Silver Spring's housing is old enough that a stubborn clog can involve aging cast iron or clay as well as grease and hair. A plumber clears the line, finds where the blockage was and tells you whether the pipe is part of the problem. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Silver Spring.
Silver Spring sits on the District line, about 6 miles from downtown Washington, with a dense downtown surrounded by older residential streets inside the Beltway. The median home was built in 1964, so many houses still have their original drain piping under the basement slab. WSSC Water provides the public sewer, and its Emergency Service Center, 301-206-4002, handles water and sewer emergencies on the public side.
What to do right now
- Stop sending water down. Turn off the washer and dishwasher and keep everyone out of the shower until the line is open.
- Find the lowest drain. In most Silver Spring houses that is the basement floor drain. If water is rising there, the main drain is the likely problem.
- Look for a cleanout. It is usually a threaded plug on a pipe near the front wall of the basement. Do not open it while water is backed up behind it.
- Leave the chemicals on the shelf. Caustic openers rarely clear a main line and make the job hazardous for whoever opens it.
- Check the street. If sewage is coming out of a manhole or other homes on the block have the same trouble, call WSSC Water.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Basement floor drain rising when the washer empties | Blockage in the main drain or building sewer |
| Kitchen sink slow, other fixtures fine | Grease and food in the kitchen branch line |
| Toilet gurgles when the tub drains | Partial blockage downstream, or a vent problem |
| Clog returns every few months | Roots, scale in old cast iron, or a sag in the line |
| Sewer odor in an unfinished basement | A dry floor drain trap or a cracked pipe |
What affects the cost
The depth and location of the clog matter most: a bathroom sink trap is quick, while a building sewer blocked near the property line needs a larger machine and more time. Older cast iron can need a descaling head or water jetting rather than a basic cable, and roots in a clay section may call for a cutter followed by a camera look. Access counts too; a finished basement with the cleanout hidden behind drywall adds work. After-hours visits usually cost more. If the camera shows broken pipe, a sewer service line repair requires a WSSC Water permit and a plumber holding a WSSC license.
Drain Cleaning questions in Silver Spring
Are cast iron and clay drains in older houses harder to clean?
Why does the basement floor drain back up before anything else?
Who do I call if sewage is spilling from a manhole or the street?
Is a camera inspection worth it after a main line backup?
More plumbing services in Silver Spring
Drain Cleaning nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
Last updated: