Plumber in McLean, VA

Most plumbing calls in McLean start with a sign, not a puddle. A water bill that jumps. A stain on the ceiling under a bathroom. A meter that keeps turning when every tap is off. Our job is to find the cause fast, show you where it is, and fix it properly. We are a plumber in McLean, VA with a focus on leak detection, because hidden leaks are the problems that cost local homeowners the most.

Plumbing services in McLean

Every service below has its own page with what is included, how the work is done and what affects the price.

• Leak Detection

  Find hidden leaks in walls, ceilings, floors and yards without tearing the house apart.

• Slab Leak Repair

  Locate and fix leaks under basement and slab floors with spot repair or a reroute.

• Water Line Repair

  Repair or replace the buried line between the meter and your house.

• Emergency Plumber

  Burst pipes, flooding and no-water calls answered around the clock.

• Water Heater Repair

  Repair, replace or upgrade tank and tankless water heaters.

• Drain Cleaning

  Clear slow and clogged sink, tub, floor and main drains.

• Sewer Line Repair

  Camera inspection, root removal and repair of the main sewer line.

• Repiping

  Fix pinhole leaks and replace old copper, galvanized or polybutylene pipe.

• Sump Pump Repair

  Repair, replace and back up the pump that keeps your basement dry.

• Well Pump Repair

  Restore water to homes on private wells, from pressure tank to pump.

• Toilet, Faucet & Shower Repair

  Stop running toilets, dripping faucets and leaking shower pans.

• Pool Leak Detection

  Find where a pool or spa is losing water, then fix the plumbing side.

Why McLean homeowners call us

We keep our promises short and true.

• Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Leaks do not wait for business hours, so neither do we.
• More than 8 years in business. We have worked on plumbing in Northern Virginia homes of every age.
• Detection and repair in one call. The plumber who finds the leak can fix it. You are not passed between companies.
• Find first, open second. We locate a leak with non-invasive tools before we cut into a wall, floor or lawn.
• Clear answers before work starts. You hear what we found, your options and the price before we begin.

How a McLean plumber visit works

A visit follows the same four steps, whether it is a dripping faucet or a slab leak.

1. Call and describe the problem. Tell us what you see, hear or smell. We ask a few questions and tell you how to limit damage while you wait, such as where to find the main shutoff valve.
2. Find the cause. For hidden leaks we test the system first. A meter test shows whether water is escaping. A pressure test shows which line is losing pressure. Acoustic and thermal tools then pinpoint the spot.
3. Explain your options. Many problems have more than one fix. A slab leak can be a spot repair or a reroute. A failing water heater can be repaired or replaced. We explain the trade-offs in plain words.
4. Repair and test. We make the repair, test it under pressure and leave the area clean. If a permit is needed in Fairfax County, we tell you before we start.

Want the details? Our guide to what a slab leak is walks through the same process for leaks under floors.

Areas we serve around McLean

We serve all of McLean, from Chesterbrook and Langley near the George Washington Memorial Parkway to Pimmit Hills and the edge of Tysons. McLean is a census-designated place in Fairfax County with 50,773 residents at the 2020 census, and its ZIP codes are 22101 and 22102. We also cover these nearby communities:

• Plumber in Great Falls, VA

  ZIP 22066 · near Great Falls Park

• Plumber in Vienna, VA

  ZIP 22180, 22181, 22182 · near Church Street

• Plumber in Tysons, VA

  ZIP 22102, 22182 · near Tysons Corner Center

• Plumber in Falls Church, VA

  ZIP 22041, 22042, 22043, 22044, 22046 · near Eden Center

• Plumber in Arlington, VA

  ZIP 22205, 22207, 22213 · near Chain Bridge

• Plumber in Oakton, VA

  ZIP 22124 · near Hunter Mill Road

• Plumber in Reston, VA

  ZIP 20190, 20191, 20194 · near Lake Anne Plaza

• Plumber in Herndon, VA

  ZIP 20170, 20171 · near Historic Downtown Herndon

What affects the cost of plumbing work

We do not post a price list, because two jobs with the same name can be very different. These are the factors that move the price:

