Plumbing Inspection in Damascus, MD

Signs it's time for an inspection

• You're under contract and the seller can't say how old the water heater is
• Pressure drops when two fixtures run, or surges and fades on a well
• Drains in the basement are slow or gurgle
• Pipes or valves show green or white crust
• The house has sat empty through a winter

Damascus conditions

Damascus is a historically rural community in upper Montgomery County where MD 27, MD 108 and MD 124 meet, surrounded by family farms and equestrian properties. Its housing is older than most of upcounty: about 35% of homes were built before 1980 and another 37% in the 1980s, with a median year near 1984. Houses from those decades commonly need attention to water heaters, shutoff valves and fixture parts, and the oldest may have original drain lines.

WSSC Water supplies public water and sewer across much of the area and runs a small local treatment plant, the Damascus Water Resource Recovery Facility. Montgomery County assigns every property a water and sewer category, and outside the core some are designated for individual wells and onsite wastewater systems. On those properties the plumber can look at the pump, pressure tank and the drain line leaving the house, but the onsite system itself needs a separate inspection. WSSC is responsible for the service line from the main to the property line; past that point it belongs to the owner.

What affects the cost

• House size and number of baths
• Well equipment to check on non-public-water properties
• Adding a camera run of the building drain
• Outbuildings, barns or detached garages with their own water lines
• Gas or propane appliances to review

What happens when you call

You'll be put through to an independent plumber who covers Damascus. Tell them whether the house is on public water and sewer, the build year, and your contract dates. If repairs follow, WSSC Water issues plumbing and gas permits, including for propane installations, and gas water heater replacements must be done by a WSSC-registered gasfitter. Montgomery County's Department of Permitting Services handles building permits. If you smell gas, leave the house first, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, or your propane supplier if the home runs on a tank.