Burst Pipe Repair in Aurora, CO

How a broken supply line usually shows itself

• Water spraying or running from a pipe in the basement, garage or under a vanity
• A brown ring on a ceiling that keeps spreading after a cold night
• Pressure dropping at every faucet at once
• A hiss inside a wall when no fixture is running
• The water meter registering use while the house is quiet
• Soft, soggy ground between the meter pit and the foundation

Active spraying means the main gets closed right now. A slow weep is less frantic, but trapped water in drywall and subfloor turns into mold and rot if it sits for days.

Aurora's water system and the owner's share

Aurora Water, the city's own utility, supplies the city and runs its wastewater side as well. Under city code, Aurora Water owns the service line from the main up to and including the meter pit, and the homeowner owns the pipe from the meter pit to the building. A break on that private stretch, or anywhere inside the walls, is a job for a plumber the owner hires. If water is boiling up at the meter pit or in the street, phone Aurora Water first: 303-326-8645 during business hours or 303-739-6772 after hours, on weekends and on holidays.

Homes vary widely here, from the original neighborhoods in the northwest to master-planned subdivisions near E-470. Older houses may still have mixed pipe materials, and Aurora Water notes that lead was sometimes used in service lines installed in 1960 or earlier. If a yard-line break uncovers an old line, ask the utility about its lead service line lookup before deciding how to rebuild it.

What changes the price of the repair

• Where the break is: an open basement ceiling is quicker than a finished wall or tiled shower.
• The pipe itself: copper, PEX and CPVC each splice differently, and old galvanized needs transition fittings.
• How many spots froze: one cold exterior wall can crack in more than one place.
• Digging: a failure on the private service line outside means excavation.
• Permits: the City of Aurora Building Division reviews and inspects plumbing work when a permit applies.
• When you call: nights and holidays generally cost more.

After you call the number

You'll be routed to an independent plumber who covers Aurora. Say where the water is coming from, whether the main is off and what kind of pipe you can see. On site, the plumber locates the rupture, cuts out the damaged piece, installs new pipe, then brings the water back slowly while checking nearby joints for a second leak.