Local plumbing for Washington homes

Problems people call about

Here is what Washington callers mention most:

• Running toilet
• Low water pressure
• Water stains on a ceiling or wall

Know your Washington house

Neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River, such as Congress Heights, have more garden apartments and detached houses. Summers are hot and humid, and storms like the 2012 derecho have knocked out power for days.

Row houses cover much of the city, from Victorian rows on Capitol Hill to porch-front rows in Petworth built in the 1910s and 1920s. Older buildings often carry a patchwork of cast iron, galvanized steel, copper and plastic pipe, joined wherever the last repair happened. Those joints are where slow leaks and stubborn clogs tend to begin.

Winters here bring enough freezing nights to crack an exposed pipe, and summer storms can overwhelm older combined sewers, so backwater valves and sump pumps earn their keep. The Height of Buildings Act of 1910 limits how tall buildings can be, which is one reason the skyline stays low.

Utilities, permits and licensing

DC licenses plumbers and gasfitters through its Board of Industrial Trades, part of the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Work that changes piping, like moving a fixture or replacing a water line, usually needs a permit from the DC Department of Buildings, and the plumber normally pulls it. Billing and water quality questions go to DC Water.

How we connect you

1. Give us a short description and a good callback number.
2. A local plumber who works in Washington gets your request.
3. You and the pro agree on the details before any work starts.

Before the visit

Write down when the problem started and anything that changed, like new fixtures or recent work on the building.