Gas Line Services in Kensington, MD

What's different about gas piping in Kensington homes?

Kensington grew from a Victorian-era summer retreat into a commuter suburb about nine miles from downtown Washington, and its southern core is the Kensington Historic District. The town's median home was built in 1959, so many houses have gas piping that has been extended and rerouted through several kitchens and heating systems. Plumbers here often find old connectors, branches tapped in where convenient rather than where sized, and stubs left behind when an appliance was removed.

Which office handles the paperwork?

WSSC Water issues plumbing, gasfitting and service connection permits for Kensington, and gas work must be done by a plumber or gasfitter registered with WSSC. The Town of Kensington also has its own forms for home construction projects, so a renovation that changes walls or adds an exterior gas line may need a call to Town Hall. Keep in mind that the 20895 mailing area, often called Greater Kensington, is much larger than the town. Addresses outside town limits deal with WSSC and Montgomery County only.

Will an older line support a new range or tankless heater?

Not always, and it's worth checking before you buy the appliance. Lines in houses from the 1950s were usually sized for a furnace, a water heater and maybe a range. A professional-style range, a tankless water heater or a gas fireplace can push the total past what the pipe can carry, starving whichever appliance is farthest away. A plumber adds up the input ratings, measures the run and recommends tapping in or upsizing part of the trunk. The new section is pressure tested and inspected by WSSC before gas goes to the appliance.

A local note

Washington Gas serves Kensington. In historic-district houses, exterior changes such as a relocated meter or a new line along a visible wall can raise design questions, so ask about them before the work is scheduled rather than after. When you call, tell the plumber whether the house is inside town limits, what appliance is involved and whether walls will be open for a renovation. Open walls make rerouting or resizing gas pipe much simpler.