Emergency Plumber in Reston, VA

Reston in brief

Reston is a planned community in Fairfax County, grown since 1964 around village centers such as Lake Anne, South Lakes and Hunters Woods. Most of its homes come from the 1970s through the 1990s, with a median build year of 1983. Fairfax Water supplies the water, Fairfax County's Wastewater Management program runs the public sewer, and Washington Gas serves most of the county. Many residents live in townhouses and condos, where one leak can reach a neighbor's ceiling.

What to do right now

1. Close the main shutoff, usually where the supply line enters the house, often in the basement or a utility closet.
2. For a leaking water heater, close the cold supply above it and turn off its gas valve or breaker.
3. If drains are backing up, stop all water use and call Fairfax County's 24-hour sewer line at 703-323-1211 so the county can check its main.
4. If you smell gas, leave the building without touching switches, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1.
5. In an attached home, let the neighbor or the association know about a leak that may have crossed the wall.
6. Take photos of the damage, then call a plumber.

Symptoms and likely causes

What drives the cost

• Hour of the call. Nights, weekends and holidays usually cost more than a weekday visit.
• Who owns the failure. Fairfax Water owns the meter; the line from the meter to the house shutoff is yours, as is the sewer lateral to the county main.
• Permits. Replacing a gas water heater like-for-like in Fairfax County uses a Household Appliance permit, and new gas piping needs a Residential Plumbing permit.
• Damage. A leak that ran for hours may also need drying and drywall work from other trades.

No arrival time is promised; it depends on the hour and the plumber's workload.