Preventing frozen pipes
Cold snaps split pipes in garages, crawl spaces and outside walls. Here is how to protect them before the next freeze.
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Plumbing Guides for Lafayette Homeowners
Straight answers to common plumbing questions, with a Front Range slant: frozen pipes, hard water, water bills, sewer smells, water heaters and sprinklers.
All guides
Each article explains the cause, lists what you can safely inspect on your own and says when to bring in a professional.
Finding the main water shutoff
When a pipe splits, the first move is the main valve. Find the valve, understand how it operates and know your options if it jams.
Hard water: signs and fixes
Hard Front Range water leaves scale on fixtures and shortens the life of heaters. Learn how to spot it and what to do.
Water heater leaking at the base
A puddle under the heater may come from a loose fitting or from a tank that has failed. Find out which, and what to turn off.
Why the water bill jumped
A bill that suddenly climbs usually has a cause you can find. Check these likely suspects in order.
Tracking down a concealed leak
You can find many leaks with a meter, a dye tablet and a flashlight. Here is a step-by-step check.
Fixing a running toilet
A toilet that runs nonstop quietly burns through water and cash. Most causes are cheap parts you can swap.
Why the house smells like sewage
A rotten egg odor means sewer gas is getting in. Check the traps, the vents and the wax ring before you worry.
Roots invading the sewer line
Roots find tiny cracks in old sewer pipe and grow into a mat. Learn the signs, the options and how to stop it returning.
Causes of low water pressure
Weak flow can come from one clogged aerator or a failing regulator. Work from the simplest cause to the biggest.
Winterizing your sprinkler system
Water left in sprinkler lines and the backflow device freezes and splits them. Here is the fall routine.
Tankless or tank water heater
Tankless units save space and last longer, tanks cost less up front. Cold Colorado incoming water changes the math.
Speak with the phone desk
Rather talk to a person?
Dial the all-hours number, describe what is wrong and the dispatcher writes it down.
Call (720) 743-9476(720) 743-9476 · day and night