Sewer Camera Inspection in Montgomery Village, MD

Montgomery Village was built mostly in the late 1960s and 1970s, so many of its house drains have been in the ground for 50 years or so, running out to WSSC Water's public sewer. A camera inspection shows whether that pipe has roots, cracks or a low spot before you pay for a repair. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Montgomery Village.

How old are the sewer lines here?

Montgomery Village is a planned community begun by Kettler Brothers, with its first residents arriving in 1967. In ZIP 20886 roughly half of homes were built before 1980, and the 1970s were the biggest building decade. Lines from that period can be cast iron, clay or early plastic, and each ages differently: cast iron scales and splits, clay lets roots in at the joints, and plastic can sag or crack where soil settled. A camera is the only way to see which you have without digging.

Is it my line, the HOA's or WSSC's?

The Montgomery Village Foundation is a homeowners association, not a town, so it doesn't run the sewer. WSSC Water provides wastewater service and maintains the public mains; if sewage is coming from a manhole or into the road, call its Emergency Service Center at 301-206-4002. The building sewer from your house toward the street is a plumber's job. In townhouse or condo sections, shared lines can be the association's or the condo's concern, so check your governing documents when the camera shows a problem past your own foundation.

What happens after the camera finds something?

The plumber marks the defect from above using the locator in the camera head and notes its depth. Small root intrusions can often be cleared and monitored; a crack, separated joint or collapsed section usually means a spot repair, a liner or a replacement run. Any of those needs a WSSC Water plumbing permit and a plumber registered with WSSC, and the plumber normally handles the filing. Ask for the recording so you can compare options.

Call now to be connected with a local plumber in Montgomery Village.

(202) 915-7612

One local note

Many Village lots and common areas have trees planted when the neighborhoods were laid out, and they're now large. Roots in old joints are one of the most common reasons for repeat clogs here, and a camera shows how far they've gone. Repeated snaking can keep a rooted line flowing for a while, but the roots return through the same gap. Seeing the joint on video helps you decide whether to keep maintaining the line or fix it for good, and if you're buying a Village home, filming the line before closing is a modest step that can head off an unpleasant first winter.

Sewer Camera Inspection questions in Montgomery Village

Is a camera worth it for an older home's original drain lines?

Usually. Montgomery Village was built mostly in the late 1960s and 1970s, and drain lines of that age often have root intrusion, scale or cracked joints that show up clearly on camera.

Where does my responsibility for the sewer line end?

WSSC Water maintains the public sewer mains. The pipe from your house toward the street is generally the owner's, and in townhouse or condo sections your association documents may say who handles shared lines.

Can the camera show grease, wipes or scale buildup?

Yes. Grease coating the pipe walls, wipes snagged on rough joints and scale in old cast iron all show up on the monitor.

Does the line need to be cleared before the camera can see anything?

Usually, if water is standing in the pipe. The plumber clears it first with a cable or jetter so the camera has a clear view of the pipe.