Sewer Camera Inspection in Ashburn, VA

My Ashburn house is fairly new. Why would the sewer line fail?

Ashburn grew from farmland and a rail stop into planned neighborhoods such as Ashburn Farm, Ashburn Village, Broadlands and Brambleton, and only about 2% of homes in ZIP 20147 were built before 1980; the largest group went up in the 2000s. So most laterals here are plastic, and corrosion is not the issue. What the camera tends to find instead is a belly where trench backfill settled, a joint that pulled apart, or damage from later fence, deck and patio work. Construction debris left in a line and grease buildup in busy households also turn up.

Who handles sewer service at my address?

Loudoun Water provides public water and sewer to county residents outside the incorporated towns, within designated service areas, and Ashburn falls in that territory. Its after-hours emergency line is 571-291-7878 and customer relations is 571-291-7880. Most of rural Loudoun is not on public sewer, so if your property is on the outer edge of the Ashburn area, check your bill. Homes on a private onsite wastewater system still have a drain line from the house to the tank, and a camera can inspect that pipe in general terms.

Will I need a permit if the camera finds a problem?

Filming the line does not need one. A repair that replaces pipe does: Loudoun County Building and Development issues residential plumbing permits as part of a parent building permit, online through LandMARC or in person in Leesburg. Plan review questions go to 703-777-0220. The plumber doing the repair usually takes care of the application.

A short local note

Many Ashburn homes are in homeowner associations with townhouse rows, and some sewer lines run under shared ground. If you live in a townhouse, ask the association whether your lateral joins a common line before booking repairs. When you call, you are connected with an independent plumber who works in Ashburn; mention the age of the house, which fixtures are slow and whether the problem started after any landscaping or construction. The plumber will usually clear the line enough to pass the camera, film from the cleanout toward the street, and mark any defect so you can see where it is before deciding what to do.