The City of Falls Church lists Washington Gas as its gas utility, so a gas smell means getting outside and then calling 911 and 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1. Leak repairs and new piping after the meter need a permit from the City, or from the county if your address is outside city limits. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Falls Church.
Falls Church is a small independent city just inside the Beltway where Route 29 and Route 7 meet, but its mailing area spreads well into Fairfax and Arlington counties, including places like Seven Corners. Inside the city, Washington Gas is the gas utility on the City's own new-resident checklist. The median home in the city was built in 1971, and many houses have gas piping that has been reworked through decades of renovation.
What to do now
- Smell gas? Leave the building. Don't operate switches, appliances or the garage door on the way out.
- Phone from a safe spot. Call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1.
- Keep out until it's cleared. Responders deal with the meter and check the house.
- Check which jurisdiction you're in. City homes go to Falls Church Code Administration; county addresses go to Fairfax or Arlington County.
- Book the repair. A plumber fixes the house-side piping, tests it and relights the appliances.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Odor in an unfinished basement | Seeping joint on old steel pipe or a worn valve |
| Pipe capped with tape or a loose plug | Leftover branch from a removed appliance |
| Range flame orange and sooty | Dirty burner or air shutter out of adjustment |
| Furnace and water heater sharing an old flue | Venting that needs review when either is replaced |
| New appliance runs weak | Branch too small for the added load |
Cost factors
- The permit: in the city, Code Administration at 300 Park Avenue (703-248-5080) handles it; outside city limits, the county does
- Condition of the older steel pipe around the problem area
- Length of the run and how much plaster or drywall must be opened
- Whether a larger trunk is needed for a range, tankless heater or addition
- Venting work when a gas appliance is replaced or relocated
If you're planning an addition or a kitchen remodel, bring the gas plan into the design early so the line can be sized once rather than patched later. A plumber can also check whether any branches from earlier remodels are worth replacing while the walls are open.
Gas Line Services questions in Falls Church
Does new gas piping need a permit here?
Which part of the gas piping is mine to look after?
Can an unused gas line be capped when an appliance is removed?
Does winter weather affect gas appliances and their venting?
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