Sewer Line Replacement in Hyattsville, MD

Warning signs

• The same main-line clog keeps returning after it is snaked
• Sewage or dirty water appears in the basement floor drain
• A sink or tub drains slowly while the toilet bubbles
• A sewer odor near the front walk or cleanout
• Camera video showing roots, cracks and separated joints along the run

Why Hyattsville lines wear out

Hyattsville was incorporated in 1886, and its National Register historic district is full of late-1880s Victorians alongside interwar Sears kit homes and Arts and Crafts bungalows. Census estimates put the median home at 1963, which means half the housing is older still. Under houses of that age, sewer laterals can be clay pipe, which lets roots in at every joint, or cast iron, which scales and corrodes from the inside. Mature street trees make root trouble common, and a line that has been cleared several times often has more root mass waiting behind the clog.

WSSC Water provides water and sewer here, and the city has no water system of its own. For problems in the public system, such as sewage from a manhole, call WSSC's Emergency Service Center at 301-206-4002. A backup that affects only your house points to the private line. Hyattsville has no city permits office, so the plumbing permit comes from WSSC Water and building permits from Prince George's County.

What affects the cost

• Run length from the house to the main, and how deep it is
• Whether lining or bursting can follow the old path or the line must be dug
• Porches, front steps, walks and street trees in the way
• Cast iron drain pipe inside the house that is also failing
• WSSC permit and inspection, with the work done by a plumber holding a WSSC license

What to expect when you call

You will be connected with an independent local plumber who works in Hyattsville. Expect a camera inspection and a locate before any price is firm, because older lots often have lines that turn, run under porches or sit deeper than expected. The plumber should walk you through the options, explain how the WSSC permit and inspection fit in, and tell you how the yard and any hardscape will be restored.