Emergency Plumber in Bowie, MD

Signs it can't wait until morning

• Water pouring through a ceiling, out of a wall or from under a vanity
• Sewage rising in a basement floor drain, a lower-level tub or a toilet
• A tank water heater with water collecting around its base
• No water anywhere in the house while the neighbors still have it
• Any smell of gas near the furnace, water heater, range or dryer
• A pipe that split after a hard freeze and is now spraying

A dripping faucet or a slow bathroom sink is weekday work. The items above can ruin drywall, carpet and subflooring in a few hours.

Bowie's two water and sewer systems

The City of Bowie runs its own water and sewer service for many of the Levitt-era sections, including Somerset, Tulip Grove, Kenilworth, Yorktown and Whitehall; WSSC Water serves the rest of the city. On the City system, water problems go to Public Works at 301-809-2344, and after hours the City routes water emergencies through its Police Communications Center at 240-544-5700. In WSSC neighborhoods, the Emergency Services Center is 301-206-4002.

In the City sewer area, the house connection from your home to the main is the owner's responsibility; the City maintains only the mains. A backup that affects just your house is usually in that lateral, which is plumber territory.

The City lists Washington Gas as its natural gas supplier. If you smell gas, leave first, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (927-4427), option 1, from outside. The median Bowie home was built in 1981, so many water heaters, shutoff valves and supply lines have been in service a long time.

What affects the cost

• The hour. Late-night, weekend and holiday calls usually carry a higher service charge than a booked weekday visit.
• Getting to the pipe. A finished basement ceiling or a crawlspace adds time compared with an open utility room.
• Repair or replace. Re-making a failed joint is smaller than swapping a water heater or a section of sewer lateral.
• Permits. In Prince George's County a water heater replacement needs a permit, and WSSC Water issues plumbing permits countywide.

What happens when you call

You are put through to an independent plumber who takes urgent work in Bowie. Give your address and a landmark such as Bowie Town Center or the nearest MD 197 crossing, say whether the main is off, and describe what you see. Ask how after-hours pricing works before anyone heads out. Arrival time depends on the hour and the plumber's schedule, so none is promised.