Alexandria homes on Virginia American Water get moderately hard water with a wide hardness range, and the city's older housing means plenty of aging faucets and valves. A drip or a leak at the handle is usually a worn cartridge, washer or O-ring that can be replaced. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Alexandria.
Alexandria water and the faucets it wears out
Inside city limits, Virginia American Water delivers water it buys from Fairfax Water, drawn from the Potomac River and the Occoquan Reservoir. Its Alexandria report lists total hardness from 78 to 191 ppm, so some months bring noticeably harder water than others. Those minerals collect in aerators and on the seals of cartridges, which is often the first reason a faucet starts dripping. Homes with an Alexandria mailing address in the unincorporated Fairfax County ZIPs, such as 22306 through 22312 and 22315, are generally on Fairfax Water instead, so check your bill.
The water is disinfected with chloramine, with a temporary switch to free chlorine during spring flushing, roughly April through June. If you notice a stronger chlorine taste then, it is a seasonal change, not a faucet problem. The median home in the city was built around 1974, and Old Town and Del Ray houses can hold much older fixtures and valves.
Repair or replace?
| What you see | Usually a repair | Usually a replacement |
|---|---|---|
| Drip from the spout on a common brand | New cartridge or washer and seat | Only if the body is cracked |
| Water around the handle | Packing, O-rings or stem seal | If the stem threads are stripped |
| Weak flow at one sink | Clean aerator, flush cartridge | Rarely needed |
| Pitted finish, seized nuts, no parts | Seldom worth the labor | New faucet and supply lines |
Signs it is time to call
- A drip that keeps going after the handle is closed
- Puddles at the base of the spout after every use
- A handle that turns past where it used to stop
- A wet cabinet, or a supply hose that bulges or rusts at the nut
Timing and seasonal notes
Outdoor faucets take the worst of an Alexandria winter. A spigot that froze in January may only show a split or a drip once you turn it on in spring, and a cracked pipe behind the wall can leak into a basement. Shut the inside valve to the spigot in fall if you have one, and remove hoses. Inside, older two-handle faucets in historic rowhouses often need a stem or seat rather than a new fixture, and a plumber can tell you which is worth doing. If you plan to move a sink or add new piping, the City's Department of Code Administration handles permits inside city limits, while Fairfax County handles the unincorporated Alexandria-addressed areas.
Faucet Repair questions in Alexandria
How hard is the water here, and does it matter for faucets?
Could an old faucet add lead to my drinking water?
How do I find out which water utility serves my address?
Is it better to rebuild my faucet or replace it?
More plumbing services in Alexandria
Faucet Repair nearby
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