An Ellenwood sump pump usually stops keeping up because of a stuck float, a failing check valve, a power issue or a worn motor. A plumber can repair or replace it and route the discharge onto the yard, whichever county utility serves your address. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Ellenwood.
What happens on the call
Dialing the number connects you with an independent plumber who covers Ellenwood. It helps to know which county your address is in, since that decides who provides water, sewer and permits. Then describe what the pump is doing and whether water is rising. On site, a plumber will check power, the float and the check valve, test the pump and follow the discharge line outside. Many Ellenwood homes were built in the 2000s, so builder-installed pumps are a common sight. Those units are often the smallest size that met code at the time, and after fifteen or twenty years of storms their floats and check valves are usually the first parts to give out.
What affects the cost
- Fixing a part versus replacing the pump
- Pump size for how fast the pit refills
- Crawl space or basement access
- Extending the discharge away from the foundation
- Backup pump and alarm
- Permit requirements for your county
Ellenwood's county split
Ellenwood is an unincorporated area along I-675 and GA-42 that straddles the DeKalb, Clayton and Henry county lines. Census figures for ZIP 30294 show about 16% of houses built before 1980, and many subdivisions went up between 2000 and 2009.
Water and sewer depend on the county. In the DeKalb portion, it's DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management; in Clayton, it's Clayton County Water Authority; in Henry, it's Henry County Water Authority. Some properties may not be on municipal sewer; that wasn't verified. In every case, a sump pump shouldn't feed into the house drain or a private onsite system. Send it to open ground.
Permits come from the county as well. In unincorporated DeKalb, plumbing permits must be submitted by a plumbing contractor, not the homeowner, through the county e-Permitting Portal. Clayton County's Building Permits office in Jonesboro and Henry County's Building Department handle their portions.
Before the plumber arrives
- Check your water bill to confirm which county utility serves you
- Turn off the pump's breaker if water is near the outlet
- Clear access to the pit and the outdoor discharge
- Note how long the pump has been running
Sump Pumps questions in Ellenwood
Can the sump discharge go into a floor drain, laundry sink or sewer cleanout?
Do I need a permit to replace or add a sump pump?
My home is not on municipal sewer. Can the pump empty into the onsite system?
How many years does a sump pump usually last?
More plumbing services in Ellenwood
Sump Pumps nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
- Ellenwood housing by year built (via City-Data)
- Ellenwood, Georgia (Wikipedia)
- Depends on county: DeKalb portion - DeKalb County Department of Waters: water service
- Depends on county: DeKalb portion - DeKalb County Department of Waters: sewer service
- County permit office for the county the address is in: permits
- CCWA: Water quality report
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