Plumbers in District Heights, MD

A 1940s city near Route 4

District Heights was incorporated in 1936 by act of the Maryland General Assembly and is about 8 miles from downtown Washington in a straight line, close to MD Route 4. It began as farmland, and in the 1940s developers built affordable Cape Cod-style single-family houses with FHA financing; many of those houses still line its streets. Maryland Route 458, Marbury Drive, District Heights Parkway, Kipling Parkway and Walters Lane are the familiar roads, with Walker Mill to the north and Forestville to the southeast. The city is fully built out. The 20747 ZIP code reaches well beyond city limits into unincorporated county land.

What 1940s plumbing looks like now

The median home in District Heights was built around 1968, but a large share of the original Cape Cods are far older. Supply lines in those houses were often galvanized steel, which corrodes from the inside and slowly cuts flow; drains and stacks were often cast iron. Owners commonly call about low pressure at the kitchen sink, a basement floor drain that backs up, a crack in an old stack, or a water heater near the end of its life. Many owners eventually choose a partial or full repipe instead of chasing leaks, and WSSC requires a plumber holding its license for interior repiping.

Water and sewer

WSSC Water provides drinking water and wastewater service across Prince George's County, including District Heights, and uses residual chlorine as its disinfectant. WSSC owns the water service line from the main to the property line, and the homeowner owns the rest. WSSC says it removed all known lead pipes from its distribution system, and its "What's Your Pipe Type?" map at wsscwater.com/LCR-map shows recorded customer-side materials; some customer-side galvanized lines need replacing. Water and sewer emergencies go to 301-206-4002.

Permits

Prince George's County DPIE issues no plumbing permits. WSSC Water Permit Services (301-206-4003) issues and inspects all of them. Swapping a fixture like for like generally needs no permit, but replacing a water heater or a testable backflow device does. Because District Heights is a municipality, building permits follow a county-versus-city responsibility matrix that DPIE publishes, so check which office handles a remodel. WSSC requires a holder of its license for water and sewer service line work and all gas work, including furnace and gas water heater replacement.

Gas safety

Washington Gas serves Prince George's County, though BGE serves some areas, so check the bill. If you smell gas, get out of the house, then call 911 and the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line, 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, from a safe place.

How it differs from the District

Despite the name, District Heights is in Maryland, so DC Water and the DC Department of Buildings play no part. WSSC handles water, sewer and plumbing permits. When you call, describe the problem and give your street, and you will be connected with an independent local plumber who sets the price and timing with you.