When a water or drain line leaks inside or below the concrete floor of a Reston home, it is a slab leak, and it is usually found on the lowest level of a townhouse or in a basement. Fairfax Water owns the meter, but every pipe past it is the homeowner's. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Reston.
Reston is a planned community founded in 1964, and most of its housing went up from the 1970s through the 1990s; the median home was built around 1983. Many cluster homes and townhouses have a slab or a partly below-grade lower level with plumbing running through it, which is where hidden leaks tend to surface.
What to do right now
- Confirm the leak. Shut off all fixtures and appliances and watch the meter. Houses from roughly 1971 to 1980 often have the meter indoors, which makes this test easy.
- Check the simple causes. A running toilet or a dripping outdoor spigot can move the meter too.
- Feel the floor. A warm patch suggests a hot line; a cool damp patch may be cold water or a drain.
- Limit damage. If water is spreading, close the main shutoff and move rugs and stored items off the floor.
- Know who owns what. Fairfax Water maintains the meter; the service line from the meter or street valve to the house shutoff is yours.
- Book a locate. A plumber pinpoints the leak before any concrete is opened.
Symptoms and what they usually mean
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Meter indicator turning with everything off | Leak somewhere on the house side of the meter |
| Warm floor near the kitchen or a bath | Hot water line leaking in or under the slab |
| Damp carpet on the lower level in dry weather | Supply line leak rather than rain seepage |
| Musty smell and stained baseboards | A slow leak that has been running for a while |
| Wet spot near the floor drain only when fixtures drain | Cracked drain pipe under the floor |
Cost factors
- The detection work needed to mark the exact spot
- Whether the fix is a direct repair through the floor or a reroute through walls and ceilings
- Floor coverings that must be removed and replaced
- Drywall, trim and drying after a leak that has run for weeks
- Fairfax County Land Development Services permits, applied for through PLUS, when the work calls for them
Reston's water from Fairfax Water is moderately hard and is disinfected with chloramines for most of the year. That chemistry shows up in water heaters and faucets far more than in pipes buried under concrete, so a plumber looks first at the age, material and condition of the line that failed.
Slab Leak Repair questions in Reston
How can I use the water meter to check for a hidden leak?
Can a drain line under the basement floor leak too?
What happens to a finished basement floor during the repair?
Will homeowners insurance pay for a slab leak?
More plumbing services in Reston
Slab Leak Repair nearby
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