Plumbing Repair: questions, answered with sources
Each answer cites the public sources it was checked against, with the date it checked them. Jobs that need a licensed pro in Virginia say so, and explain the job instead of teaching it.
Burst Pipe
5 answers
What do I do when a pipe bursts in my house?
Close the main water shut-off valve right away, unless reaching it means wading through standing water or going near wet outlets or a wet panel. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says water near outlets or panels is the time to call the fire department. Otherwise open a low faucet, call a plumber, photograph the damage and get everything dry within 24 to 48 hours.
How much does it cost to fix a burst pipe in Virginia?
There is no official price, so the real number comes from a written quote. The pipe repair itself is often the smaller part. The bill grows with where the break is, whether walls, ceilings or floors must be opened and rebuilt, how much drying is needed, and whether it is an after-hours call. Shutting the water off fast is the cheapest thing you can do.
Should I call a plumber or a water damage company first after a burst pipe?
Shut off the main water valve yourself first, unless reaching it means wading through standing water or going near wet outlets or a wet panel. Then call a plumber to repair the leak, and the same day a water damage company if more than a small area got wet. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says water near outlets or panels is the time to call the fire department.
Why do pipes burst in winter?
Water expands as it freezes. Once ice plugs a pipe, more freezing pushes water toward the closed faucet and the pressure in that trapped stretch climbs until the pipe splits, usually where there is little or no ice. Pipes in crawl spaces, attics, garages and outside walls, especially where cold air leaks in, are the ones that freeze. The leak often shows only when the ice thaws.
How do I protect pipes in an unheated crawl space?
Stop the cold air first: seal gaps and holes in the foundation and around pipe openings. Then fit snug foam or fiberglass sleeves on every exposed pipe with no gaps, add a thermostat-controlled, UL-listed heat cable only where a pipe still freezes, and in a hard freeze let a faucet fed by those pipes drip. Keep the house heated to at least 55 degrees.
Clogged Drain
5 answers
How do I unclog a kitchen sink without chemicals?
Use a plunger, then the trap. Seal the second bowl or the overflow, run a few inches of water and plunge 20 to 30 times. If the sink still holds water, put a bucket under the U-shaped trap, open it and clear it out; most kitchen clogs sit there. A hand snake reaches the pipe beyond. Chemical openers are caustic and rarely needed.
How much does a plumber charge to unclog a drain in Virginia?
There is no single Virginia rate. The bill depends on where the clog is, how the plumber gets to it, what equipment it takes, and when you call. A sink trap cleared on a weekday is the low end; a main line opened through a cleanout, with a camera inspection, after hours, is the high end. Ask for a written quote that breaks those parts out.
When does a clogged drain need a plumber instead of a plunger?
A plunger is the right tool for one slow sink, tub or toilet. Call a licensed plumber when more than one drain is slow, when water comes up in one fixture as another drains, when sewage appears at a floor drain or the lowest fixture, when the plunger, trap and a hand snake have all failed, or when the same drain keeps clogging.
Why are several drains in my house clogged at once?
When several drains clog together, the blockage is almost never in each fixture. It is usually in a line they share: the main drain or the sewer lateral to the street, clogged by grease, wipes or roots. It can also be the public sewer main, a full septic tank, or rain overloading the sewer. Stop running water, check with neighbors, then call your utility or a licensed plumber.
How do I keep my kitchen sink from clogging?
Keep grease and food out of the drain. Pour cooled fat into a can for the trash, wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing, scrape plates into the garbage and keep a strainer in the drain. If you have a disposal, run cold water while it grinds, feed it slowly, and skip fibrous scraps and large amounts of eggshell.
Frozen Pipe
5 answers
How do I thaw a frozen pipe safely?
Close the main water shut-off valve, open the faucet the frozen pipe feeds, and warm the pipe slowly with towels soaked in warm water or gentle room heat, never a flame. When the pipe feels warm along its length, turn the main back on slowly: water that runs freely means it has thawed. Then check every joint for leaks.
