If your Reston water heater is leaking, cold or acting strangely, a few quick steps can limit damage, and a plumber can usually trace the cause to a single part or to sediment. A tank leaking from its shell must be replaced. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Reston.
Reston at a glance
Reston is a planned community built largely between the 1970s and 1990s, with a median home year of 1983, so the community is full of townhouses and single-family homes on their second or third water heater, and some of those replacements are now getting old themselves. Many townhouse heaters sit in small utility closets or under stairs, where a slow leak can soak flooring before anyone sees it. Water is supplied by Fairfax Water from the Potomac River and Occoquan Reservoir, with moderately hard water that averaged about 7.5 grains per gallon in tests from its Potomac plant. Gas homes are on Washington Gas.
What to do right now
- If you smell gas, leave the house first. From outside, call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1.
- If water is leaking, close the cold-water valve on the pipe above the heater.
- Cut the energy. Switch off the breaker for an electric unit, or turn a gas control to off or pilot.
- Protect the floor. Move stored items away and put towels or a pan where water is collecting.
- Check the basics. A tripped breaker or a pilot that went out may explain a cold tank.
- Note the label. The model, size and manufacture date help the plumber plan.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| No hot water, electric unit | Failed element, thermostat or tripped high-limit |
| No hot water, gas unit | Thermocouple, flame sensor, igniter or gas valve |
| Hot water runs out quickly | Sediment, a broken dip tube or one dead element |
| Rumbling or popping | Mineral sediment on the tank bottom |
| Dripping relief valve pipe | Worn valve, high pressure or overheating |
| Water pooling under the tank | Loose fitting, drain valve or a failed tank |
| Rusty or metallic-tasting hot water | Spent anode rod or corrosion inside the tank |
Cost factors
- The specific part and whether it is a standard size
- How tight the closet or stair space is
- Sediment that needs flushing before the repair
- Corroded connections or a valve that will not close
- Evening or weekend timing
- Whether the job turns into a replacement, which in Fairfax County needs a permit through Land Development Services
Water Heater Repair questions in Reston
Can a leaking water heater be repaired?
Why does my hot water smell more like chlorine in the spring?
Does my water heater need an expansion tank?
How often should the tank be drained and flushed?
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