Water Damage Restoration in Clinton, MD

Which side of the sewer line is the blockage on?

A Clinton house on WSSC service has two sides to its sewer line, and the difference matters after a backup. WSSC clears a blockage on its own side of the pipe at no charge. The line from the house to that point belongs to the homeowner, and so does the plumber's bill for clearing it, which is paid first. WSSC takes sewer backup claims at its claims office when its own pipe is the cause.

If sewage backs up while water is running in the house, a plumber registered in the WSSC district is the first call. If it backs up when no water is in use, or a plumber finds a blockage in a WSSC-maintained pipe, the call goes to WSSC's 24-hour emergency line. Establish which side of the line the blockage is on before the cleanup starts, because the claim depends on it.

What does a Clinton water loss need from the permit office?

Generally no permit is needed to replace existing plumbing fixtures in Prince George's County. The exceptions are water heaters and testable backflow devices, and WSSC Water, not DPIE, issues those permits. A Clinton homeowner who has a water heater fail after a leak should ask the plumber to pull the WSSC permit rather than assume the replacement is exempt.

Why does storm water reach a Clinton lot that is not near a creek?

The county's account of its recent flooding is that most of it is flash flooding, where short, intense local storms overwhelm drainage and small creeks. That water often arrives outside the mapped floodplain, so a home that sits well away from any stream can still take water through the basement wall, the floor drain or the window well.

In a rental building the water does not stay in the unit where it started. A leak on an upper floor can run down the chase and along the joists into the unit below before anyone knows there is a problem. The technician maps that route first, then opens only the ceilings and walls the water actually reached.