Repiping in Clinton, MD

Warning signs

• Leaks that keep returning in different rooms after each fix
• Gray plastic supply pipe stamped PB, common in some homes built through the 1980s and early 1990s
• Rust-colored or metallic-tasting water from some taps but not others
• Fittings that weep or crust over at the water heater and laundry
• A water bill that jumps with no change in use

Clinton homes and their plumbing

Clinton grew from the old Surrattsville crossroads, home of the Surratt House Museum, into a large unincorporated suburb next to Joint Base Andrews. Much of the housing is from the 1970s through the 1990s, with a median build year of 1987. Houses from that era generally have copper supply lines, and some were built with polybutylene. Both can reach a point where the leaks come faster than they are worth chasing.

WSSC Water supplies Clinton. It owns the water service line from the main to the property line, and the homeowner owns the stretch from the property line into the house, plus everything inside. WSSC's What's Your Pipe Type? map lists service line materials by address, and WSSC notes that some customer-side galvanized lines need replacement, so it is worth looking up your address before the repipe is scoped.

WSSC requires a plumber holding its license for interior re-piping, as well as for service line work, and it issues and inspects the plumbing permit. Prince George's County DPIE handles building permits for unincorporated areas like Clinton.

Cost factors

• Size of the house and the number of fixtures to reconnect
• Whether there is an unfinished basement or open crawlspace for running lines
• PEX, copper or a combination
• Drywall openings, patching and painting
• Replacing the private part of the service line at the same time, if needed

What to expect on the call

You will be connected with an independent local plumber who serves Clinton. Have a rough idea of the year the house was built, the type of pipe visible near the water heater, and where leaks have shown up. Expect a walk-through of the basement or utility space and a recommendation on whether to repair, repipe part of the house or replace everything at once.