Sump Pump in Ashburn, VA

My Ashburn house is fairly new. Why is the pump already failing?

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 the 20147 ZIP code predate 1980. Most houses date from 1990 on, which means a lot of builder-installed pumps are now old enough to wear out. Builder-grade units, float switches that rub against the pit wall and check valves that never get looked at are the common weak spots. A pump that sits idle through a dry stretch can also seize, then fail on the first heavy rain. Testing with a bucket of water every few months catches most of this.

Who handles what if water or sewage backs up?

Ashburn is unincorporated, and Loudoun Water provides both public water and sewer. Groundwater in the pit is the homeowner's to manage. Sewage coming up through a basement drain is different: if you suspect the problem is on the public side, Loudoun Water's after-hours emergency line is 571-291-7878, and Customer Relations is at 571-291-7880 during the day. The sewer is built for household waste only, so a sump discharge that runs into a floor drain or laundry tub should be rerouted outdoors.

Should I add a backup, and which kind?

For a finished basement, a backup is worth the modest added cost. A battery unit sits beside the main pump and takes over if the power goes out or the main pump fails. A water-powered backup uses household water pressure instead, which ties it to the drinking water system. Loudoun Water's cross-connection program requires backflow preventers to be tested every year by a certified tester, so a battery model is usually the simpler choice. Adding new piping or an ejector for a basement bathroom goes through Loudoun County Building and Development, where trade permits are filed under a parent building permit.

One Ashburn note

In a subdivision where houses sit close together, a discharge line that ends a few feet from the wall can send water straight back to your foundation or toward the house next door. If the line needs to be extended or buried, a plumber can find a route that lets the water spread out and soak in on your own lot.