5 services · Denver
Leaks, pipes & freezing in Denver, CO
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 Denver
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 in Denver
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 in Denver
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
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 Denver: what's different
Older Denver homes often have a mix of pipe: original galvanized steel spliced to copper during past remodels. Galvanized corrodes from the inside, so low pressure and rusty water in a Washington Park or Park Hill home usually point to those remaining runs, and partial repipes are common.
Freezing is the other Denver pipe problem. Finished basements added decades after construction hide supply lines along cold foundation walls, and arctic fronts freeze them. Denver Water also runs a lead service line replacement program, so homes that get a notice may have the line from the main replaced through the utility.
- Water and sewer in Denver
- Denver Water supplies drinking water. Wastewater is collected by the city and treated by Metro Water Recovery. Homeowners own the sewer service line from the house to the main in the street.
- Permits in Denver
- Plumbing permits and inspections are handled by Denver Community Planning and Development. Sewer work in the street also needs a right-of-way permit from the city.
Denver housing and plumbing
Bungalows and foursquares from the 1900s–1930s often have clay sewer lines and partial galvanized supply lines, sometimes spliced to copper during earlier remodels. Post-war ranches from the 1950s typically have cast-iron drains and copper or galvanized supply. Many have finished basements added decades later, which hide pipes that run along cold foundation walls.
Other Denver conditions that affect plumbing
- Roots in clay sewer laterals: Mature silver maples, elms and cottonwoods line many older Denver streets, and their roots find every joint in clay sewer pipe. Recurring main line clogs in a pre-1960 home are usually roots.
- Galvanized supply pipe: Low pressure and rusty water in older homes usually trace back to galvanized steel pipe corroding from the inside. Partial repipes are common where only some runs were replaced.
- Lead service line replacement: Denver Water runs a lead service line replacement program for homes with lead pipes from the main. If you get a notice, the utility's program can cover replacement of the service line.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover Denver and Denver County, including Capitol Hill, Highland, Washington Park, Park Hill, Baker, Berkeley, Harvey Park, Montclair, Central Park, Green Valley Ranch. ZIP codes: 80202 · 80203 · 80204 · 80205 · 80206 · 80207 · 80209 · 80210 · 80211 · 80212 · 80216 · 80218 · 80219 · 80220 · 80222 · 80223 · 80224 · 80230 · 80231 · 80236 · 80237 · 80238 · 80239 · 80246 · 80247 · 80249.
When to call a plumber in Denver
- 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 Denver
Who replaces a lead service line in Denver?
Should I turn off the water if a pipe bursts?
More plumbing in Denver
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