5 services · Washington
Leaks, pipes & freezing in Washington, DC
Pipe problems range from a burst line that needs the water shut off right now to slow pinhole leaks that show up as a high water bill. A licensed plumber finds where the water is escaping, repairs or replaces that section, and tells you whether the rest of the piping is likely to follow.
- Licensed local plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Leaks, pipes & freezing services in Washington
Burst pipe repair
UrgentTurn off the main water shutoff first, then open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain the lines. A plumber cuts out the split section, replaces it, and checks the rest of that pipe run, because one freeze rarely damages only one spot.
Frozen pipe thawing
UrgentIf a faucet gives no water or only a trickle after a hard freeze, a pipe is frozen. Leave that faucet open, warm the area gently, and call a plumber if you can't find the frozen section or if it's inside a wall, because a split pipe will leak as soon as it thaws.
Leak detection
Turn off every fixture and watch the water meter's leak indicator. If it moves, water is leaking somewhere. A plumber uses pressure tests, acoustic listening and thermal imaging to find the leak so only a small section of wall or floor has to be opened.
Repiping
Repiping replaces a home's water supply lines, usually because old galvanized steel has corroded or polybutylene is at risk of failing. Most repipes today use PEX, take two to five days, and are done through small wall openings rather than gutting the house.
Water line repair in Washington
UrgentThe water service line runs from the curb stop near the street to your house, buried below the frost line. A leak shows up as a soggy patch in the yard, low pressure throughout the house, or a meter that never stops. Repair means finding the leak, then fixing that spot or replacing the line.
Local conditions
Leaks, pipes & freezing in Washington: what's different
DC Water has a program to replace lead service lines, and many older rowhouses still have aging service lines and galvanized supply inside. Replacing the interior piping at the same time gets the full benefit.
Winter cold snaps freeze pipes in rear additions and exterior walls, which are common in D.C. rowhouses. Permits for repiping and line repairs come from the D.C. Department of Buildings.
Many rowhouses also have rear additions where pipes run in thin exterior walls.
- Water and sewer in Washington
- DC Water provides water and sewer service across the District.
- Permits in Washington
- Plumbing permits are issued by the D.C. Department of Buildings.
Washington housing and plumbing
Rowhouses from the late 1800s and early 1900s in Capitol Hill, Petworth and Columbia Heights often have basements, cast-iron drains and old service lines.
Other Washington conditions that affect plumbing
- Combined sewer backups: Older parts of the city have combined sewers that can back up during heavy storms.
- Lead service lines: DC Water has a program to replace lead service lines.
- Rowhouse drains: Shared-wall rowhouses have long drain runs and old cast iron.
- Clean Rivers project: DC Water's Clean Rivers tunnels reduce combined sewer overflows, but older rowhouses can still see basement backups in heavy storms.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover Washington and District of Columbia, including Capitol Hill, Petworth, Georgetown, Brookland, Columbia Heights, Navy Yard. ZIP codes: 20001 · 20002 · 20003 · 20004 · 20005 · 20006.
When to call a plumber in Washington
- Water spraying, dripping from a ceiling or pooling on the floor: shut off the main and call right away
- No water from some faucets on a very cold morning
- A water bill that jumped without a change in use
- The water meter moving when every fixture is off
- Warm spots on a slab floor, or the sound of running water in a wall
- Low pressure throughout the house or rusty water from older pipes
How these problems start and how to choose between repair options is covered in the leaks, pipes & freezing guide.
Leaks, pipes & freezing questions in Washington
Does DC Water replace lead service lines?
Should I turn off the water if a pipe bursts?
More plumbing in Washington
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