In Bailey, some homes are members of Bailey Water and Sanitation District and others have their own water source, so the leak test depends on your setup. A plumber can check the meter or the pressure system and find where water is escaping. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Bailey.
The Bailey picture
Bailey is a small mountain community on U.S. 285 along the North Fork of the South Platte River, one of the larger communities in the Platte Canyon area of Park County. Bailey Water and Sanitation District provides water and sewer only to members of its district, runs its own sewer plant and operates a public water station off U.S. 285. Its service area was not published, and homes outside the district are not served by it, so if you do not get a district bill, your home has its own water system. Ask the plumber to test whichever setup you have.
What to do now
- Turn off every faucet and water-using appliance.
- On district water, read the meter, wait an hour without using water and read it again.
- On your own system, watch the pressure tank gauge for 15 to 30 minutes and listen for the pump starting.
- If water is spraying or pooling, close the main shutoff; on a pump system, switch off the pump breaker too.
- District members can reach Bailey Water and Sanitation District at (719) 581-2080.
- If you smell gas, leave the house first, then call 911 and Colorado Natural Gas at 1-800-883-3181 from outside.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Meter moves with every fixture off | Leak past the district meter |
| Pump starts at night with nothing running | Leak between the pump and the taps, or a check valve that will not hold |
| Tank pressure slowly drops | Fitting or line leak on the pressure side |
| Wet ground along the route to the house | Break in the buried supply line |
| Drips in a crawl space after a cold spell | Freeze-cracked pipe or fitting |
Cost factors
- Your water setup and the length of the buried line
- Rocky or steep ground that makes digging slower
- Crawl space access and how much insulation has to be moved
- The repair: a fitting, a valve or a new section of pipe
- Any Park County Building Department permit; the county handles building permits and inspections everywhere in Park County except Fairplay and Alma
Mountain winters are long here, and freeze damage is one of the most common causes of hidden leaks in crawl spaces and exterior walls. A pipe that cracked in January may not drip noticeably until it warms up.
Leak Detection questions in Bailey
How do I find out which water provider serves my address?
How do I spot a leak if my home runs on a private well?
What should I do if I smell gas rather than see water?
Can a winter freeze cause a leak I don't notice until spring?
More plumbing services in Bailey
Leak Detection nearby
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