How much does it cost to fix a frozen pipe in Virginia?
There is no official price list, so the real number comes from a written quote. A pipe that is frozen but not split may cost nothing if you can thaw it yourself. The bill grows when the pipe has cracked, when it sits inside a wall or ceiling, when water damage needs drying and patching, and when the call is an after-hours emergency.
When should I call a plumber for frozen pipes?
Call a plumber when a frozen pipe has split or is leaking, when you cannot find or reach the frozen section, or when gentle heat will not thaw it. If no faucet works, call your water utility first to find out whether the freeze is on its side of the meter. A single exposed pipe that is intact can usually be thawed yourself, slowly and with no flame.
How do I know if my pipes are frozen?
A faucet that gives only a trickle, or nothing, on a freezing day when the water was fine before is a strong sign. Check which faucets are affected: one fixture points to the pipe feeding it, often on an outside wall or in a crawl space, while the whole house points to the main line or the meter. Frost on a pipe or a bulge is a further clue.
How do I keep pipes from freezing in winter?
Keep the house warm, never below 55 degrees even when you are away, and hold the thermostat steady overnight in a hard freeze. Before winter, shut off and drain outdoor faucets and insulate pipes in crawl spaces, garages and outside walls. On the coldest nights, open sink cabinets and let a cold faucet drip. Know where your main shut-off valve is.
Leaky Faucet
5 answers
How do I fix a dripping faucet?
Most drips come from one worn part inside the faucet: the cartridge in most modern faucets, or the rubber seat washer in an older two-handle compression faucet. Close the shutoff valves under the sink, take off the handle, swap the worn cartridge or washer for an exact match, grease the seals with silicone grease, and test before you refit the trim.
How much does a plumber charge to fix a leaky faucet in Virginia?
Virginia has no set price for a faucet repair, so the number that matters is a written quote for your faucet. The price moves with the faucet's brand and type, the part it needs and whether it is under warranty, how hard the old cartridge or stem is to get out, and whether the shutoff valves under the sink need replacing too. A repair inside the faucet needs no permit.
Should I repair or replace a leaky faucet?
Repair it in most cases. A drip usually comes from one worn cartridge, washer or O-ring, and fixing that is less work and less money than a new faucet. Replace the faucet when its body is cracked or corroded, parts are no longer made, it leaks from several places at once, or you want a more water-efficient model. A like-for-like swap needs no permit in Virginia.
Why does my faucet still drip after I replaced the washer?
Usually because the washer was not the only worn part. In a compression faucet the brass seat the washer closes against gets cut and grooved over time, and a new washer cannot seal on a damaged seat. The other common causes are a washer of the wrong size or shape, a drip coming from the other handle, or a faucet that actually needs a new cartridge.
How do I keep faucets from leaking?
Close handles with moderate force, keep aerators clean, use only silicone grease on faucet seals, clean finishes with mild soap rather than harsh descalers, and check each faucet and the cabinet below it a few times a year. Replace a worn washer or cartridge at the first drip. On hard water, regular cleaning or softening slows the mineral wear that ruins seals.
Low Water Pressure
5 answers
How do I increase water pressure in my house?
First find out whether the pressure is really low: a gauge on an outdoor hose bib should read about 50 to 60 psi. If one fixture is weak, clean its aerator or showerhead and check its shutoff valve. If the whole house is weak, open the main valve fully, bypass any whole-house filter, and ask your water utility to test street pressure before a plumber looks at the pressure-reducing valve.
How much does it cost to fix low water pressure in Virginia?
It depends on the cause. A clogged aerator, a half-closed valve or a spent filter cartridge costs little or nothing to fix. A failing pressure-reducing valve, scaled or leaking pipe, a booster pump or a well problem is paid work, priced by the part, the amount of pipe, access and whether a permit is needed. Get a written, itemized quote from a licensed Virginia plumber.
When should I call a plumber about low water pressure?
