When do I need a plumber for a water leak?

The short answer

You need a plumber when the leak is in the piping itself, when it is somewhere you cannot see or reach, or when it will not stop with the valves you have. You can often handle the small, common ones yourself. The dividing line is less about how much water is coming out and more about where it is coming from.

Leaks you can usually fix yourself

Most household leaks are small parts wearing out. Common types of leaks found in the home are worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves.^[1] They are often easy to fix with a few tools and parts that pay for themselves in water savings.^[1]

• A worn toilet flapper. If the flapper at the bottom of the tank does not close completely after a flush, water leaks from the tank into the bowl.^[4] A worn flapper is one of the simple fixes.^[2]
• A dripping faucet. A faucet leak is usually down to old or broken parts inside the valve, and replacement washers and valves from a hardware store may solve it without replacing the whole fixture.^[4]
• A dripping showerhead. A leaky showerhead can sometimes be fixed by tightening its connection to the pipe stem with pipe tape on the threads.^[1]
• A drip at a reachable joint under a sink, such as a loose trap nut or a worn washer.

Nobody has to do these themselves: if you are not comfortable repairing a toilet or faucet, call a plumber of your own choice.^[4]

Signs the leak is a plumber's job

A worn toilet flapper, a loose pipe connection or a showerhead with stray spray is a simple fix. A toilet that keeps running, broken sprinklers, water heater drips and malfunctioning water supply lines are leaks you may want a licensed plumber to stop.^[2]

Call one when:

• The pipe itself leaks: a pinhole, a crack or a corroded joint. A leaking pipe that might need replacing or re-soldering is a job worth paying a plumber for.^[3]
• You see the leak's effects but not the leak. Moisture or mold on walls, ceilings or floors could mean a pipe is leaking behind the scenes and needs a professional's attention.^[2]
• The meter keeps moving with everything off. Close the main valve and check. If the meter keeps registering with the main valve closed, the leak is probably underground between the meter box and the valve.^[4]
• It smells of sewage. A strong sewage odor may suggest a leak in the drainage system.^[7]
• The toilet is a pressure-assisted model. "Tuning up a pressure-assisted toilet is best left to a professional plumber."^[3]
• The water heater, a shut-off valve or the main valve is leaking, or a valve will not close.
• You have tried the simple fix and it still leaks.

Leaks that belong to the utility

Some leaks are not yours to fix. Chesterfield County Utilities repairs leaks in the meter box and on the street side of it; leaks at the plumber's connection on the house side, the service line to the house and all other house plumbing are the customer's.^[4] If you are served by another utility, ask where its side ends before you pay a plumber. Charlottesville asks residents who see a water leak in the road or street to report it to the city's Water Utility Department at 434-970-3800.^[5]

Some utilities help you find the leak, too. If you cannot find the cause of high water use, Prince William Water's customer service can arrange for a technician to visit and help identify it.^[6]

Licences and permits in Virginia

Plumbing is licensed trade work: "The Board shall require a master tradesmen license as a condition of licensure for electrical, plumbing, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractors."^[8] The contractor's class must also fit the job; the smallest, Class C, covers a single contract valued over $1,000 but less than $30,000.^[8]

Homeowners have an exemption from the contractor licensing chapter. It covers "Any person who performs or supervises the construction, removal, repair, or improvement of no more than one primary residence owned by him and for his own use during any 24-month period".^[9] That does not lift the building code. Under the Uniform Statewide Building Code, a permit is required before installations or alterations involving the water supply and distribution system, sanitary drainage system, or vent system,^[10] and for urgent repairs the permit application for emergency work is due by the end of the first working day after the work starts.^[10]

When you hire, check the licence yourself: "A license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the contractor's license is valid."^[11] You can check the licence online at the Board for Contractors or by calling (804) 367-8511, where past complaints and disciplinary actions are also available.^[11] Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work.^[11]

On permits: "Licensed contractors should apply for and obtain all building permits, not the consumer."^[11] The permit holder becomes the general contractor and assumes responsibility for the overall job,^[11] which is a reason not to pull a permit for a contractor's work in your own name.

Stop and call a pro if

• Water is spreading and closing the nearest valve, or the main, does not stop it.
• Water is near outlets, the electrical panel, the furnace or the water heater.
• A ceiling is sagging or bulging with water. Keep people out from under it.
• The leak smells of sewage or is coming from a drain or cleanout.
• Walls, ceilings or floors are stained, soft or moldy.

Next steps

Before you call, find where the water is going and read what fixing a leak costs in Virginia. If it turns out to be under a sink, fixing a leaking pipe under the sink may save the call, and a split pipe is covered in what to do when a pipe bursts. Loclis lists DPOR-licensed plumbing businesses with their licence number and class: find plumbers in Blacksburg or browse leak repair. On Loclis, plumbing work needs a licence at any job size, and an unlicensed quote is refused.

When you are ready, describe the leak once and licensed local plumbers quote it.