Hydro Jetting in Takoma Park, MD

Why are roots such a problem here?

Takoma Park was laid out in 1883 as a commuter suburb on the District line, and its median home was built in 1954. Much of the old town sits in a large historic district under a heavy canopy of mature trees, the city's "Azalea City" character. Older sewer laterals often have joints every few feet, and over decades tree roots find their way in through small gaps. Once inside, they catch paper and grease and the line slowly closes. A cable cuts a path; jetting cleans the full diameter and flushes the cut roots away.

Is jetting safe for a pipe this old?

In most cases, if the pipe is still in one piece. The plumber's job is to find out first. A camera shows whether the line is cast iron, clay or a later replacement, whether joints have shifted, and whether a section has cracked. With that view, the plumber picks the nozzle and pressure. If the camera shows a collapse or a badly broken joint, jetting may still clean the line so the damage can be seen clearly, but the fix is a repair. WSSC Water requires sewer service line repairs to be done by a plumber registered with WSSC under a WSSC permit.

Who do I call when sewage comes up in the basement?

Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, and WSSC Water handles water and sewer. If the backup is happening at several houses, call WSSC Water's emergency service center at 301-206-4002, since the public main may be blocked. If only your house is affected, the blockage is in your own line, and you need a plumber. Basement floor drains are often the first place a main-line backup appears in older homes.

One local note

Roots grow back through the same openings, so in Takoma Park a single jetting is often the start of a plan rather than the end. Ask the plumber to show you the camera footage and point out the joints where roots entered. That tells you whether periodic cleaning will do or whether a section is worth repairing before the next heavy summer storm sends extra water into the line.