In Clarkston, a failing sump pump usually has a stuck float, a leaking check valve, a power problem or a worn motor. A plumber can fix the cause and route the discharge to the yard rather than the DeKalb County sewer. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Clarkston.
Clarkston basics
Clarkston is a small inner-ring DeKalb city just outside I-285, long a refugee-resettlement hub often called the most diverse square mile in America. Its housing is largely 1970s and 1980s apartments and homes; the median build year is 1979, about 53% of units were built before 1980 and roughly 31% in the 1970s alone, per census survey data. Pumps in those homes have often been replaced once or never.
The city states that its water and sewer are managed by DeKalb County, and it directs sewage problems to DeKalb County Water and Sewer. DeKalb owns the service line through the meter; the owner is responsible from the meter to the house. Groundwater from a sump pump shouldn't be piped into the household drain, since it ends up in DeKalb's sewer.
In homes of this age, it's common to find a pump that was added years after construction and plumbed into a laundry sink because that was the easiest route, or a discharge that ends right at the foundation so the same water keeps cycling back into the pit. Rerouting the line outdoors is often part of the repair, and it can make an older pump last longer.
What to do now
- Turn off the pump's breaker if water is near the outlet.
- With power off, check the float and free it if it's caught.
- Restore power. If the motor hums but no water moves, shut it off.
- Check the outdoor end of the discharge for clogs.
- Move belongings off the floor near the pit.
- Call a plumber if water keeps coming in.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Pump won't start | Stuck float, tripped GFCI or failed motor |
| Runs nonstop | Float stuck up or pump too weak |
| Short cycling | Leaking check valve |
| Humming, no water | Jammed impeller |
| Discharge into a laundry sink | Old install that needs rerouting |
Cost factors
- Part repair versus replacing an older pump
- Crawl space or basement access
- Rerouting a discharge out of a household drain
- Battery backup and alarm; a water-powered unit may fall under DeKalb's annual backflow testing
- A trade permit from Clarkston Planning & Development if piping is altered
Sump Pumps questions in Clarkston
Water is backing up through a floor drain, not the sump. Who do I call?
Can the sump discharge go into a floor drain, laundry sink or sewer cleanout?
Could the water under my house be a plumbing leak rather than groundwater?
Do I need a permit to replace or add a sump pump?
More plumbing services in Clarkston
Sump Pumps nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
- Clarkston housing by year built (via Point2Homes)
- Clarkston, Georgia (Wikipedia)
- DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management: water service
- DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management: sewer service
- DeKalb Watershed owns the service line from the main to the meter, inc: service line ownership
- DeKalb County Dept. of Watershed Management, Backflow Prevention Secti: backflow prevention
- City of Clarkston Planning & Development - Building Permits: permits
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