Drain Cleaning in Rockville, MD

Who do I call if sewage is backing up in Rockville?

That depends on which utility serves the address. The City of Rockville's own water system covers about 70 percent of the city, and WSSC Water serves the rest; the City publishes a Water Service Provider Map so you can check. The City lists a 24-hour emergency line, 240-314-8567, for sewer backups and water main breaks. Addresses served by WSSC Water use its Emergency Service Center at 301-206-4002. If you are unsure, your utility bill tells you. A plumber handles everything from the fixtures to your building sewer, and can often tell from the cleanout whether the blockage is in your pipe or beyond it.

Are Rockville's drain lines old enough to cause trouble?

Some are. Rockville is the county seat and a large I-270 employment center, and the median home was built in 1980, so the city mixes postwar subdivisions like Twinbrook with much newer development. Older houses can have cast iron inside and clay or cast iron building sewers outside, which scale up, crack at joints and let roots in. Newer homes mostly have plastic pipe, where clogs usually come down to grease, wipes, hair and food scraps. Either way, the plumber may suggest a camera inspection if the same line keeps plugging.

Do I need a permit for drain work in Rockville?

Clearing a clog is service work and needs no permit. Replacing pipe is different, and in Rockville the permit office follows the water provider: addresses on City water get plumbing permits from the City's Department of Community Planning and Development Services (CPDS), while addresses on WSSC water go through WSSC Water Permit Services. If a camera shows a broken building sewer, ask the plumber which office applies before work starts.

A Rockville note

Basements are common here, so the floor drain is usually the first place a main line backup shows. Keep it clear of storage, avoid running the washer when drains are sluggish, and leave caustic openers out of a line that is already backing up. If the plumber finds the blockage past your cleanout, the City or WSSC Water takes it from there, depending on which one serves your street.