rain or snowmelt. If it runs nonstop in dry weather, have it checked before the motor burns out.

Does my sump pit need a cover?

Under Minnesota’s radon-resistant construction requirements, sump baskets must have sealed covers, and all new Minnesota homes have had to be built radon-resistant since 2009. A sealed cover also keeps debris out of the pump.

Source: Minnesota Department of Health

07Related

Often the same visit. Often the same wall.

Same service, every stop on the line

Each city page has that city’s own water report numbers, permit rules and sewer-line responsibilities.

08Call us

Call the people who know your house inside out.

(612) 245‑7341

Mon – Sat · 8 AM – 10 PM

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 8 AM – 10 PM · Sunday closed
Address: 12433 Uplander St NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448
Serving: Coon Rapids and 14 north‑metro cities · see the map