• Finding the problem. A leak you can see is quicker to fix than one hidden in a wall or under a floor.
• Access. Pipes behind finished walls, under hardwood or below a basement slab take more time to reach and restore.
• Pipe material. Old galvanized steel, copper with pinhole leaks and polybutylene each need different parts and methods.
• Size of the repair. One failed fitting costs less than a new section of water line or a full repipe.
• Permits. Some work in Fairfax County needs a permit and inspection.
• Time of day. Night, weekend and holiday calls can cost more than a scheduled visit.

Our leak detection cost guide explains each factor in more depth.

Warning signs you need a plumber

Call a plumber if you notice any of these:

• Your water bill rises and your use has not changed.
• The water meter's leak indicator spins with every fixture off.
• You hear running water in a wall or under a floor when nothing is on.
• A warm spot on a basement or slab floor.
• Stains, bubbling paint or soft drywall on a ceiling or wall.
• Water pressure drops in more than one fixture.
• Gurgling drains or water backing up into a floor drain.
• Rust-colored water or popping sounds from the water heater.
• A wet patch or extra-green strip of lawn between the street and the house.

Not sure where to start? Try the water meter leak test. It takes about two hours and tells you whether water is escaping somewhere.

Plumbing in McLean homes: what we see most

McLean has a mix of houses that changes how leaks show up. Many neighborhoods were built in the 1950s and 1960s, with ramblers, split-levels and colonials over full basements. Many of those lots now hold large custom homes that replaced the originals.

Older homes may still have galvanized steel supply pipes that rust from the inside. Mid-century copper can develop pinhole leaks. Newer custom homes have long pipe runs, several bathrooms, irrigation systems and pools, so a leak can hide far from where it shows. Most homes have basements, which makes a working sump pump important during heavy rain.

Most McLean homes get public water from Fairfax Water. Fairfax Water owns and maintains the meter and its setting. The service line from there to the house belongs to you. Some nearby homes in Great Falls use private wells instead, and we repair well pumps as well.

Plumbing help when you need it

Whether it is a running toilet or water coming through the ceiling, call (571) 760-4451. We answer day and night, and we will tell you honestly whether it can wait until morning.

Plumber in McLean, VA: common questions

Are you open 24 hours in McLean?

Yes. McLean Plumber Works answers calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays. Call (571) 760-4451 for burst pipes, active leaks, sewer backups or a home with no water.

What should I do first if a pipe bursts?

Turn off the main shutoff valve. In most McLean homes it sits in the basement where the water line comes through the foundation wall. Then switch off power to any wet area and call us. Our frozen pipe guide covers the next steps.

Can you find a leak without tearing up walls or floors?

Usually, yes. We use listening equipment, thermal cameras, moisture meters, pressure tests and tracer gas to narrow a leak to a small spot first. Then we open only what the repair needs. See leak detection in McLean.

Do you repair the leak too, or only find it?

Both. We find leaks and repair them, from a pinhole in a copper pipe to a broken water line in the yard. You do not need a second company to fix what we find.

How much does a plumber cost in McLean?

It depends on the problem, access, parts and the time of day. We explain the likely repair and its price before work starts. Our guide to leak detection cost explains what moves the price.

Who fixes the water line between the street and my house?

Fairfax County says homeowners are responsible for the water line into the house starting from the street lateral. Fairfax Water owns the meter and its setting. We repair the private side. Read who owns the water line.

Which areas near McLean do you serve?

McLean (22101 and 22102), plus Great Falls, Vienna, Tysons, Falls Church, North Arlington, Oakton, Reston and Herndon. If you are close by and not listed, call and ask.

Do I need a permit for plumbing work in Fairfax County?

Many jobs need one. Fairfax County requires a residential plumbing permit for new, replaced or repaired plumbing equipment and fixtures, and a permit for gas water heater replacement. We tell you up front when your job needs a permit.