Plumbing Inspection in Brandywine, MD

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent local plumber who covers Brandywine. Say whether the home is in a newer subdivision or on a rural lot, whether it's on WSSC Water or a private well, and whether the bills show public sewer. A new house usually gets a punch-list style check of fixtures, valves, the water heater and drainage. An older or rural property gets more attention on the well equipment, supply piping and the line leaving the house.

What affects the cost

• Size of the home and number of baths
• Well pressure tank and switch checks on rural lots
• Camera inspection of a sewer lateral where public sewer exists
• Gas or propane appliances and their venting

Local conditions in Brandywine

Brandywine is largely in Prince George's County's rural tier, with a commercial center along US 301 and MD 5 that grew fast after 2000. More than half of its homes were built since 2010, and the median build year is around 2011, alongside a pocket of 1950s and 1960s houses. In the newest homes, problems tend to be installation issues: loose fittings, unsecured water heater connections, poorly sloped drains or a sump pump that was never tested. In the older homes, it's the aging pipe and valves.

WSSC Water serves public-system areas with water from the Potomac and Patuxent rivers. The county's water and sewer plan says rural areas use individual wells, and how much of Brandywine is on public sewer versus a private onsite wastewater system depends on the address. The 20613 ZIP also extends into Charles County, outside WSSC territory, so check your bills. WSSC owns the water service line from the main to the property line; the owner has the rest.

Washington Gas serves much of the area, but rural properties may have no gas main and use propane. If you smell gas, leave first, then call 911 and 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, or your propane supplier.

Checklist before the plumber comes

• Find the main shutoff, water heater, and the well equipment or sewer cleanout
• For a new home, have the builder's warranty papers handy
• Note any fixture that drips, runs or drains slowly
• Repairs on the Prince George's side need a WSSC Water permit, which covers natural gas and LP gas work too