Services · Potomac, MD · Montgomery County
Plumbing Services in Potomac, MD: Sixteen Jobs, Sorted by What You See
Every job here has its own page with the local rules, the questions to ask and what a plumber looks at first. Pick the symptom, then call.
Sixteen plumbing services grouped by the problem you notice
The sixteen services below are grouped by the problem you notice, since most calls start with a symptom and not a service name.
Something is leaking or flooding
Burst Pipe Repair
Covers closing the main, what freezing does to a pipe and how the repair goes.
Leak Detection
Explains meter tests and how a plumber locates water you cannot see.
Slab Leak Repair
Helps you tell whether a slab leak is even possible in your foundation.
Water Damage Restoration
Describes extraction and drying, and where reconstruction begins.
Drains and sewer lines
Drain Cleaning
Sorts a single slow fixture from a whole-house drain problem.
Hydro Jetting
Shows when a cable falls short and a high-pressure line is the answer.
Sewer Line Repair
Sets out who owns each stretch of the sewer line and what a camera finds.
Trenchless Sewer Repair
Compares lining a pipe with digging it up, and the rules for either.
Hot water and gas
Water Heater Repair
Helps decide whether a failing tank is worth repairing.
Water Heater Installation
Walks through sizing, fuel, the WSSC permit and the inspection.
Tankless Water Heaters
Deals with scale, flushing and error codes on wall-hung units.
Gas Line Repair
Starts with the gas smell rule, then permits and who may do the work.
Fixtures and pipe replacement
Faucet and Sink Repair
Weighs a cartridge or washer repair against a new faucet.
Toilet Repair
Covers running, weak flushes, clogs and when to replace the bowl.
Garbage Disposal Repair
Explains jams and hums, and when a leak means replacement.
Repiping
Looks at pinhole leaks, old pipe and how much of the house is involved.
Not sure which service fits?
A plumber settles the diagnosis on site. The table gives a starting point for the page to read while you wait.
| What you see | Start with |
|---|---|
| Water spraying, a ceiling stain or a wet floor | Burst pipe repair, then water damage restoration |
| A water bill that jumped with nothing running | Leak detection |
| A drain that is slow, gurgling or backing up | Drain cleaning, then hydro jetting if it returns |
| Sewage in a tub or floor drain | Sewer line repair |
| No hot water, or a tank leaking at the base | Water heater repair |
| A gas smell | Leave and call 911 or Washington Gas, then gas line repair afterward |
| Pinhole leaks in more than one place | Repiping |
Rules that apply to Montgomery County plumbing jobs
WSSC requires most plumbing and gas work in Montgomery County to be done by a WSSC-licensed plumber or gasfitter. Gas appliance replacements and underground sewer repairs add a WSSC permit and inspection.
Ask for the license number and who pulls the permit before work starts. The answers about permits and licensing explain the steps, and the planning price ranges show how those steps affect a quote.
Septic, wells, sump pumps and backflow: other trades
Septic tanks, private wells, sump pumps and backflow devices belong to other trades, and so does rebuilding after water damage. A plumber can still handle the plumbing inside a septic or well house.
Homes outside the sewer area are described on the area pages with local rules, along with the sewer and permit rules for each town.
Know the problem, or just see water?
Shut off the nearest valve and call. Describe what you see and give your address.