Gas Line Services in Sterling, VA

A gas odor in a Sterling home means leaving first, then calling 911 and the gas utility on your bill, or your propane supplier if the house runs on propane. Repairs and new piping beyond the meter or tank need Loudoun County trade permits. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Sterling.

Signs that call for a plumber

A rotten-egg smell. Leave the house, then call 911 and your gas utility from outside.
Hissing at the meter, a shutoff or a flexible connector
Furnace or water heater flames that burn yellow or uneven
Soot or scorch marks near vents and draft hoods
A pilot that keeps going out

Except for the smell, these are signs to book a visit rather than reasons to evacuate.

Gas in Sterling

Sterling grew up next to Dulles International Airport, starting with the Sterling Park development in the early 1960s. Loudoun County says Columbia Gas and Washington Gas each serve parts of the county and that propane fills in where neither reaches, so your bill or your tank supplier decides who you call. Some Sterling homes are all-electric.

Housing is older here than in much of Loudoun. In ZIP 20164, about 43% of homes were built before 1980, with the 1970s and 1980s the busiest decades. Houses from that era usually have black steel gas pipe that has been extended over the years, often with older appliance connectors and valves. Corrosion where pipe runs along a damp slab or passes through an outside wall is something a plumber looks for.

Sterling is unincorporated, and its postal area reaches beyond the community itself, but either way permits come from the Loudoun County Department of Building and Development. Gas, mechanical and plumbing trade permits are filed as sub-records of a parent building permit, online through LandMARC or at 1 Harrison Street SE in Leesburg. Plan review questions go to 703-777-0220.

Call now to be connected with a local plumber in Sterling.

(202) 915-7612

Cost drivers

The distance from the meter or tank and the route through the house
Whether original piping can carry an added appliance
Repairs needed to rusted or patched sections nearby
Loudoun County permit steps and inspection
Finish work after the pipe is run

Calling the number on this page

An independent plumber who works in Sterling will ask what's happening, which utility or propane company serves the house, and which appliance is involved. Let them know the year the house was built, since that helps them judge what piping to expect.

Gas Line Services questions in Sterling

How do I know which gas company serves my address?

Look at the bill. Loudoun County says both Columbia Gas and Washington Gas serve parts of the county, with propane used where neither reaches.

What gas piping problems show up in older homes?

Sterling homes from the 1960s to the 1980s often have extended steel lines, aging connectors, stiff valves and rust where pipe meets damp concrete or exterior walls.

Our home uses propane. Who handles leaks and new piping?

For a leak, leave and call 911 and your propane supplier. The supplier handles the tank and regulator; a plumber works on the piping into the house.

Can an unused gas line be capped when an appliance is removed?

Yes. The plumber disconnects the appliance, caps the branch with a proper fitting and tests for leaks.