Commercial Plumbing in Chevy Chase, MD

Problems to watch for

• Slow drains in older buildings with original cast iron
• Restroom fixtures that leak at the floor or wall
• Low hot water at peak times in a shared building
• Sewer smell in a basement or lower-level suite
• Irrigation or fire sprinkler backflow devices due for testing
• Gas appliances in kitchens or mechanical rooms that need service

Local conditions in Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase grew as an 1890s streetcar suburb along Connecticut Avenue, laid out by the Chevy Chase Land Company. Commercial activity clusters at Friendship Heights on Wisconsin Avenue and around Chevy Chase Lake, with clubs, schools and places of worship scattered through the residential streets. The building stock is old: in ZIP 20815 about two-thirds of homes predate 1980, and more than 2,600 were built in 1939 or earlier. Expect cast iron and galvanized piping, small mechanical rooms and buildings that have been modernized in pieces.

WSSC Water provides water and wastewater service. Only WSSC-registered master plumbers and gasfitters can apply for plumbing and fuel gas permits through WSSC ePermitting (Permit Services 301-206-4003), and the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services handles building permits (240-777-0311). The incorporated places add a layer: the Town of Chevy Chase, for example, issues its own permits for construction, demolition, larger additions and right-of-way work, and won't approve a town permit until the county permit is issued. WSSC requires every testable backflow assembly to be tested each year and after any repair or relocation.

What affects cost

• Age of the piping and how much has to be opened up
• Permits from WSSC, the county and, for some projects, a town or village
• Work on lines that run under sidewalks, lawns or driveways
• After-hours scheduling for shops and offices
• Restoring plaster, tile or historic finishes

What happens on the call

Tell the plumber the exact address and whether it falls inside an incorporated town, since that can change the paperwork. You'll be connected with an independent local plumber who handles commercial jobs in Chevy Chase. For a public main or sewer failure, call WSSC at 301-206-4002. For a gas odor, leave, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1.