Burst Pipe Repair in Vienna, VA

Why do older Vienna homes burst pipes in winter?

The median home in the Town of Vienna was built in 1971. Many of these houses have original copper supply lines and valves, sometimes extended during later additions. Lines running through exterior walls, crawlspaces and garages lose heat fast on a hard winter night, and when the water inside freezes, it splits the pipe or forces a joint apart. The leak often appears only when the ice melts.

Where a house has had an addition, the joint where a new branch meets an original line is a frequent failure point. Outdoor faucets on older houses often feed straight from a pipe in the rim joist, one of the coldest spots in the structure, so that short stretch deserves insulation and a shutoff inside.

Does the Town or a plumber fix it?

The Town of Vienna runs its own water distribution system, buying treated water wholesale from Fairfax Water, and about a third of its connections are outside town limits. Other homes with Vienna mailing addresses are on Fairfax Water directly, so check your bill. A break in the street or at the meter should go to Town Water and Sewer at 703-255-6385, or to Vienna Police non-emergency at 703-255-6366 after hours. Pipes inside the house are a job for a plumber you hire. The Town's inventory found no lead or galvanized service lines; nearly all are copper, with some polyethylene on the homeowner's side.

What about permits?

Fairfax County Land Development Services issues plumbing permits in Vienna through PLUS, and projects inside town limits also need separate approval from the Town, uploaded to the county record. A small splice often needs none, but rerouting a run or replacing long sections may. LDS takes questions at 703-222-0801.

A Vienna note

Town water is moderately hard to hard, historically 5 to 10 grains per gallon, which mainly wears on valves, connectors and water heaters. If you smell gas while dealing with a leak, leave the house and call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, from outside. Before winter, disconnect hoses and close the inside valve to any outdoor faucet.