Fairfax homes with gas are on Washington Gas, so a gas smell means leaving first and then calling 911 and 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, from outside. Leak repairs and new lines past the meter need a permit from the City of Fairfax or from Fairfax County, depending on your address. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Fairfax.
The City of Fairfax is an independent city, legally separate from Fairfax County even though it is the county seat. Most of ZIPs 22030 through 22033 lies outside city limits in unincorporated Fairfax County, so a Fairfax address doesn't tell you which government permits the work. Washington Gas serves most residents of both. The median home in the area dates to 1967, so plenty of gas piping here is well past its first half-century.
What to do now
- If the house smells of gas, leave. Don't touch switches or start a car in an attached garage.
- Call from a safe distance. Dial 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1.
- Let the responders clear the house. Don't reopen valves or relight pilots yourself.
- Find out whether you're in the City. That decides whether City Code Administration or Fairfax County issues the permit.
- Book the repair or new line. A plumber fixes your piping, tests it and relights the appliances.
Symptom and probable cause
| Symptom | Probable cause |
|---|---|
| Odor near an old basement furnace | Seeping union, valve or connector |
| Rust flakes on exposed gas pipe | Decades of basement dampness |
| Valve handle frozen in place | Old plug valve that needs replacing |
| Appliances weak when used together | Branch too small for added loads |
| Soot on the water heater flue | Poor draft or combustion problem |
Cost factors
- Inside city limits, plumbing permit applications go to the City's Code Administration, 10455 Armstrong Street, Room 208, 703.385.7830
- In the county, a like-for-like gas water heater swap takes a Household Appliance permit, with a chimney vent certification for fuel-burning appliances, and new gas pipe takes a Residential Plumbing permit
- Run length, route and how much plaster or drywall must be opened
- The condition of older steel pipe near the repair
- Whether the trunk must be enlarged for new appliances
Older Fairfax houses often show several generations of gas work in one basement. A plumber may recommend replacing a short run of corroded pipe or an old valve alongside the repair you called about. Ask what's urgent and what can wait. If the house still has an old oil tank or a chimney shared by a gas furnace and water heater, mention it, since replacing one appliance can change how the other vents.
Gas Line Services questions in Fairfax
Does new gas piping need a permit here?
Does swapping a gas water heater or furnace need a permit?
What gas piping problems show up in older homes?
Which part of the gas piping is mine to look after?
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