Burst Pipe Repair in Suitland, MD

Why do Suitland houses seem prone to pipe breaks?

Suitland grew quickly after federal offices arrived in the 1940s, and its median home was built around 1973. Many houses still have their original supply and drain piping, which means fittings, valves and pipe walls that have been under pressure for half a century. Older galvanized steel corrodes from the inside and thins out, and aging copper develops pinholes. Add a stretch of freezing nights and a pipe in an outside wall, a garage or an unheated basement corner can split.

Who fixes what between the street and my kitchen?

WSSC Water supplies water and sewer service in Suitland. WSSC is responsible for the part of the service line that connects to the main, and the homeowner owns the section running from the property line into the house. If water is gushing in the street, at a hydrant or at the meter, call WSSC's emergency center at 301-206-4002. A leak on your side of the property line, in the basement or inside the walls is something you hire a plumber to fix, and WSSC requires that service line repairs be done by a plumber holding a WSSC license.

What should I do before the plumber arrives?

Close the main shutoff, usually in the basement or utility room where the water line enters. Open a faucet at the lowest point of the house to drain what's left. Turn off the breaker to any room with water near outlets, and shut off an electric water heater or set a gas one to pilot. If you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 and your gas utility from outside; the company's emergency number is printed on your gas bill. Then photograph the damage, move belongings out of the water and start drying the area with towels and fans.

A Suitland note

If the repair turns up more corroded pipe than a single splice can fix, ask the plumber about replacing the worst run rather than patching it repeatedly. In Prince George's County, plumbing permits and inspections come from WSSC Water, not the county, and WSSC also requires a plumber holding its license for interior repiping. WSSC's service line inventory map shows what material is on record for your address.