A slab leak in Fort Washington is a water line leaking beneath a concrete floor, usually a basement slab, a garage or a slab-built lower level. WSSC Water supplies the water here, and the pipe inside your home and under its floor is yours to repair. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Fort Washington.
Fort Washington was mostly rural until around 1960 and filled in with suburban homes afterward, so the median house dates to about 1980. Neighborhoods such as Tantallon and Fort Washington Forest have a lot of homes with basements and lower levels, where the water service may run under the floor before rising to the shutoff and water heater. Copper laid in those decades can wear through where it presses against gravel or the edge of a footing, and the first clue is often a water bill that no longer makes sense.
What to do now
- Shut everything off and read the meter. With no water in use, the leak indicator should stay still. Watch it for a few minutes.
- Rule out fixtures. Check toilets, the water heater relief valve, the washer hoses and any outdoor faucets.
- Close the house valve. If the meter keeps moving with the main shutoff inside the house closed, the leak is on the yard line rather than under the floor.
- Feel the floor. A warm patch on tile or concrete points to the hot side.
- Report outside leaks to WSSC. Water bubbling near the street or the meter goes to WSSC Water's emergency line, 301-206-4002.
- Limit damage. Lift rugs and stored items off wet areas and run a fan or dehumidifier.
Signs and likely causes
| Sign | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Warm floor near the water heater or a bath | Hot supply line leaking under the slab |
| Meter moving, house valve closed | Leak in the service line between meter and house |
| Meter moving, no visible water anywhere | Leak draining into soil beneath the floor |
| Low pressure upstairs only when other taps run | Partially restricted or leaking supply branch |
| Damp lower-level wall after showers | Drain line issue rather than a supply leak |
What affects the price
- Time needed to isolate and pinpoint the leak
- Spot repair through the concrete versus a reroute through walls and ceilings
- Restoring tile, carpet or a finished basement
- Drying and mold prevention if water has spread
- A WSSC Water permit when the scope calls for one; Prince George's County's DPIE does not issue plumbing permits
WSSC also adds an orthophosphate corrosion inhibitor that coats pipe interiors, including household plumbing, which helps but does not stop wear from abrasion or old joints.
Slab Leak Repair questions in Fort Washington
Who is responsible for the water pipe under my floor or yard?
Is it better to reroute the line or open the concrete?
Can cold weather cause a leak under a slab?
Should I call the water utility or a plumber first?
More plumbing services in Fort Washington
Slab Leak Repair nearby
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