Call a plumber when the whole house stays weak after you have opened the main valve, cleaned the aerators and bypassed any filter, and your water utility says street pressure is normal. A failing pressure-reducing valve, scaled or leaking pipe, or a needed booster pump is licensed plumbing work. Call the utility first if neighbours are affected, and a certified well provider if you are on a well.
Why is my water pressure suddenly low?
A sudden drop usually has one cause you can find: utility work such as hydrant flushing or a main break, a valve left partly closed, debris in aerators after the water was shut off, a clogged filter, a failing pressure-reducing valve, or a leak. Check whether neighbours are affected, whether it is one fixture or the whole house, and whether the water meter moves with every tap off.
How do I keep my water pressure steady?
Steady pressure comes from a healthy pressure-reducing valve and clear water paths. Check the pressure with a hose-bib gauge a few times a year and keep it near 50 to 60 psi and never above 80. Clean aerators and showerheads, change whole-house filter cartridges on schedule, deal with hard or iron-rich water, and have a plumber service the valve when readings drift.
Running Toilet
5 answers
How do I fix a running toilet?
A running toilet nearly always comes down to two parts in the tank. If water spills into the overflow tube, the fill valve is set too high or not shutting off. If the level slowly drops and the valve keeps refilling, the flapper is leaking. Lower or clean the fill valve, or fit a flapper of the right size with one or two links of chain slack.
How much does it cost to fix a running toilet in Virginia?
Often very little: most running toilets need only a new flapper or fill valve, inexpensive parts many owners fit themselves. A plumber's bill depends on the service call, which part fails, whether the tank has to come off the bowl, and whether the shut-off valve needs replacing. Leaving it running costs more, because the water goes through your meter.
When should I call a plumber for a running toilet?
Call a plumber when a new flapper and a fill valve adjustment have not stopped the running, when water shows up outside the toilet, when the shut-off valve will not close, or when the fix means taking the tank off the bowl. In Virginia, hire a licensed plumber, check the licence with DPOR, and get the price in writing.
Why does my toilet run on its own every few minutes?
A toilet that refills by itself is losing water from the tank, and the fill valve is topping it back up. The usual cause is a worn or warped flapper leaking into the bowl. A chain that is too tight, a dirty or cracked flush valve seat, a refill tube pushed into the overflow pipe, or a leak outside the tank can do the same.
How often should toilet parts be replaced?
There is no fixed schedule, but as a guide, EPA says to replace the flapper at least every five years, Korky puts fill valves at 5 to 7 years, and Fluidmaster suggests a new supply line once the old one is over 5 years old. Hard or sandy water and in-tank cleaning tablets shorten that. A yearly dye test tells you when.
Septic Repair
4 answers
What does repairing a septic drain field involve?
In Virginia a drain field repair is a permitted job, not a weekend project. A licensed onsite soil evaluator or engineer finds the cause and designs the fix, the local health department issues a repair permit, a licensed installer builds it, and the designer inspects it. The fix can be a new section of trench, a move to a reserve area, or an alternative system.
How much does septic drain field repair cost in Virginia?
No Virginia agency publishes a going rate, so the real number is a written quote after a licensed evaluator has looked at the site. The state charges no application fee for a permit to repair a failing system. What moves the bill is the private design work, how much of the field must be rebuilt, the soil and space available, and whether an alternative system is needed.
Do I need a permit to repair a septic system in Virginia?
Yes, for a real repair. Virginia's sewage regulations bar anyone from building, expanding or modifying a septic system without a written permit from the health department, and a failing system needs a repair permit before work starts. There is no application fee for a repair permit. Pumping and some like-for-like part replacements count as maintenance unless a local ordinance says otherwise, and need no repair permit.
Why is my septic system backing up into the house?
Wastewater is not getting out of the house or through the system. The usual causes are a blocked line between the house and the tank, a tank overdue for pumping, a broken baffle, a drain field that is failing or waterlogged, or a stopped pump on a pumped system. Stop using water, keep people away from the sewage, and call a licensed septic professional.
Sewer Backup
5 answers
What should I do when sewage backs up into my basement?
