Montgomery Village was built mostly in the late 1960s and 1970s, so many basement sump pumps and pits here have been through several replacements and some discharge lines date to construction. Failures usually come down to the switch, the check valve, a blocked line or a tired motor. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Montgomery Village.
Why are so many pumps here at the end of their life?
Montgomery Village is a planned community begun by the Kettler Brothers, with the first residents arriving in 1967. In ZIP 20886 roughly half the homes were built before 1980, and the 1970s were the busiest building decade. Pumps themselves wear out and get replaced, but the pits, lids, check valves and buried discharge lines often stay from the original build. A new pump dropped into a cracked basin, or pushing water through a half-collapsed line, will not last as long as it should.
What should I check before calling?
Make sure the pump has power and the GFCI outlet has not tripped. Look at the float to see whether it moves freely. Then go outside and find where the discharge line ends. In townhouse rows, that outlet can be close to a neighbor's foundation or a shared walkway, and it is easy for mulch or ice to block it. If the pump hums but nothing comes out, the line is the likely problem. If you share walls, tell your neighbors about any water so they can check their own basements.
Is sewage in the basement a pump problem?
Not usually. Clear water in the pit is groundwater. Dirty water coming up through a floor drain is a sewer issue: either your own lateral is clogged or the public line is backing up. WSSC Water provides sewer service in Montgomery Village and takes water and sewer emergencies at 301-206-4002. A basement bathroom with an ejector pump is a separate case, since a failed ejector backs wastewater into that room. The Montgomery Village Foundation is the community's homeowners association, not a utility, so pump repairs are between you and your plumber, though your village may have its own rules on exterior drainage work.
Local note
Plumbing permits in Montgomery County go through WSSC Water Permit Services, and building permits through the county's Department of Permitting Services. A like-for-like pump swap rarely involves either, but adding a pit or an ejector can. Ask the plumber up front. If several homes in your row were built at the same time, a neighbor's recent pump replacement can be a useful hint about what yours will need, from the pump size to the condition of the original basin.
Sump Pumps questions in Montgomery Village
Should I repair my old pump or replace it?
Why does my pump turn on and off every few seconds?
Where should the discharge line end up?
Who do I call if sewage is coming up through the basement floor drain?
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