Emergency Plumber in Chevy Chase, MD

Warning signs

• Water staining or dripping through plaster ceilings
• A basement floor drain or laundry tub filling with wastewater
• Rust-colored water plus a pressure drop at several taps
• A water heater leaking from the bottom of the tank
• A hiss in a wall or the sound of water running with every tap closed
• Any gas odor near the furnace, boiler, range or water heater

Local conditions in Chevy Chase

This is the Maryland side of Chevy Chase, an 1890s streetcar suburb laid out along Connecticut Avenue, not the neighborhood of the same name in Northwest DC. The housing is old. In ZIP 20815 about two-thirds of homes were built before 1980, and more than 2,600 date from 1939 or earlier. Original galvanized supply lines, cast iron stacks and clay or cast iron laterals under mature trees are all common sources of sudden trouble here, especially in a hard freeze or a heavy summer storm.

WSSC Water supplies water and sewer, so a main break near Jones Bridge Road or a sewer overflow in the street goes to its Emergency Service Center at 301-206-4002. Washington Gas serves the area. For a gas smell, leave first, then call 911 and 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, from outside.

What affects the cost

• The hour. After-hours, weekend and holiday visits generally cost more.
• Old materials. Working on brittle galvanized pipe or heavy cast iron can turn a quick fix into replacing a full section.
• Finishes. Plaster, tile and finished basements take longer to open and close up.
• Permits. WSSC Water issues plumbing and fuel gas permits, and only master plumbers or gasfitters registered with WSSC can apply for them. Chevy Chase is also a patchwork of incorporated towns and villages; the Town of Chevy Chase, for example, requires its own permit for larger projects and won't approve it until the County permit is issued.

What happens when you call

Your call goes to an independent plumber who takes urgent work in Chevy Chase. Be ready with the address, whether the home sits in one of the incorporated towns or villages, what failed and whether the main is off. Ask about after-hours pricing before the visit. No arrival time is promised.