A Falls Church plumbing inspection is a plumber's review of the drains, supply piping, fixtures, shutoffs, water heater and gas connections, with a camera run of the sewer lateral available. Older housing and a City program for sewer backflow devices make the drain side especially worth a look. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Falls Church.
Falls Church is a small independent city where Route 29 and Route 7 meet, just inside the Beltway. The median home was built around 1971, and about half are older. Fairfax Water supplies the water, and the City runs the sewers.
What to do now
- Check that the address is inside City limits; the mailing area reaches well into Fairfax and Arlington counties.
- Find the main shutoff, water heater and sewer cleanout.
- Ask the seller about basement backups and any sewer work.
- Look for an irrigation system and its last backflow test report.
- Schedule the plumber early in the contract period.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Basement floor drain backs up | Lateral blockage or a surcharged sewer during storms |
| Recurring slow main drain | Roots, cracked joints or a sag in an older lateral |
| Weak flow at several fixtures | Aging supply piping or a partly closed valve |
| Rumbling water heater | Sediment from moderately hard to hard water |
| Spring chlorine taste | Fairfax Water's seasonal switch to free chlorine |
The City's Department of Public Works operates the sewer system; part of the flow goes to Arlington County's treatment plant and the rest through Fairfax County to the Alexandria plant. Defects in a private lateral are the owner's. The City runs a Backflow Prevention Program that reimburses homeowners for a sewer backflow prevention device installed by a qualified plumber under a plumbing permit, which is worth asking about if the basement has ever taken on sewage.
On the water side, Fairfax Water owns the service line through the meter, and the owner has the rest; its Lead Free Fairfax survey asks owners to report their pipe material. Backflow assemblies on things like lawn irrigation must be tested at installation and every year after.
Cost factors
- Home size and number of bathrooms
- Adding a sewer camera run
- Whether a sewer backflow device is being considered
- Access to piping in finished basements
Inside the City, permits come from the Department of Code Administration at 300 Park Avenue. Washington Gas serves the area: if you smell gas, leave first, then call 911 and 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1.
Plumbing Inspection questions in Falls Church
Can an inspection help me avoid a flooded basement?
My mailing address uses the town's name, but I'm outside its limits. Whose rules apply?
What deserves extra attention in an older home?
Will the plumber check the backflow preventer on the irrigation system?
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