Stop using water, keep people and pets away from the sewage, and plug the low drains if you can reach them without touching it. Then find out whose pipe is blocked: if neighbors are affected or sewage rises while nothing is running, call your sewer utility first; if it only happens when you use fixtures, call a licensed plumber. Photograph the damage and call your insurer.
How much does it cost to clear a sewer backup in Virginia?
There is no published statewide price. If the public main is blocked, call your sewer utility; Fairfax County, for one, says it will take corrective action when the problem is in its sewer. If the blockage is in a lateral you are responsible for, you pay a licensed plumber, and the bill grows with after-hours calls, a missing cleanout, a camera inspection, roots or a broken pipe, and any cleanup.
Who pays for a sewer backup in Virginia, me or the city?
It depends on where the pipe was blocked. If the public main is blocked, call the utility; Fairfax County, for one, says it will take corrective action in its own sewer. The owner pays for the private part of the lateral and, in Fairfax County and Salem, for the damage or cleanup it causes. Salem says most homeowners' insurance will not pay without added sewer backup coverage.
Why does my basement floor drain back up when it rains?
Often because rainwater is getting into the sanitary sewer, through cracked pipes, leaky joints and manholes, or through downspouts and sump pumps wrongly connected to it. When the sewer overloads, it pushes back up through the lowest opening it can find, often a basement floor drain. A cracked or root-filled lateral on your own property can do the same. A licensed plumber can find which.
How do I prevent sewer backups in my basement?
Keep grease, wipes and other trash out of your drains, keep roots and rainwater out of your sewer lateral, and know where your cleanout is. If your basement has backed up during heavy rain, ask a licensed plumber about a backwater valve or backflow preventer, which closes when the public sewer surcharges. Add sewer backup coverage to your insurance either way.
Shower & Tub Repair
5 answers
How do I replace a shower valve cartridge?
Shut off the water to the shower, take off the handle and trim, release the clip or nut that holds the cartridge, and pull it straight out. Clean and flush the valve body, lubricate the new cartridge's seals, fit it the right way round, and check the hot limit with a thermometer before you close everything up. Buy the exact cartridge for your valve's brand and model.
How much does shower valve repair cost in Virginia?
It depends mostly on whether the fix is a cartridge or the valve itself. A cartridge swap is a part plus a short visit; Moen listed its 1222 Posi-Temp cartridge at $94.68 when we checked on October 26, 2026. Replacing the valve body means opening the wall and changing supply piping, which costs far more. Get written quotes from licensed plumbers for the same job.
Should I hire a plumber to fix my shower valve?
Not always. If the shower has working shutoffs and you can buy the exact cartridge, replacing it is a manageable job for a careful homeowner. Hire a licensed plumber when the cartridge is seized, the valve body is cracked or leaking inside the wall, there is no way to shut the water off, or the valve itself has to be replaced. In Virginia, plumbing contractors must be licensed by DPOR.
Why does my shower go from hot to cold?
Usually for one of three reasons: someone is using water elsewhere and the shower valve is not balancing the pressure change, the water heater is running out of hot water, or the valve's cartridge or hot limit is worn or set too low. When it happens is the clue: the moment a tap opens elsewhere points to the valve, a slow fade after several minutes points to the water heater.
How do I keep a shower valve working smoothly?
Deal with small signs early: fix drips, and service a handle as soon as it turns stiff. Where the maker says a cartridge can be serviced, use the grease it names; Moen warns against petroleum-based lubricants. Flush the valve body whenever the cartridge is replaced, keep the shutoffs reachable, and recheck the hot limit with a thermometer as the seasons change. Test hard water before buying a softener.
Sump Pump Repair
5 answers
How do I fix a stuck sump pump float switch?
Unplug the pump first. Then find what is holding the float: a pump that has tipped or shifted, a cord or pipe in its path, a float rubbing the pit wall, or debris built up on it. Stand the pump upright, clear the float, tie the cord to the discharge pipe, plug back in and fill the pit to test. A float that still sticks needs replacing.
How much does sump pump repair cost in Virginia?
