Potomac, MD · Montgomery County
Burst Pipe or Backup? Call an Emergency Plumber in Potomac, MD
Water on the floor, a drain backing up, or no hot water at all? Call us and say what is happening. It routes you to a plumber serving Potomac and nearby Montgomery County communities. The steps below keep the damage small while you wait.
What to do in the first minutes of a plumbing emergency
Most of the damage in a Potomac house comes from the minutes before anyone arrives. Water keeps running until someone closes a valve, and the valve is yours to find.
- Close the main water shutoff. It is usually on the wall where the water line enters the house, often in a basement, utility room or garage. Turn it fully closed.
- Drain the lines. Open one faucet at the lowest point of the house and one upstairs so the pipes empty.
- Stay out of standing water near outlets, appliances or the electrical panel. If water has reached them, leave the area and call 911 or your electric utility.
- Photograph the damage before you move anything, for your insurer.
- Call us at (301) 872-7756 and have your street address ready.
Smell gas? Leave first
Do not look for the source and do not switch anything on or off. Leave the house, then call 911 or your gas utility's emergency line. For Washington Gas customers that number is 844-927-4427. A plumber is the second call, for the repair, and never the first.
Whose problem is it: WSSC, the gas utility or you?
Potomac is unincorporated, so WSSC Water, not a town government, runs the public water and sewer system. Knowing where its pipes end saves a wasted call and sometimes a repair bill.
| Problem | Who handles it | Your first step |
|---|---|---|
| Leak or break in the water main or the service line up to your property line | WSSC Water | Call WSSC's emergency line, 301-206-4002 |
| Sewer backup inside the house | You, from the property line to the building; WSSC only if the blockage is in its main | Call a plumber first and keep the written report |
| Pipes, fixtures and the water heater inside the home | You | Shut off the water, then call |
| Natural gas smell | The gas utility and 911 | Leave the house, then call |
| Private well or septic system | Outside what this site's plumbers handle | Call a well or septic contractor |
The sewer rule surprises many owners. WSSC maintains only the connection to its main, so a backup caused by roots in your own line is a private repair, covered in detail under sewer line repair. A water bill that climbs with nothing running is a different question, and finding a hidden leak starts with a meter check you can do yourself.
Plumbing help for every kind of problem
Each page below starts with the symptom, explains what you can safely check, and tells you what to ask a plumber to assess and document.
Something is leaking or flooding
Burst Pipe Repair
Water spraying from a split or frozen pipe: shutoff first, repair second.
Leak Detection
A high water bill or a running meter with every fixture off.
Slab Leak Repair
A warm floor spot or the sound of running water under the house.
Water Damage Restoration
Wet floors and walls after a leak: extraction and drying.
Drains and sewer lines
Drain Cleaning
A sink, tub or floor drain that is slow, gurgling or standing full.
Hydro Jetting
A line that clogs again within weeks of being snaked.
Sewer Line Repair
Backups at the lowest drain, or roots found on a camera.
Trenchless Sewer Repair
A damaged sewer line under a finished yard or driveway.
Hot water and gas
Water Heater Repair
No hot water, lukewarm water or a leak at the tank.
Water Heater Installation
A tank past repair, and a permit question to settle first.
Tankless Water Heaters
Error codes, bursts of cold water and scale from hard water.
Gas Line Repair
Appliance hookups and gas piping work that needs a permit.
Fixtures and pipe replacement
Faucet and Sink Repair
A drip, a weak stream or a leak under the sink.
Toilet Repair
A toilet that runs, clogs or rocks on its base.
Garbage Disposal Repair
A disposal that hums, jams or leaks underneath.
Repiping
Pinhole leaks, discolored water or old galvanized lines.
Water is still running? Call now
Describe the problem and we send a plumber serving your area.
