Sewer line replacement in Temple Hills puts new pipe in the private line from your house to the WSSC Water sewer main. The community was built mainly from the 1950s through the 1970s, with a median home from 1973, so many lines are original and old enough to fail in more than one spot. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Temple Hills.
Temple Hills in brief
Temple Hills is an unincorporated, mostly residential community of garden apartments, duplexes and single-family streets near the Green Line and Joint Base Andrews. The Temple Hills mailing address also covers areas beyond the census community, including parts of Marlow Heights and Hillcrest Heights. WSSC Water provides water and sewer. Much of the plumbing here is 50 years old or more, and sewer laterals from that era are often clay or cast iron, which crack, scale and let roots in. Neighborhoods along Henson Creek and its tributaries also have plenty of mature trees whose roots go looking for water. Garden apartment buildings and duplexes may share a building sewer, which can turn a single-owner job into one that needs a landlord or association involved.
What to do right now
- Stop sending water down the drains. Hold off on laundry, showers and flushing until the backup is diagnosed.
- Check the street. If sewage is coming out of a manhole or neighbors are affected, call WSSC Water at 301-206-4002.
- Find the cleanout near the foundation or in the basement so the plumber can get a camera in.
- Stay clear of sewage on the floor, and move stored items out of a wet basement.
- If you rent or live in a duplex, let the owner or the neighbor sharing the wall know, since lines are sometimes shared.
Symptoms and what they usually mean
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Clogs that return a few weeks after clearing | Roots regrowing through cracked or loose joints |
| All drains slow at once | Scale buildup or a partial collapse in an old pipe |
| Floor drain fills when a toilet flushes | A blockage in the main line |
| Sewer smell in the yard | A crack leaking into the soil |
| Worse after heavy rain | Groundwater entering a cracked line, or a sag that fills |
Cost factors
- How long and how deep the run is to the main
- Whether lining or bursting can follow the old path, or digging is required
- Walks, steps, driveways and trees over the line
- Shared lines in duplexes or townhouses
- The WSSC permit and inspection; in Prince George's County, plumbing permits come from WSSC Water, and the work must be done by a plumber holding a WSSC license
Sewer Line Replacement questions in Temple Hills
Which part of the sewer connection is the homeowner's to replace?
Can tree roots really ruin a sewer pipe?
What affects the price of a sewer line replacement?
Is it worth adding a cleanout or backwater valve during the replacement?
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