Silver Spring's median home was built in 1964, so many houses inside the Beltway still run on original galvanized steel or early copper supply lines. When rusty water, fading pressure or repeat leaks show up together, replacing the lines usually costs less over time than chasing each failure. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Silver Spring.
Silver Spring housing in brief
Silver Spring is an edge city on the District's northern border, with a dense downtown ringed by older residential neighborhoods. A median build year of 1964 puts a large share of houses right in the era when threaded galvanized pipe was giving way to copper, and many homes ended up with some of each after decades of repairs. WSSC Water supplies water and sewer service.
What to do now
- Find the main shutoff. It usually sits in the basement where the service line comes through the foundation wall. Make sure it turns before you need it.
- Look at the pipe. Dull gray pipe with threaded joints is galvanized steel. Reddish-brown pipe with soldered joints is copper. Note what you see near the water heater and under the kitchen sink.
- Look up your service line. WSSC banned lead as a service line material in 1954 and runs a What's Your Pipe Type? map where you can check your address. Customers with lines listed as lead, unknown or galvanized needing replacement are contacted with steps to verify.
- Track the symptoms. Write down where leaks occurred, which taps run brown first thing in the morning and where flow is weakest.
- Plan for openings. If the basement is finished, expect access holes in the ceiling. Move furniture and valuables out of the way.
Call now to be connected with a local plumber in Silver Spring.
(202) 915-7612Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Brown or orange water after the lines sit overnight | Rust inside aging galvanized pipe |
| Poor flow at upstairs fixtures only | Narrowed galvanized branch lines, or an undersized original layout |
| Small leaks at threaded joints | Corrosion where threads thinned the pipe wall |
| Green crust on copper fittings | Slow seepage at an old solder joint |
| A leak right after a cold snap | A line in an exterior wall or crawlspace that froze |
What affects the cost
- House size, the number of stories and the count of fixtures
- Finished versus open basement ceilings
- Plaster walls, which take more care to open and repair than drywall
- Whether a whole-house or partial repipe is the better fit
- Replacing the customer-owned part of the service line at the same time
- Permit and inspection through WSSC Water
Repiping questions in Silver Spring
How can I tell whether my house still has galvanized steel pipe?
Galvanized pipe is dull gray steel with threaded fittings, and a magnet sticks to it. In a 1960s Silver Spring house you'll often find it at the water heater, under sinks or where the line enters the basement.
Should the buried service line be replaced at the same time?
It is worth checking. WSSC says part of the service line is utility-owned and part belongs to the customer. If the customer's portion is galvanized or of unknown material, replacing it while a plumber is already working on the house can make sense.
Doesn't the utility treat the water to protect older pipes?
WSSC adds orthophosphate at both of its treatment plants. It forms a thin coating on the inside of pipes, including household plumbing, which helps limit corrosion, but it cannot restore pipe that has already rusted or thinned.
What changes when the walls are plaster instead of drywall?
Plaster takes more care to cut and patch than drywall, and openings are usually kept small and placed in closets or less visible spots. Ask whether the quote covers plaster repair or only rough patching.
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Call now to be connected with a local plumber in Silver Spring.
(202) 915-7612Sources
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