Sewer Camera Inspection in Takoma Park, MD

Why do Takoma Park sewer lines clog so often?

Takoma Park began in 1883 as a Victorian-era commuter suburb on the District line, and much of it is a National Register historic district. Its nickname, Azalea City, and its heavy canopy say a lot about what's underground. Many houses still drain through their original building sewer, and lines from the early and mid-1900s are commonly clay or cast iron. Clay joints give roots an easy way in, and once inside they grow into a mat that catches paper and grease. Cast iron corrodes and builds scale until the opening narrows. A camera shows which problem you have, how far it extends and whether the pipe is still round enough to save. Repeated snaking can keep a rooted line open for a while, but the roots come back through the same gap.

Who handles a backup in the street?

WSSC Water operates the public sewer in Takoma Park. If sewage is coming from a manhole or running in the road, report it to the WSSC Emergency Service Center at 301-206-4002. When the street is fine and only your house is backing up, the problem is in your own line, and that's the point to call a plumber and get the line filmed.

What if the camera finds damage?

The plumber marks the defect from the surface using the locator in the camera head and estimates its depth. Light root growth can be cut out and watched; a cracked, offset or collapsed section usually needs a spot repair, a liner or a new run. Repairs need a WSSC Water plumbing permit and a plumber registered with WSSC, and the plumber normally files it. In a historic neighborhood, ask whether a trenchless option could spare a front walk, old retaining wall or mature tree.

One local note

Many Takoma Park homes have basements with a floor drain tied into the house sewer, so a blockage often shows up there first. If that drain fills when the washer runs or after a heavy storm, get the line filmed rather than snaked again and again. Keep a copy of the recording; it helps when comparing repair options and when selling an older house. If you're buying here, a pre-closing inspection is a modest cost next to a line that has to be dug up under a historic front yard.