Fairfax County is large, and it isn't one place in any practical sense. A split-level near George Mason University, a small 1950s house in Pimmit Hills and a lakeside townhouse in Reston have very little in common except the county name. Within the county, TrueFix Virginia covers four areas and nine ZIP codes. This guide goes through each one: what the homes are like, what that means when an appliance breaks, and the local quirks worth knowing.
We don't cover the whole county. Places such as Tysons, McLean, Annandale, Burke, Herndon and Centreville are outside our area, and we mention some of them below only as landmarks.
Fairfax and Vienna: 22030, 22031 and 22180
A ZIP code that crosses a city line
The City of Fairfax grew up around the county courthouse, became a town in 1874 and an independent city in 1961, yet it's still the seat of Fairfax County. ZIP 22030 takes in part of the city and a good deal of surrounding county land, and 22031 also includes a slice of the city around Fairfax Circle. For a repair visit the distinction rarely matters, but it does determine which government office handles permits or trash pickup for an old appliance.
Split-levels, ramblers and teardowns
Postwar subdivisions define much of this area. Mosby Woods, built from 1961 north of Route 50, is a good example: split-levels, split-foyers and ramblers, with townhouses and garden apartments added soon after. Mantua, east of the city, was built mostly between the 1950s and 1980s. Merrifield has changed the most recently; the Mosaic District, opened in 2012, brought townhouses and apartments around a new walkable center. Near George Mason University there's plenty of student and rental housing.
The Town of Vienna, incorporated in 1890 along the old railroad that's now the W&OD Trail, has many 1950s to 1970s ramblers and colonials. A lot of them have been torn down and replaced by much larger new houses, so it's common to see a modest original rambler next door to a new build with a built-in refrigerator, a wall oven and a panel-front dishwasher.
Repair notes for Fairfax and Vienna
- •Split-levels and ramblers often have laundry in the basement or a utility room, where a leak is less damaging but access can be tight.
- •Renovated kitchens in older houses sometimes run new appliances on old circuits. A breaker that trips when the oven heats up is worth mentioning when you book.
- •Built-ins in new Vienna houses are expensive to replace and fitted to the cabinetry, so a proper diagnosis is especially worthwhile.
- •Renters near GMU should check their lease. Appliance repairs in a rental are usually the landlord's to arrange.
Part of 22180 gets its water from the Town of Vienna's own utility rather than Fairfax Water, including some homes just outside town limits. If low water pressure is affecting your ice maker or washer, find out which supplier you have before blaming the appliance. Our Fairfax and Vienna area page lists the services available there.
Falls Church mailing area: 22042 and 22043
Not the City of Falls Church
This is the area most likely to cause confusion. Addresses in 22042 and 22043 say "Falls Church," but nearly all of them are in Fairfax County, in communities such as West Falls Church, Pimmit Hills and Idylwood. The independent City of Falls Church uses ZIP 22046, which is outside our area.
Small postwar houses and condo towers
Most of the single-family housing dates from the late 1940s and 1950s. Pimmit Hills was built from 1950 as small three-bedroom, one-bath houses, and many have since been enlarged or replaced. Jefferson Village, Westlawn and Broyhill Park are 1940s and 1950s subdivisions. Holmes Run Acres, with its mid-century modern houses from the 1950s, is a designated historic district. North of I-66 in Idylwood there are condo towers and apartment buildings, and the area sits close to Tysons.
Repair notes for the Falls Church area
- •Small original houses have small kitchens, and appliances fitted into them years ago may be hard to replace with anything that fits the same space.
- •Rebuilt and expanded houses tend to have newer, larger appliances, often with electronic controls.
- •Condos near Idylwood may have building rules for contractors, such as insurance certificates or elevator reservations. Check with your management office before the visit.
Springfield: 22150
Central Springfield only
Our Springfield coverage is ZIP 22150, the central part of Springfield around Springfield Town Center and the Franconia–Springfield Metro station. North Springfield and West Springfield have their own ZIP codes and are outside our area.
Railroad stop to postwar suburb
Springfield began as a railroad stop and grew quickly after developer Edward Carr began large-scale building in 1946. Its housing is mostly 1950s and 1960s ramblers and split-levels, some colonials, townhouse communities and garden apartments. Fort Belvoir, the county's largest employer, is a short drive south, and many households here are military or federal families who move on assignment cycles.
Repair notes for Springfield
- •Basement laundry is common in the older houses, often next to the water heater and furnace. Leave clear access to the washer and dryer.
- •Households on the move may be dealing with appliances they didn't choose, in a rental or a newly bought house. We'll tell you plainly if an older appliance isn't worth repairing.
- •Garden apartments usually mean the landlord arranges the repair.
For more detail, see the Springfield service page.
Reston: 20190 and 20191
A planned town without a town government
Reston was founded in 1964 by Robert E. Simon and is unincorporated, but nearly everything about it is organized. Every property is part of the Reston Association, a mandatory homeowners association, and most townhouse clusters and condo buildings have their own associations as well. Lake Anne and Reston Town Center are in 20190; Hunters Woods, South Lakes and the townhouse clusters around Lake Thoreau and Lake Audubon are in 20191.
Repair notes for Reston
- •Cluster townhouses often put the laundry upstairs. A slow drain or a leaking hose affects the floor below.
- •Condos, including the high-rises near Lake Anne and the Town Center, can have contractor rules.
- •Housing ages range from the 1960s to the last few years, so appliances vary widely.
We've written a separate, more detailed guide to appliance repair in Reston.
Utilities across our Fairfax County areas
Most of our Fairfax County customers get water from Fairfax Water, electricity from Dominion Energy and gas from Washington Gas. Exceptions exist, like Vienna's water utility, so always check the address. If you smell gas around a range, oven or dryer, leave the house and call Washington Gas or 911 from outside.
How a visit works anywhere in the county
A technician diagnoses the appliance at your home, explains what failed and quotes the repair. You approve the price before any work begins, and if the repair isn't worth doing, we'll say so. Parts are matched to your model number, and we'll tell you when a part is an equivalent rather than the manufacturer's own. We're independent, so an appliance still under the manufacturer's warranty should go to the manufacturer first.
When you book, give us the make, model number and symptom, and mention anything about access: stairs, a stacked unit in a closet, building rules or HOA gate instructions.