Plumbing guides
Englewood Plumbing Guides
Practical plumbing guides for Englewood homeowners, covering the problems this city's older homes and hard water actually produce, from frozen pipes to root-choked sewer lines. When you need a plumber, call and reach one directly.
How to Shut Off Your Water Main in Englewood, CO
In most Englewood homes the main shutoff is an indoor valve where the water line enters, usually in the basement on the street-facing wall, near the water...
Read guideHard waterHow Englewood's Hard Water Wears Out Water Heaters
Englewood's water is hard, and the dissolved minerals in it settle out as scale when water is heated, building a layer of sediment in the bottom of your...
Read guideAging pipesSigns Your Englewood, CO Home Needs Repiping
The clearest signs an older Englewood home may need repiping are steadily dropping water pressure, rusty or discolored water (especially on the hot side or...
Read guideSewer linesTree Roots in Your Englewood Sewer Line: What to Know
In older Englewood homes, the sewer lateral running from the house to the city main, often under the back alley, is frequently old clay pipe with joints...
Read guideWinter prepHow to Prevent Frozen Pipes in a Colorado Winter
Pipes freeze and burst when water in an unheated run, an exterior wall, a crawl space, an unheated garage, or an outdoor hose bibb, drops below freezing and...
Read guideWater qualityEnglewood's Lead Service Line Replacement, Explained
Englewood, like many older cities, is working through a multi-year program to replace the remaining lead water service lines, the pipe that carries water...
Read guideBuyer guideTank vs Tankless Water Heaters for a Colorado Home
For most Colorado homes the choice comes down to this: a tank water heater is cheaper to buy and simpler, but takes up space and can run out during heavy...
Read guideDrain triageIs Your Slow Drain Really a Sewer Problem?
A single slow drain is usually a local clog in that fixture's own pipe, cleared with simple methods. But when several drains slow at once, the lowest...
Read guideBuyer guideDo You Need a Water Softener in Englewood, CO?
Englewood's water is hard enough that many homes benefit from a softener, but not every household needs one. The signs you would: scale on fixtures and...
Read guideSeasonalSump Pump Maintenance Before Colorado's Wet Season
Test your sump pump before spring snowmelt and again before summer storm season by pouring a bucket of water into the pit: the float should rise, the pump...
Read guideEmergency stepsWhat to Do First When a Pipe Bursts in Your Home
When a pipe bursts, do these in order: shut off the water at the main valve, turn off electricity to any area where water is near outlets or the panel, open...
Read guideDrain methodsDrain Cabling vs Hydro Jetting: Which Do You Need?
Cabling (running a rotating blade down the pipe) is fast, cheap, and the right first response to an active clog or backup; it cuts an opening through the...
Read guideTroubleshootingWater Heater Noises and Rusty Water: What They Mean
Popping or rumbling from a water heater is usually sediment, common in Englewood's hard water, and is often fixable with a flush. Rusty or discolored hot...
Read guideLeak triageSlab Leak Signs in South Denver Metro Homes
A slab leak is a water line leaking underneath the concrete foundation slab. The warning signs are a warm or damp spot on the floor, the sound of running...
Read guideCommercialBackflow Testing and Grease Traps: A Business Guide
If you run a business with plumbing, two requirements often apply that homes never face: annual backflow testing, to keep your water from contaminating the...
Read guidePermits & safetyGas Line Work and Permits in Englewood, CO
Gas line work in Englewood almost always requires a permit, a licensed professional, and an inspection, because a mistake with gas is a fire, explosion, or...
Read guidePreventionProtecting an Englewood Basement From Flooding
Englewood basements flood for a few distinct reasons: a sewer line backing up (often roots in an old clay lateral), groundwater during spring snowmelt, and...
Read guideLeak detectionHow to Find a Hidden Water Leak Before It Spreads
The fastest way to catch a hidden leak is the meter test: turn off all water in the house, note the water meter, wait an hour or two using none, and check...
Read guidePermits & safetyDo You Need a Permit to Replace a Water Heater?
In Englewood, as in most Colorado jurisdictions, replacing a water heater generally requires a permit and an inspection, even a like-for-like swap. That is...
Read guideHave a plumbing problem now?
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