Plumbers in Silver Spring, MD

Right across the line from the District

Downtown Silver Spring is about 6 miles from the center of Washington, and the community touches the DC boundary. It has no city government; Montgomery County governs it. The census-designated place had 81,015 residents in 2020, but the Silver Spring mailing area is bigger and takes in places such as Wheaton and Four Corners. Expect a dense, mixed-use downtown ringed by older residential streets inside the Capital Beltway: Woodside Park, Long Branch and Lyttonsville, crossed by Colesville Road (US 29), Georgia Avenue and New Hampshire Avenue.

Older houses, older pipes

The median home here was built in 1964. Plenty of houses are older than that, which means a mix of original galvanized or copper supply lines, cast iron drains and basement floor drains, and sewer laterals that have been in the ground for generations. Basement backups after summer storms, frozen hose bibs, slow main drains and water heaters tucked into tight utility rooms are common calls. Wells are rarely a factor inside the Beltway.

WSSC water and sewer

WSSC Water draws from the Potomac River and from the Triadelphia and T. Howard Duckett reservoirs on the Patuxent. Unlike DC Water, it disinfects with free chlorine instead of chloramine, and it adds orthophosphate at both plants to coat the inside of pipes, household plumbing included. Water and sewer emergencies go to 301-206-4002; customer service is 301-206-4001.

The service line between the main and your house is partly owned by WSSC and partly by you. WSSC stopped allowing lead for service lines in 1954, says it removed known lead pipe from its distribution system, and keeps a "What's Your Pipe Type" map where you can look up your address.

Permits and inspections

Here WSSC Water, not the county, issues plumbing and gasfitting permits. Replacing a gas water heater or furnace calls for a plumber or gasfitter who holds a WSSC license, and inspections for central and southern Montgomery County run out of WSSC's Lyttonsville depot. WSSC Permit Services is 301-206-4003. Any building permit is a separate county matter.

Smell gas?

Washington Gas serves the area. Get out of the house first, then call 911 and the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line, 844-WASHGAS (927-4427), selecting option 1.

What to expect

Tell the operator your neighborhood or cross street and what you are seeing, such as water on the basement floor or a heater that has stopped. You will be connected with an independent local plumber who quotes and schedules the work directly with you.