If a pipe bursts in your Federal Heights home, close the main valve and cut power to anything wet. A plumber can locate the break, replace the damaged section and test the line. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Federal Heights.
Federal Heights and its water service
Federal Heights is a small, fully built-out home rule city in western Adams County, named for Federal Boulevard and best known as the home of Water World. Water and sewer service are billed by the city itself out of City Hall at 2380 W. 90th Avenue (303-412-3531), according to a title-company utility directory. Federal Heights is not on Denver Water's list of distributors, so Denver Water is not the number to call here.
The city's own pages couldn't be confirmed, so it's not clear exactly where the city's part of a service line ends and the owner's begins. If water is surfacing near the street or meter, call City Hall first and ask. Anything inside the house is a private repair, and that's where most freeze breaks happen: lines in exterior walls, crawl spaces, garages and under kitchen sinks on outside walls.
Comparing repair approaches
| What's found | Usual repair | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| One split in otherwise good pipe | Splice in a new piece | Fast and lasting |
| Several cracks in one run | Replace the run | Fewer joints to fail |
| Line in a cold outside wall | Insulate or reroute | Prevents a repeat |
| Old pipe corroded near the break | Replace a longer section | Fittings won't hold on weak pipe |
Signs of a broken pipe
- Water dripping through a ceiling or pooling on the floor
- Pressure suddenly weak at every faucet
- A water bill far above normal
- The sound of running water with all taps closed
- Damp drywall along an exterior wall
Timing through the winter
Most bursts follow the first deep cold of the season or a long subzero stretch, and the leak usually shows up during the thaw that follows. Keep the heat on, open cabinet doors on outside walls during cold snaps and drain hose bibs in the fall. Federal Heights' permit rules for plumbing couldn't be confirmed from a city page, so ask the plumber, or call City Hall, before a larger repair such as replacing a run or a buried line. In a fully built-out city like this one, most homes have been through many winters, so when a plumber opens a wall it's worth asking about the condition of the pipe on either side of the break.
Burst Pipe Repair questions in Federal Heights
Water is bubbling up near the street or meter. Who do I call?
Why did the leak only show up once the pipe thawed?
How does a plumber find a break hidden in a wall or floor?
Should I open the faucets after shutting off the main?
More plumbing services in Federal Heights
Burst Pipe Repair nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
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