Emergency Plumber in Annandale, VA

Older homes, familiar failures

Annandale grew quickly after World War II, and its median home dates from 1968, one of the older housing stocks in Fairfax County. Around Lake Barcroft, Ravensworth and the streets off Little River Turnpike, many houses still have original shutoff valves, aging drain lines and water heaters tucked into basements. Those parts tend to fail without warning, and often at night.

Fairfax Water supplies the water (customer service 703-698-5800). It owns the meter, while the line from the meter to the house's main shutoff belongs to the homeowner. Fairfax County runs the public sewer and takes backup calls at any hour at 703-323-1211; the private lateral from the house to the county main is the owner's. Washington Gas serves most of the county.

Repair now or replace later?

Signs to act on

• Water running out of a ceiling fixture or down a basement wall
• Sewage odor with gurgling from a floor drain
• A pool forming beside the water heater
• Pressure dropping suddenly while you hear water moving behind a wall

Any gas smell means leaving first. From outside, call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1.

Seasonal timing

Older houses tend to have less insulation around pipes in exterior walls and crawlspaces, so the first deep freeze of winter brings a wave of split lines. Heavy summer storms test basement drains and sump pits. Fairfax Water also switches from chloramines to free chlorine roughly April through June, which can change the taste and smell of tap water for a few weeks; that's normal and not an emergency. In Fairfax County, a like-for-like gas water heater replacement needs a Household Appliance permit. Night and weekend calls usually cost more, and arrival depends on the hour.