When a pipe bursts in Gainesville, close the main valve and keep away from water near outlets or cords. A plumber can find the failed pipe or fitting, replace it and check the line under pressure. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Gainesville.
Gainesville's setup
Gainesville grew from a rail and farm crossroads at I-66 and U.S. 29 into newer subdivisions, and only about 4 percent of homes in ZIP 20155 were built before 1980. Prince William Water supplies the area, buying most of its water from Fairfax Water, though some western county customers get water treated at the City of Manassas plant. Prince William Water owns the meter, and lines and connections on private property are the owner's responsibility. Its emergency dispatch for main breaks and outages is 703-335-7990; customer service is 703-335-7950.
With homes this young, the usual suspects are failed crimp or push fittings, burst washer or toilet connectors, frozen spigot lines and pipe running through cold garage walls or bonus rooms. Prince William County's Building Development Division handles plumbing permits; its guidance ties a plumbing permit to extending water piping more than 10 feet or changing pipe material.
Repair options
| Problem | Typical repair | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cracked PEX fitting | Replace the fitting and a short length | Plastic pipe often survives where its fitting does not |
| Frozen line to an outside faucet | Replace the spigot and the split pipe | Damage is often inside the wall behind it |
| Burst appliance hose | New braided hose and shutoff valve | Rubber hoses age faster than the plumbing |
| Leak in the yard line | Dig and repair or replace the line | The section past the meter is private |
Look for
- A dark spot on the ceiling below an upstairs bathroom
- Water pooling on the garage floor along one wall
- Pressure suddenly dropping at all fixtures
- A higher water bill with no change in use
Seasonal notes
The first hard freeze of winter catches hoses still attached to outdoor faucets. Disconnect them in the fall and drain irrigation lines. Rooms built over garages deserve attention in a cold snap: keep the garage door shut, open the doors to those rooms and let a faucet on that run drip slightly on the coldest nights. If you smell gas while dealing with a leak, leave the house and call 911 and your gas utility from outside; the gas bill names the company.
Burst Pipe Repair questions in Gainesville
Who pays to fix a leak between the water meter and the house?
Can a pipe burst when it is not freezing?
How do we keep an empty house from flooding during a winter trip?
Does hard water make pipes fail sooner?
More plumbing services in Gainesville
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