Plumbing Inspection in Denver, CO

Why age matters in Denver

With more than half of the city's homes built before 1980, older materials can still be in service. Galvanized steel supply lines can corrode from the inside and lose flow. Cast iron drains can crack or scale up. Clay sewer laterals can shift at the joints and invite roots. None of that is guaranteed in any one house, which is why a look at the actual pipes beats guessing from the listing.

What an inspection covers

• Water service line: the pipe from the main into the house, including its material.
• Supply piping: visible runs, shutoff valves and pressure at the fixtures.
• Drains and vents: slow fixtures, leaks under sinks and the condition of exposed stacks.
• Water heater: age, venting, the relief valve and signs of leaking.
• Fixtures: toilets, faucets, tub and shower valves.
• Outdoor items: hose bibs and any irrigation backflow device.

Who owns what

Denver Water says the property owner owns the water service line from the main in the street into the house, so a leak or bad material there is generally a private repair. If an inspection turns up a lead service line, Denver Water's Lead Reduction Program replaces it with copper at no direct cost to the owner.

On the drain side, the line from the house to the city sewer main is generally a private plumbing repair. Denver Wastewater Management, part of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, runs the public sewer and can answer questions about a specific address.

Add a sewer camera for older homes

A visual walkthrough cannot see underground. Running a camera down the lateral shows roots, offset joints, sags and breaks, and gives you a recording to share with a seller or keep for later.

Good times to schedule one

1. Before closing on a home, especially an older one.
2. Before a kitchen or bath remodel that opens walls.
3. After a winter with frozen or burst pipes.
4. When several fixtures start draining slowly at once.

What sets the price

Cost depends on the size of the home, how many bathrooms and fixtures there are, whether a sewer camera is included, and how much of the piping is reachable from a basement or crawl space.