A slab leak in Falls Church is a supply or drain pipe leaking in or below a concrete floor, usually a basement slab in one of the city's older homes. Fairfax Water provides water to the City of Falls Church, and the plumbing on the house side is the owner's to repair. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Falls Church.
Falls Church is a small independent city just inside the Beltway, and about half its homes were built before 1971, the median year. Older copper, cast iron drains and decades of renovations are why leaks under basement floors come up here.
What to do now
- Check the meter. With every fixture off, a moving leak indicator means water is escaping.
- Rule out the obvious. Toilets, a utility sink, or a hose bib can cause the same reading.
- Note the pattern. Constant dampness suggests a supply line; dampness after showers or laundry suggests a drain.
- Close the main if water spreads. In older homes, test the valve gently, since old valves can stick.
- Confirm city or county. The Falls Church mailing area reaches well into Fairfax and Arlington counties, and those homes have different permit offices.
- Call to have it located.
Signs and what they suggest
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Meter moving with no water in use | Supply leak past the meter |
| Warm patch on a basement or lower-level floor | Hot water line under the slab |
| Wet floor only after drains are used | Cracked or separated drain under the floor |
| Musty smell with no visible water | Slow leak soaking under flooring |
| Basement backup during heavy use | Lateral or main problem, often a camera inspection first |
Cost factors
- Locating time in a house with mixed pipe from several eras
- Spot repair versus rerouting through the basement ceiling
- Finished flooring and walls over the leak
- Repairing water damage
- Permits from the City of Falls Church Department of Code Administration, 703-248-5080, for addresses inside the city
The City's former water utility was sold to Fairfax Water in 2014, and Fairfax Water now serves the city. Its supply is moderately hard and changes from chloramines to free chlorine for part of each spring, which can alter taste and smell for a while. Fairfax Water's customer line is 703-698-5800. The City operates its own sewer system, and defects in a private lateral belong to the owner. If you replace a drain under the floor, ask about the City's Backflow Prevention Program, which reimburses homeowners for a sewer backflow device installed under a plumbing permit.
Slab Leak Repair questions in Falls Church
Do older homes here have more slab leak risk?
Does slab leak work need a permit here?
Can a drain line under the basement floor leak too?
Can winter cold cause a leak under the slab?
More plumbing services in Falls Church
Slab Leak Repair nearby
Sources
- City of Falls Church: new resident checklist
- City of Falls Church: sewer
- City of Falls Church: Backflow Prevention Program
- City of Falls Church: Code Administration
- Fairfax Water: water quality
- Fairfax Water: Corbalis plant finished water analyses
- Falls Church housing by year built (city-stats.com)
- Falls Church, Virginia (Wikipedia)
Last updated: