Plumbing and Pipes

Your plumbing includes all of the pipes and fixtures on your property, from the meter or valve near the street to the faucets inside your home. Here are a few important components to be familiar with:

Main Shutoff Valve
This valve is normally located where the water line enters your home through the foundation. It can be used to shut the water off in an emergency or when plumbing improvements are being made. It can also be turned off while the property is vacant to prevent water damage that unforeseen leaks might cause. To make sure this valve works properly, turn it off and verify that the water flow to your fixtures has stopped completely. When the valve is turned back on, it should be opened fully to allow unrestricted water flow.

Pressure Reducing Valve
Most houses built after 1972 are equipped with a pressure reducing valve (PRV), which is normally located near the main water valve. PRVs are usually bell-shaped devices, approximately 4" in length, that are designed to keep the water pressure inside your home from exceeding a set limit. This helps prevents "knocking" in pipes and other stresses caused by high pressure.

Hot Water Heaters
Hot water heaters do just as their name suggests, provide a source of hot water for your home appliances requiring hot water. Hot water heaters manufactured between the years of 1993 and 1996 have the possibility of containing a defective dip tube. The dip tubes break down inside the heater and cause plastic white chips to flow to the water faucets. The white chips do not pose a health risk but can cause a decrease in water flow to faucets. To test whether the chips are from the dip tube, apply some heat to them. If they smoke and smell like plastic then they are from the dip tube. Another way to check is by placing the chips in a cup of water. Chips that float are from the dip tube. To fix the problem, you must replace the dip tube. Also, the hot water heater will have to be flushed to ensure that all white chips are out of the piping.

Sinks That Leak
Leaky sinks can be a major source of water waste, and cost you money. According to the EPA, easily corrected household water leaks frequently rob consumers of eight percent of their water bill. The trick to fixing a leaky faucet is to know what kind you have. There are several different types of faucets including a compression faucet, a ceramic disk faucet, a ball-type faucet and a cartridge faucet. The compression faucets are usually of the two-handled variety. The ball-type and cartridge faucets are the single lever faucets commonly found in the kitchen. Faucet leaks are usually caused by worn-out seals. Since each type of faucet requires different materials to fix the leak, it is best to consult your local hardware store for the most accurate information or parts you'll need to fix it.

Toilet Flappers
The toilet flapper is located at the bottom of the tank and seals the tank drain until the handle is pushed. If the seal is not tight, leakage can occur, resulting in the toilet unexpectedly refilling or making running water sounds. To check if the toilet flapper is working properly, there are two tests you can do:

• Shred some toilet paper and toss it into the bowl. Flush the toilet and see if all the paper is gone. If it is not, then the flapper setting needs to be adjusted.
• Add a few drops of food coloring to the tank behind the bowl. Wait 10 minutes without flushing. If the color appears in the bowl, the flapper is likely defective or leaking.

For further information regarding how to replace the toilet flapper, consult your local hardware store. If you need to replace the toilet, visit EPA's WaterSense for a list of water efficient brands.

Pipes In Your Yard
Water and Sewer Service Laterals are the pipes that run underground from the meter or valve near the street to the main water valve inside the house. They are typically made of copper, plastic, or sections of both and are your property and responsibility. If either line needs repair, Loudoun Water may be able to assist with the location of the lines. Always contact Miss Utility prior to digging anywhere in your yard. Water meters and their settings are owned and maintained by Loudoun Water.

Preventing Sewer Backups
It’s a picture too ugly to imagine – the idea of raw sewage flooding your home. If you never want to see that happen, you must protect your sewer line. You can do this by ensuring nothing goes down the drain or flushed into the toilet that shouldn’t be. Items like cooking oil and pan grease should never be poured down the drain, nor should caustic liquid items, such as oven cleaner, or harder items like meat scraps, plastics or metals. Check out Loudoun County's website for more information on disposing of household hazardous waste.

In the unfortunate case that this happens to you, Loudoun Water reminds customers that homeowners are responsible for any damage to their home caused by a clog in the lateral (which runs from your house to the street) or in the main sewer line in the street. Home insurance policies do not normally cover sewer backups into homes. For most policies, a rider is required. Contact your insurance provider for details on your policy.

Preventing Frozen Pipes 
Water expands as it freezes and this can put tremendous stress on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. Usually pipes that freeze are exposed to severe cold weather, like outdoor hose bibs, water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and garages, or kitchen cabinets.

How do you know if a pipe or meter is frozen?
If you turn on a faucet and only have a trickle of water coming out or no water at all and it has been very cold for a period of time, suspect a frozen pipe or meter. Identify whether the problem is throughout the house or in one area.

If it’s only in one area of your household you may be able to thaw the pipe by opening the cabinets and allowing the warmer air to circulate around the pipes. Always remove any toxic substances first if there are small children in the home. You could use a hair dryer on low or a portable heater, but avoid using electrical appliances if there is standing water.

If there is no water, throughout your household, please contact Loudoun Water. In order to assist you, we recommend for someone to be home. The Loudoun Water representative will check with you before leaving to ensure your water has been reinstated.

Preventative steps prior to winter weather:

• Close the inside valves and drain the pipes leading to your outside hose bib (faucet).
• Know where your main shut off valve is and label it. Minimize the potential for water damage by ensuring that everyone in the household knows how to shut off the water incase of an emergency.
• Insulate pipes in unheated areas. Hardware and plumbing supply stores carry insulation to keep pipes from freezing.

During cold weather:

• During cold weather to prevent your pipes from freezing, allow a faucet to drip cold water slowly. The faucet you choose should be the onethat is the greatest distance from your main water shut off valve.
• Open kitchen and cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Always remove any toxic substances first if there are small children in the home.

If you think you may have a frozen pipe or meter and have determined that it is not within the home, please contact Customer Service at 571.291.7880 (8:00 am – 5:00 pm) or our after hours emergency number at 571.291.7878. Always contact Loudoun Water before contacting a plumber.

Cross Connection Backflow
A cross connection is a temporary or permanent connection between a potable (drinking) water supply and a non-potable source. An example would be the pipes connecting the public water system to an irrigation system. Backflow is the undesirable flow of non-potable water or other substances through a cross connection back into the consumer's plumbing system or public water system. Backflow prevention devices need to be tested annually. More.

Hydrant Use
The first and main purpose of hydrants is for fire protection. Loudoun Water may grant permits for construction flushing or landscaping at its discretion. Hydrants are not to be accessed by homeowners for any activities, including filling pools. Pool owners are encouraged to use their garden hose and outdoor spigot to fill their pool or hire a pool-filling service. Learn more about our hydrant flushing program.

Cease the Grease
Now that you are familiar with your plumbing, learn how to prevent overflows and backups.