Emergency Plumber in College Park, MD

College Park mixes early twentieth-century neighborhoods such as Calvert Hills and Old Town with newer apartments and student housing near the University of Maryland. The median home was built in 1979, and the city straddles Paint Branch and Indian Creek, with the Lakeland area historically low-lying and prone to flooding. That combination makes basement water and drain backups common emergency calls here.

What to do right now

1. Close the main. Find the shutoff where the water line enters the house, usually in the basement or a front utility closet, and turn it clockwise until it stops.
2. Cut power to anything wet. If water is near outlets, a furnace or an electric water heater, switch off the breaker if you can do it from a dry spot.
3. Get out if you smell gas. Leave first, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427) OPTION 1 from outside.
4. Stop using drains during a backup. No flushing, laundry or showers until the line is cleared.
5. Report street problems to WSSC. Water rising from the road or a manhole overflowing goes to the WSSC Water Emergency Services Center at 301-206-4002.
6. Tell the landlord. Renters near campus should notify the owner or property manager, who may already have a plumber they use.

Symptoms and likely causes

What drives the cost

• The hour you call. After-hours visits usually cost more than a weekday appointment.
• Access. Older Calvert Hills and Old Town houses can hide pipes behind plaster, which takes longer to open.
• The part that failed. A fitting is quick; a water heater or a sewer lateral repair is bigger.
• Permits. WSSC Water permits and inspects plumbing and gasfitting work in Prince George's County, and a replacement water heater needs a permit. Homeowners may not do any gasfitting themselves.