Leak Detection in Frederick, CO

Clues that something is leaking

• Gallons used climbing on your water bill with no change in routine
• The meter's leak indicator moving with the house quiet
• A muddy patch in the front yard during dry weather
• Damp carpet or baseboards in a finished basement
• A toilet that refills by itself every so often
• Summer bills that jump more than the watering schedule explains

Local conditions in Frederick

Frederick is a former coal-mining town that has become a fast-growing family suburb in southwest Weld County, one of the Carbon Valley towns with Firestone and Dacono. Three entities supply water inside town limits. All residents east of I-25 are Town of Frederick water customers, and Left Hand Water District serves residents west of I-25; Central Weld County Water District also serves part of town. Your bill tells you which one you have.

The Town has inventoried its water service lines and will tell residents what their own line is made of if they ask. With so much newer construction, most leaks here start at connections rather than in old pipe: PEX fittings, water heater lines, washer hoses and ice maker supplies. Irrigation is the other big one. Frederick requires reduced pressure (RP) backflow assemblies on irrigation systems and encourages single-family homes to test them every three years, and a cracked sprinkler line or valve that sticks open can waste a lot of water before anyone notices.

Sewer is handled by St. Vrain Sanitation District, which treats the building sewer line as the property owner's responsibility.

What affects the cost

• How many sections of the plumbing need testing before the leak is isolated
• Whether it is in a finished basement, a slab, a wall or the yard
• Irrigation system size and how many zones are involved
• The repair, from a single fitting to a new length of line
• Any Town of Frederick Building Department permit the fix requires

What happens when you call

You will be connected with an independent plumber who covers Frederick. Mention which side of I-25 you are on and who bills you for water, whether you have watched the meter and where you have seen moisture. That points the plumber toward the right utility if the leak turns out to be on the public side.