Gas Line Services in Bowie, MD

Signs your gas piping needs attention

• A rotten-egg or sulfur odor anywhere in the house, which means leave first and call from outdoors
• A hiss near the meter, a valve or the back of the range
• Burner flames that run lazy and yellow instead of crisp and blue
• Soot or scorch marks near the furnace or water heater vent
• A pilot that keeps going out on an appliance that used to be reliable
• A winter gas bill well above last year's with no change in habits

Gas service and permits in Bowie

The city's new-resident guide lists Washington Gas for natural gas and BGE for electricity. Washington Gas also notes that some parts of Prince George's County are BGE gas territory, so if you live near the city's edges, the name on your gas bill is the one to trust. Unlike water and sewer, which Bowie splits between its own system and WSSC Water, gas service doesn't change by neighborhood inside the city.

Permits follow the county pattern. Prince George's County says all plumbing permits are issued by WSSC Water, and replacing a water heater requires one. WSSC also requires gas work, including gas water heater and furnace replacement, to be done by a plumber or gasfitter holding a WSSC license.

Bowie's median home was built in 1981, and most residents live in Belair, the Levitt and Sons community from the 1960s. Those houses have had sixty years of furnace changes, kitchen remodels and added dryers, so the gas piping is often a mix of original iron and later extensions. A plumber checks that each new branch is sized for what it feeds.

What changes the cost

• How far the appliance is from the meter and whether the run goes through a finished basement or an open crawlspace
• Whether the existing main line can carry the added load or needs to be upsized
• The number of fittings, valves and connectors involved
• The WSSC permit and inspection
• Patching drywall or ceiling once the pipe is in

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent local plumber who takes gas work in Bowie. Mention the appliance, where it sits relative to the meter and whether you've noticed an odor or a hiss. The plumber will explain the permit, the pressure test on new piping and how the appliances get relit afterward.