No Virginia agency publishes sump pump repair prices, so the cost comes down to what failed. A stuck float or clogged screen may cost only a service call; a new switch or check valve adds a part; a dead motor means a new pump. Electrical work, piping changes, permits, a backup pump and emergency timing raise the bill. Compare written quotes on the same scope.
Should I repair or replace my sump pump?
Repair it when the fault is outside the motor: a stuck or worn float switch, a failed check valve, a clogged inlet screen or a blocked discharge pipe. Replace it when the motor, bearings or impeller have failed, when it trips its outlet, when it is past its expected life, or when it is too small for the water coming in.
Why won't my sump pump turn on?
Most often the pump has lost power (a tripped GFCI outlet, breaker or blown fuse), the float is jammed or the pump has tipped, the pit holds too little water to lift the float, or the inlet screen is clogged. If power, float and screen all check out, the switch or motor has failed and the switch or pump needs replacing.
When should a sump pump be replaced?
Replace a sump pump when it fails a bucket test, when the motor, bearings or impeller wear out, when it trips a GFCI outlet that tests good, or when it reaches the age its maker expects. Wayne's backup-pump manual lists about three years for pumps with one- or two-year warranties and about six for three- or five-year ones. Replace float switches on the maker's schedule.
Water Heater Repair
5 answers
What does a plumber check when a water heater stops working?
A plumber starts with the energy supply: the breaker and high-limit reset on an electric heater, the pilot, gas supply and control valve on a gas one. Then come the parts that fail most often, such as heating elements, thermostats and the thermocouple or thermopile, followed by sediment, water pressure, the relief valve, leaks and the heater's age, which decide between repair and replacement.
How much does a plumber charge to fix a water heater in Virginia?
A water heater repair bill follows the fault. It is usually a service or diagnostic fee plus the part and labour: an element, thermostat, relief valve, thermocouple or gas valve. A leaking tank cannot be repaired, so that quote becomes a replacement. Compare written quotes from licensed plumbers that name the part, the labour, any service fee and the warranty.
Is it worth repairing an old water heater?
Usually not once a tank water heater passes about 10 years. A. O. Smith puts typical life at 8 to 12 years, and a leaking tank cannot be repaired at all. A cheap part on a dry, sound tank can still be worth fixing to buy time while you plan a replacement. Corrosion, rusty water, leaks or repeat failures on an old heater mean replace.
Why is my water heater leaking?
Where the water appears tells you most. From the top it is often a loose pipe connection; from the side, the temperature and pressure relief valve; from the drain valve, a valve not fully shut or worn out. Water from the base often means a corroded tank, which cannot be repaired. Shut off the heater's power or gas and its cold water supply, and call a licensed plumber.
What maintenance does a water heater need each year?
A tank water heater needs a yearly flush to clear sediment, more often with hard water, a yearly check of the temperature and pressure relief valve and of the anode rod, and a look for leaks and corrosion. Gas models also need the burner and venting inspected. Keep the thermostat at about 120°F. Your manual sets the schedule, and a licensed plumber can do it all in one visit.
Well Pump Repair
3 answers
What does a well technician check when a pump stops working?
A good well technician works from the top of the system down: the power and voltage reaching the pump, the pressure switch and control box, the pressure tank and check valves, then electrical tests on the motor and its cable from the surface. Only when those point into the well does the pump come out, so you do not pay to pull a pump that was fine.
How much does well pump repair cost in Virginia?
No Virginia agency publishes a going rate, so the real number is a written quote after diagnosis. The price turns on where the fault is: a switch, control box part or tank above ground is usually a much smaller job than pulling a submersible pump from the well. Replacing a pump needs no health department well permit; ask your local building department about other permits.
Why do I have no water from my well?
Think power and controls first: a power outage, a tripped breaker, a failed pressure switch or a failed control box all stop the pump. If the pump runs but nothing comes out, the well may be too low, the pump worn, a jet pump may have lost its prime, or a line may have frozen. A licensed well or pump contractor can test which.