Plumbing Inspection in Kensington, MD

What does a plumber look for in a Kensington house?

Kensington grew from a summer retreat into a commuter suburb, and its southern core is a planned Victorian-era layout listed as the Kensington Historic District. With a median build year around 1959, many homes still carry some original plumbing: galvanized supply lines that rust from inside, cast iron drains, older valves at the main and under fixtures, and a service line that may never have been replaced. The plumber checks each of those, along with how later bathroom and kitchen updates were tied in.

How do I find out what the service line is made of?

WSSC Water, which supplies water and sewer here, keeps an online map of known or reported pipe material by address, including the customer side. It runs a survey to help owners verify their pipe, and a Service Line Replacement Program with replacement planning and financial assistance for lead lines. The plumber can confirm the material where the line enters the house and tell you whether it matches the map.

Who handles permits if work is needed?

WSSC Water issues plumbing, gasfitting and service connection permits, and the work has to be filed by a plumber or gasfitter registered with WSSC. The Town of Kensington also has its own forms for home construction projects, so call Town Hall if the job goes beyond plumbing. Keep in mind the 20895 postal area is much bigger than the town itself; addresses outside town limits deal with Montgomery County for building permits instead.

A local note

Backflow assemblies on irrigation systems, fire sprinklers and some pools must be tested every year by a WSSC-certified cross-connection technician, so ask the seller for the latest record. Washington Gas serves the area; if you smell gas, leave the building first, call 911, then call Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (927-4427), option 1. In an older basement, have the plumber run the floor drain too, since a slow or backed-up drain there often points to trouble in the building sewer. If it does, a camera run shows whether roots, a crack or a sag is the cause before anyone quotes a dig.