Plumbing Maintenance in Denver

A plumbing inspection is a methodical walk through the system with gauges and a flashlight. The useful parts:

• Main shutoff and fixture stops. Valves that never move eventually seize. We operate them and note any that won't close.
• Water pressure. Plumbing code calls for a pressure-reducing valve when static pressure exceeds 80 psi. Excess pressure wears out fixtures, hoses and water heater relief valves.
• Water heater. Venting, relief valve, sediment and signs of corrosion at the base and fittings.
• Visible piping. Galvanized steel, polybutylene and older supply lines get flagged. See pipe repair and repiping for what replacement involves.
• Toilets and fixtures. Running toilets, worn flappers, dripping faucets and slow drains.
• Laundry hoses. Rubber washing machine hoses are a common flood source; braided replacements are a small upgrade.

If your water comes from Denver Water, its Lead Reduction Program replaces customer-owned lead service lines at no direct cost, and properties that may have one were automatically enrolled. If the pipe entering your basement looks dull gray and soft, ask the utility.

Colorado's dry climate and sharp temperature swings set the schedule more than the calendar does. Treat these as targets, adjusted to the weather each year.

Older homes with mature trees should add a sewer camera inspection every few years. Roots find cracked clay joints, and our sewer line services page explains what the camera shows.

Denver's average first freeze falls in early October, but the record spans early September to mid-November, so the job belongs on a September or early October weekend rather than a fixed date.

Hose bibs. Disconnect every hose. A frost-free sillcock only works when it can drain, and an attached hose traps water in the stem. Older non-frost-free bibs need their indoor shutoff closed and the outdoor faucet left open to drain.

Sprinkler system. Close the valve that feeds only the irrigation line, usually in the basement or a valve box near the meter. Drain the backflow assembly by opening its test cocks; it often sits outside and is the most freeze-prone part of the system. Lines are then drained or blown out, which many homeowners hire an irrigation company to do.

Inside. During extreme cold, Denver Water recommends keeping the thermostat at 65 degrees or higher and opening sink cabinet doors on exterior walls. Know where the main shutoff is before you need it.

A water heater flush removes sediment before it hardens on the tank floor. The basic sequence:

1. Turn the gas control to pilot or off, or switch off the breaker on an electric unit.
2. Close the cold supply and open a hot faucet to break the vacuum.
3. Run a hose from the drain valve to a floor drain or outside and let the tank empty.
4. Briefly reopen the cold supply to stir up remaining sediment, then drain again until it runs clear.
5. Close the drain, refill completely with a hot faucet open, then restore gas or power.

Old plastic drain valves sometimes won't reseal after years without use, which is one reason to have it done the first time. The anode rod is worth checking every few years. Tankless units need descaling on the manufacturer's schedule instead.