The Town of Clifton has no public water system, so most homes run on private wells and a hidden leak shows up as a well pump that cycles with nothing running, not as a higher water bill. A plumber can test the pressure tank and buried lines to find it. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Clifton.
Signs of a leak on a well system
- The pump kicks on when no one has used water
- The pressure tank gauge drops steadily with every fixture closed
- A higher electric bill from a pump that runs more than it should
- A soggy patch along the route from the well to the house
- Stains in a basement or crawlspace, or water around the pressure tank
What's different in Clifton
Clifton is a tiny historic village and National Historic District in southwestern Fairfax County, with wooded lots and a median home built in 1940. The Town has no water system, and its rules require new houses on vacant lots to have room for a water well and an onsite wastewater field. Public sewer is available only to existing buildings that meet Fairfax County guidelines, so many homes are not on municipal sewer.
That shapes how leaks are found. There's no utility meter to watch on a well, so the plumber uses the pressure tank and pump instead. With everything off, pressure should hold. If it falls, the next step is to close the valve where the line enters the house: if pressure still drops, the leak is in the buried line from the well; if it holds, the leak is indoors. Homes as old as many in Clifton can have original or patched supply piping, older valves and long-ago repairs, all common leak points. The wider 20124 ZIP around the town is larger and less uniform, and some homes there may be on public water, so check whether you get a water bill.
What affects the cost
- Length and depth of the line from the well to the house
- Age and accessibility of the indoor plumbing in a historic house
- Whether the pump or pressure switch needs attention after short cycling
- Any digging or wall opening needed to reach the leak
When you call
You'll be connected with an independent plumber who works around Clifton. Say whether you're on a well, how often the pump has been running and where you've seen water. If the repair needs a permit, it comes from Fairfax County Land Development Services, but the Town's Mayor or a designee must sign the application first; for interior-only work, the Town clerk can provide a letter to the County.
Leak Detection questions in Clifton
How is a leak found when the house runs on a private well?
Are older homes here more likely to have hidden leaks?
Do I need a permit to repair the leak once it is found?
What if I smell gas instead of finding water?
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