Commercial Plumbing in Bladensburg, MD

What happens when you call

We'll ask the type of business, what's failing and whether you can stay open, then connect you with an independent local plumber who takes commercial work in Bladensburg, including Decatur Heights and Sunnybrook. For an emergency such as a burst pipe or a sewage backup, say so up front. For planned work, such as a tenant fit-out, a restroom upgrade or a water heater change, ask whether the plumber will pull the WSSC permit and how the job is priced.

What affects the price

• The age and material of the existing piping
• How many fixtures or units are on the affected line
• Locating work before the repair
• Night or weekend work to keep a store or kitchen open
• Breaking concrete or opening walls for access
• Permits, inspections and any backflow retest

Local conditions in Bladensburg

Bladensburg began as a colonial seaport and tobacco inspection center, and today it is a busy crossroads of US 1 Alternate, MD 201 and MD 450 next to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, about five miles from downtown Washington. The median home dates to 1968, and much of the small commercial stock along the main roads is of similar or older vintage, so cast iron drains and aging supply lines are a regular part of the work.

WSSC Water publishes a service line inventory map, built from more than 100 years of plumbing records, where owners can look up an address. WSSC banned lead as a service line material in 1954 and removed known lead pipe from its distribution system in the early 2000s. Its tap water report puts the Potomac plant's yearly average hardness at about 140 mg/L and the Patuxent plant's at about 65 mg/L; which plant serves a given building isn't stated, so heaters and kitchen equipment may see moderate scale.

WSSC issues permits for and inspects plumbing and all natural gas and LP gas installations in the county, and furnace and gas water heater replacements need a plumber or gasfitter holding a WSSC license (Permit Services 301-206-4003). The town's own website covers business licenses and registrations, not building or plumbing permits. Testable backflow assemblies, such as irrigation and fire sprinkler devices, must be tested every year and after installation or repair by a certified cross-connection technician with a WSSC license; WSSC doesn't test them itself. Washington Gas serves the area, with BGE in some parts of the county. If anyone smells gas, get out first, then call 911 or Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1.

Short checklist

• Know where the main shutoff is
• Clear access to cleanouts and the water heater
• Have your WSSC account number and any backflow reports
• Tell the landlord if you lease the space