How to choose a plumber for work inside your Potomac home
In Montgomery County, WSSC requires most plumbing projects to be done by a WSSC-licensed plumber or gasfitter. That includes interior repiping, repairs to water and sewer service lines, and all gas work, such as replacing a gas water heater or a gas appliance.
Maryland adds its own rule: only insured master plumbers may contract for plumbing or gas work, and the license number must appear on the plumber's vehicles. Unlicensed work can bring fines under state law, so a missing license number is a reason to keep looking.
Ask these before you agree to anything
- What is your license number, and is it registered with WSSC? Check it yourself with the WSSC plumber lookup or by phone at 301-206-8588.
- Who pulls the WSSC permit and who schedules the inspection? For gas work, WSSC inspects within 10 business days.
- Will anything be dug up? Miss Utility (811) must mark public lines first, and it does not mark private lines such as sprinklers.
- Is the price written, and is it quoted after diagnosis rather than guessed in advance?
These questions apply to replacing a gas water heater, gas piping work and whole-house repiping alike. The cost guide shows what moves a price, and the full list of plumbing questions covers permits and licensing in more detail.
What Potomac's water and winters do to your pipes
Hard water and tank water heaters
WSSC filters Potomac River water for most of Montgomery County. It tends to be hard, averaging about 120 to 130 mg/L of dissolved calcium and magnesium, which is roughly 7 grains per gallon by conversion. That scale settles on heating elements and tank floors.
The practical result is a tank that gets noisy, slow to heat or short-lived if it is never flushed. If yours is losing hot water, see tank water heater problems before deciding between repair and replacement.
Cold snaps and exposed pipes
Montgomery County builds to a 30-inch frost line and a 13 degree Fahrenheit winter design temperature. Buried lines sit below the frost, but supply pipes in unheated garages, crawl spaces and exterior walls do not. Know where your shutoff is before the first hard freeze, and read about burst pipe repair if a line has already split.
Plumbing help in Potomac Village, Avenel and Fallsmead
Calls from Potomac Village, from the Avenel and River Falls neighborhoods and from Fallsmead are all handled the same way. Large lots mean the line between the street and the house can run a long way, so ask any plumber for the footage involved before they quote.
ZIP codes covered for calls to this number
- 20854
- 20859
Not sure your address is in range? Call (301) 872-7756 with your ZIP code and we will confirm it.
Some Potomac properties, including sewer-restricted areas such as Glen Hills, rely on private wells and septic systems. Septic and well work is outside what this site covers, so call a septic or well contractor for those systems.
Potomac neighborhoods
The full list of areas we cover shows every community and ZIP code in one place.
Plumbing questions Potomac homeowners ask first
What should I do first when a pipe bursts in my Potomac home?
Close the main shutoff, usually on the wall where the water line enters the house. Then open a faucet at the lowest point to drain the lines, keep away from standing water near outlets, photograph the damage and call.
Who is responsible for a sewer backup, me or WSSC?
WSSC states that the sewer service from the property line to the building is the property owner's responsibility. Call a plumber first. If the blockage turns out to be in WSSC's main, WSSC clears it, and its emergency line is 301-206-4002.
How do I check that a plumber can work on my home?
Ask for the plumber's license number before work begins. WSSC requires most plumbing and gas work in Montgomery County to be done by a WSSC-licensed plumber or gasfitter, and you can verify a license with WSSC at 301-206-8588.
Do I need a permit to replace a gas water heater in Potomac?
Yes. WSSC issues the permit and inspects gas work in Montgomery County, and a WSSC-licensed gasfitter must do the replacement. Ask who pulls the permit and schedules the inspection. For an electric unit, confirm the rule with WSSC Permit Services.
What happens when I call?
We answer and ask what is happening and where, and a plumber serving your area handles the job. Have your street address ready and say whether you have already shut off the water.
Need a plumber in Potomac, MD?
Call, describe what you see, and it will route you to a plumber serving your area. Prices are quoted after diagnosis, never guessed in advance.