Many Burke homes date from the 1960s through the 1980s, so faucets and the valves under the sink are often well into their working life. Moderately hard Fairfax Water adds scale that wears cartridges and seals. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Burke.
Why do faucets in Burke homes start to drip?
Age and minerals. The median Burke home was built around 1979, and Kings Park and the early Burke Centre clusters are older than that. Many of those houses still have original or second-generation faucets, and the shutoff valves under the sink are often original. Fairfax Water's Potomac supply runs about 70 to 185 mg/L of hardness, roughly 7.5 grains per gallon on average, which leaves scale on aerators and on the seals inside cartridges. Once a seal loses its shape, the faucet drips no matter how hard you turn the handle.
Should I repair or replace a faucet from the 1980s?
It depends on the faucet. A sound faucet from a major maker usually still has parts, and a new cartridge or seal kit is less work than a new fixture. If the body is cracked, the chrome is flaking, parts have been discontinued, or you want a different style, replacement makes more sense. Fairfax County says like-for-like replacement of a fixture in the same location is exempt from a permit, so a straight swap is usually simple. Moving a sink or adding a new fixture does need a permit through Land Development Services.
What if water will not stop?
Close the valves under the sink. If they are frozen in place or keep leaking, shut the main valve for the house. In homes built in the 1970s, Fairfax Water says the meter is often inside the house, so the main shutoff may be right next to it. Fairfax Water's line for water emergencies after hours is 703-698-5613, but anything past the meter, including every faucet, is the homeowner's to repair.
A Burke-specific note
Fairfax Water switches from chloramines to free chlorine generally from April through June, and the change in taste is normal. If you are adding a filter faucet, buy a cartridge rated for chloramine since that is what the water carries most of the year. If your home has a lawn irrigation system, the County requires its backflow assembly to be tested every year, which is a separate job from faucet repair but often handled by the same plumbers.
Faucet Repair questions in Burke
Where is the main shutoff if the valves under the sink fail?
Is it better to rebuild my faucet or replace it?
Why does my tap water smell more like chlorine in the spring?
Why does one faucet run slow when the others are fine?
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