Plumbers in Temple Hills, MD

Postwar neighborhoods off Branch Avenue

Temple Hills is about 8 miles from downtown Washington in a straight line, near the Metro Green Line and Joint Base Andrews. It is mostly residential, with garden apartments, duplexes and single-family streets built mainly from the 1950s through the 1970s. Branch Avenue, St. Barnabas Road, Temple Hills Road and the Capital Beltway are the main roads, Marlow Heights and Hillcrest Heights border it, and Iverson Mall and Henson Creek are local landmarks. The Temple Hills mailing address (ZIP 20748) covers a wider area than the census-designated place, but all of it is unincorporated Prince George's County.

Plumbing that is half a century old

The median home here was built around 1973, and much of the housing is older than that, so many plumbing systems are 50 years old or more. Common problems include corroded galvanized supply lines with weak pressure, cast iron drains that crack or clog, sewer laterals invaded by roots, and water heaters near the end of their life. In duplexes and apartments, a leak can cross into the neighbor's side, so it pays to know where your own shutoff is. When patches stop holding, repiping may be the practical fix; WSSC requires a plumber holding its license for interior repiping.

Water and sewer

WSSC Water provides drinking water and wastewater service across Prince George's County, including Temple Hills, using the Potomac River and Patuxent River reservoirs as sources. It disinfects with residual chlorine and adds a corrosion inhibitor to protect pipes on customer property. WSSC owns the water service line from the main to the property line; from there into the house it is the owner's. WSSC's "What's Your Pipe Type?" program maps customer-side line materials at wsscwater.com/LCR-map and notes that some customer-side galvanized lines need replacing. For water or sewer emergencies, call 301-206-4002.

Permits

Prince George's County DPIE issues building permits but no plumbing permits; WSSC Water Permit Services (301-206-4003) issues and inspects all of them. Water heater replacements and testable backflow devices need a permit. WSSC also requires a holder of its license for water and sewer service line repairs and replacements and for all gas work, including gas water heater and furnace replacement.

Backflow

Testable backflow assemblies, such as those on in-ground irrigation, chemically treated boilers and some home fire sprinkler systems from 2007 to 2009, must be tested every year and after installation, repair or relocation by a WSSC-certified cross-connection technician. WSSC does not test them itself. The county cross-connection line is 301-206-8601.

Gas safety

Washington Gas serves Prince George's County, though some areas are on BGE. If you smell gas, leave first, then call 911 and the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line, 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, from a safe place.

Calling from Temple Hills

Just over the line in Washington, DC Water and the DC Department of Buildings handle these jobs. Here, WSSC does. When you call, describe the problem and give your street or building, and you will be connected with an independent plumber who sets the price and timing with you.