When a pipe bursts in an Edgewater home, close the main valve and turn off power near the water. A plumber can replace the damaged pipe and check the older plumbing around it. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Edgewater.
Edgewater is a small, fully urban city of about 2,300 households, bordered by Denver, Lakewood and Wheat Ridge just west of Sloan's Lake. Its median home was built in 1958, and about 79% of the housing predates 1980. The City of Edgewater buys its water from Denver Water through six master meters and runs its own distribution system. The city maintains the mains; property owners are responsible for their water service lines and water meters.
What to do now
- Close the main valve, usually in the basement where the line comes through the front wall.
- Turn off breakers to wet outlets, lights and appliances.
- Open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain the lines.
- Switch off an electric water heater or set a gas unit to pilot. If you smell gas, leave and call 911 and Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-2999 from outside.
- Take photos before cleanup.
- For a leak near the street or at the meter, call the city's water meter and utility maintenance line at 720-763-3060.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Water along the basement wall facing the street | Owner's service line leaking where it enters |
| Rusty water, then a leak at a joint | Old galvanized pipe that cracked when it froze |
| Dripping ceiling after a cold night | Line in an exterior wall or over a porch froze |
| Meter spinning with taps closed | Hidden leak past the meter |
| One faucet with no flow | A frozen branch line |
What affects the cost
- Plaster walls and finished basements take more opening and patching
- Old galvanized pipe may need replacing beyond the break so new fittings hold
- Several cracks in one run
- Digging for a leak on the owner's service line
- Permits through the City of Edgewater Building Department
- Night or weekend timing
Edgewater has a few quirks worth knowing. Because owners are responsible for their water meters, a meter damaged by freezing is the owner's to replace; meters are bought from the city, and a plumber can install one with a city inspection. Homeowners may pull their own plumbing permit only if they'll personally do the work and the home isn't for sale or rent. In houses this old, ask the plumber to look at the exposed pipe on both sides of the break.
Burst Pipe Repair questions in Edgewater
Who pays to fix a leak between the meter pit and the house?
What if the meter pit itself freezes?
Does one burst mean the whole house needs new pipe?
Should I open the faucets after shutting off the main?
More plumbing services in Edgewater
Burst Pipe Repair nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
Last updated: