Sump Pumps in Pfafftown, NC

Does it matter whether I'm on a well or public water?

For the backup pump, yes. Pfafftown is an unincorporated community in northwest Forsyth County, partly annexed into Winston-Salem and Lewisville, and its homes may be on Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities water or a private well depending on the address. New wells are permitted by Forsyth County Environmental Health.

A water-powered backup pump uses supply pressure to move pit water. On WSFC water it can work during a power outage, but because it connects to the drinking water line, it needs backflow protection, and WSFC's cross-connection program makes owners responsible for installing, testing and maintaining backflow assemblies. On a well, the well pump stops when the power fails, so a water-powered backup has nothing to run on. A battery backup is the better choice there.

Can the sump drain into my sewer or onsite system?

It shouldn't drain into either. Where Pfafftown homes are on WSFC sewer, that system carries wastewater, not groundwater. Where homes aren't on municipal sewer, a private onsite wastewater system can be flooded by the extra water, which can saturate the drain field. Run the discharge to the yard, far enough from the house and the system that the water doesn't come back.

Why does an older Pfafftown house need more attention?

About a third of homes in the 27040 ZIP were built before 1980, per Census survey data, and Pfafftown mixes older rural houses with newer subdivisions. Older crawl spaces often have pumps that were added years later, with a discharge line that ends close to the foundation or a check valve that has never been replaced. Those homes benefit from a pump test before storm season and a look at where the water actually goes. Newer subdivision homes have their own weak point: a builder-installed pump that has never been lifted out, cleaned or tested. Pouring a bucket of water into the pit every few months, and watching the pump start, empty the pit and stop cleanly, catches a failing float before a heavy rain does.

Permits

All of Pfafftown, whether it sits in Winston-Salem, Lewisville or unincorporated county, goes through the joint Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division for plumbing permits. The plumber can tell you whether a new pit, circuit or drain change needs one.