Repiping in Fairfax Station, VA

Signs the supply lines are wearing out

• Pinhole leaks in copper that recur in different rooms
• Gray plastic lines with crimp fittings, common from the late 1970s into the 1990s
• Greenish stains or white crust at copper joints
• A gradual loss of pressure throughout the house
• A water bill that climbs without a reason
• Repairs piling up on the same generation of pipe

One failure is a repair. A pattern of failures across pipe of the same age is the point where replacing the system costs less than chasing leaks.

Fairfax Station conditions

Fairfax Station began as a stop on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad in 1851 and today is a mostly residential, car-dependent community in southern Fairfax County, with neighborhoods near Burke Lake Park and along Ox Road. Many houses were built in the late 1970s and 1980s, which puts copper and some polybutylene at the top of the list of what's likely in the walls.

Fairfax Water owns and maintains the meter and its setting. The homeowner owns all the pipe on the property, including the line from the street meter or valve to the main shutoff in the house. Where the house sits well back from the street, that buried line can be long, so decide early whether it belongs in the job. Fairfax Water also asks owners to report their side's material through its Lead Free Fairfax survey. Hardness from its Potomac plant averages about 7.5 grains per gallon.

What affects the cost

• Square footage, floors and bathroom count
• Length of the buried line if it's replaced too
• Finished basements and ceilings
• PEX, copper or a mix
• Outdoor faucets, irrigation tie-ins and outbuildings
• New shutoffs and water heater connections

What happens when you call

Your call goes to an independent local plumber who covers Fairfax Station. Describe the house, the pipe you can see and the leak history. The plumber will check exposed runs, the main shutoff and the meter, then explain repair, partial and full options with a clear scope. Fairfax County Land Development Services issues residential plumbing permits here through its PLUS system, and the plumber usually files the application and schedules the inspection. If you have an irrigation system with a backflow device, mention it so the new plumbing ties in correctly.