A plumbing inspection in Temple Hills is a plumber's walk-through of the supply lines, drains, water heater, fixtures, shutoff valves and gas piping, with a sewer camera run if you add one. Temple Hills was built mostly from the 1950s through the 1970s, so many plumbing systems here are more than 50 years old. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Temple Hills.
Temple Hills is a mostly residential community of garden apartments, duplexes and single-family neighborhoods, with a median build year around 1973. The Temple Hills mailing address also covers more ground than the community itself. Whatever the house type, the age of the piping drives most inspection findings here. In shared buildings, a problem in one unit can come from a stack or main that serves several, so the plumber notes which pipes are yours and which are common.
What to do now
- Confirm the inspection deadline in your contract and book the plumber early.
- Check the address on WSSC Water's service line inventory map at wsscwater.com/LCR-map.
- For a duplex or apartment, find out which shutoffs and lines belong to the unit and which are shared.
- Ask the seller for the water heater's age and any record of drain or sewer work.
- Clear access to the water heater, main shutoff and cleanout.
Signs and likely causes
| Sign | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Thin flow at the tub, better at the kitchen | Galvanized branch lines closing up inside |
| Rust stains around a basement drain stack | Aging cast iron with weeping joints |
| Recurring main line clogs | Roots or a sag in the sewer lateral |
| Valve under the sink won't turn | Original multi-turn stop seized with age |
| Wet spot in the front yard | Leak on the owner's side of the water service line |
WSSC Water owns the service line from the main to the property line, and the owner has the section from the property line into the house. WSSC says it removed all known lead pipe from its distribution system in the early 2000s, and it notes some customer-side galvanized lines need replacement.
Cost factors
- Single unit or multiple units in a duplex or small building
- Number of baths and water heaters
- Camera run of the sewer lateral
- Gas appliances to check and their venting
Repairs need a WSSC Water permit; Prince George's County DPIE issues none for plumbing, and the county says a water heater replacement needs one. Gas work must be done by a gasfitter holding a WSSC license. Washington Gas serves Temple Hills in general, though BGE serves some county areas: if you smell gas, leave, then call 911 and 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, or the utility on your bill.
Plumbing Inspection questions in Temple Hills
What deserves extra attention in an older house?
Who is responsible for the water line between the street and the house?
Should a sewer camera run be part of the inspection?
Does replacing a water heater need a permit here?
More plumbing services in Temple Hills
Plumbing Inspection nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
- WSSC Water: service lines
- WSSC Water: permit information for homeowners
- Prince George's County DPIE: residential plumbing permits
- WSSC Water annual water quality report
- Temple Hills housing by year built (city-stats.com)
- Temple Hills, Maryland (Wikipedia)
- Washington Gas: natural gas safety
- Washington Gas: service territory
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