Burst Pipe Repair in Golden, CO

Signs you're dealing with a burst

• Water spraying or dripping from a pipe in a crawl space, basement or garage
• A ceiling stain that keeps growing
• Pressure dropping at all the taps
• Rushing water inside a wall with fixtures off
• Water seeping through a foundation wall facing the yard line

If it's spraying, close the main now. A slow drip is less urgent, but water trapped in walls leads to mold and rot.

Golden conditions

Golden is a historic foothills city and the Jefferson County seat, home to the Colorado School of Mines. Its housing ranges from old houses near downtown to newer neighborhoods on the edges. Being right at the base of the mountains, Golden gets cold air draining down Clear Creek Canyon on winter nights, and lines in crawl spaces, exterior walls and garages take the hit.

Homes inside city limits are on the City of Golden water system, and few rely on private wells. Addresses with a Golden mailing ZIP outside city limits may be served by another provider, so check your bill. For a water or sewer emergency on the city's side, Golden runs a 24-hour line at 303-384-8158; the Utilities Department is at 303-384-8170. Golden's water comes from Clear Creek, and its hardness swings seasonally, which can leave scale on valves; a main shutoff that hasn't been turned in years may be stiff, so test it before winter.

What affects the cost

• Access through plaster, drywall or tile
• Pipe material and the fittings needed to join it
• Number of breaks along the frozen run
• Digging if the leak is on the buried service line
• Permits: Golden handles plumbing permits over the counter, applied for by email and typically returned in one to two business days
• Night or weekend timing

What to expect from the call

Your call goes to an independent plumber who works in Golden. Be ready to say where the water is, whether you closed the main and what pipe you can see. The plumber finds the rupture, cuts out the damaged length, installs new pipe and brings the water back slowly while checking nearby joints. In older houses, ask for a quick look at the rest of the exposed pipe while the wall is open.