Gaithersburg's homes are younger than the inner suburbs, with a median build year around 1989, but a supply line buried under a basement or slab floor can still wear through and leak. WSSC Water supplies the city, and the piping inside your home is yours to repair. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Gaithersburg.
Gaithersburg homes and water
Gaithersburg grew from a farm town into a large I-270 suburb, with Old Town near the MARC station, planned neighborhoods like Kentlands and subdivisions around DuFief. WSSC Water runs the mains, supplying water drawn from the Potomac River and the Patuxent reservoirs. Because so much of the housing went up in the 1980s and later, a leak under the floor here is more often a failed fitting, a pipe chafing on stone, or a line pierced by an anchor or nail during a remodel than a pipe that simply corroded away.
Permits come in two layers. WSSC Water is the permit and inspection agency for plumbing and gasfitting, and the City's Planning and Code Administration issues building permits. WSSC's homeowner permit path does not cover below-grade piping deeper than 4 feet or connections to a WSSC service connection, so work at that depth belongs with a plumber registered with WSSC Water.
Repair options compared
| Option | When it fits | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Spot repair through the slab | One leak, sound pipe on either side, an easy floor finish | Concrete is cut and patched; the rest of the buried line stays in use |
| Reroute above the floor | Repeat leaks, aging pipe, or a finished floor you'd rather not disturb | New pipe through walls, joists or the basement ceiling; drywall patching |
| Repipe the house | Leaks in several branches or corrosion throughout | Largest project, but it replaces the whole supply system at once |
Signs to watch for
- A water bill that jumps without any change in household use
- The meter's leak indicator turning with everything off
- A warm strip of floor running between the water heater and a bathroom
- Wet carpet tack strip or swollen baseboards on a ground-level floor
- The sound of running water when nobody is using any
Timing and seasons
A slow leak under concrete rarely stops on its own, and the longer it runs the more soil it can wash out and the more moisture it pushes into finished rooms. Winter adds a twist: a line that runs near an outside wall or under a garage slab can freeze and split on a cold night, and the leak may only show up after the thaw. If water is visible, close the main shutoff and call promptly. If the only clue is a creeping meter, book a leak location visit soon rather than waiting for the next bill.
Slab Leak Repair questions in Gaithersburg
Does fixing a leak under the floor need a permit here?
Can a fairly new house have a leak under the slab?
Is it better to reroute the pipe or break into the concrete?
Can a hard freeze cause a leak under the floor?
More plumbing services in Gaithersburg
Slab Leak Repair nearby
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