If you smell gas in a Lakewood home, leave right away, then call 911 and Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-2999 from outdoors. For leaks after the meter, new appliance branches and pressure tests, call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Lakewood.
Lakewood homes and their gas lines
Lakewood is a large suburb immediately west of Denver, with no traditional downtown; Belmar serves as its town center. Census survey figures put the median home build year at 1977, with about 56% of homes built before 1980. A lot of Lakewood's gas piping has therefore been through several rounds of change, with furnaces upgraded, water heaters swapped and kitchens remodeled, each one adding fittings and sometimes leaving an abandoned branch behind.
The city lists Xcel Energy as its natural gas company. For emergencies, use Xcel's gas line at 1-800-895-2999.
The City of Lakewood Building Department, with its counter at 470 South Allison Parkway, issues building and trade permits, and says most plumbing work requires one. Permits run through the city's eTRAKiT portal.
What usually happens with an older system
| What the plumber finds | Likely recommendation |
|---|---|
| Weeping fitting found with leak solution | Repair the fitting, retest |
| Uncapped or poorly capped old branch | Cut back and cap properly |
| Old connector to the range or dryer | Replace with a new connector |
| Main line too small for added appliances | Upsize from the meter |
| Flexible tubing added in a remodel without bonding | Add the bonding connection |
Signs to take seriously
- A rotten-egg smell: leave first
- Hissing near the meter, a valve or an appliance
- Yellow or lazy flames
- Soot on a vent
- Rust on exposed basement pipe
Seasonal timing
The best window for non-urgent gas work in Lakewood is late summer, before the furnace runs nightly. If you are planning a kitchen or basement remodel, deal with the gas piping while walls are open. Buried lines to a grill or fire pit should go in before the ground freezes. During a cold snap, keep the furnace running and schedule other gas work around it so the house is not without heat overnight.
If you are adding gas to a deck or patio, think about where furniture and grills will sit before the line is run, since moving a stub later means more trenching. In older Lakewood neighborhoods, trenching may cross old irrigation lines or tree roots, and the plumber will request utility locates first. Ask for the pressure test results and permit number for your records when the job is done.
Gas Line Services questions in Lakewood
What do plumbers tend to find in the gas piping of older homes?
Does gas piping work here need a permit?
Can a plumber add a gas line for a new range, dryer or fireplace?
What is the yellow corrugated tubing on my gas lines, and why does bonding matter?
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