Water Heater Repair in Greenwood Village, CO

Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Greenwood Village?

Yes. The City of Greenwood Village lists water heater replacement and plumbing work among the residential projects that require a building permit, applied for through its Online Access Portal. The city also requires plumbers working in Greenwood Village to hold a city contractor license, a Level D, or a Level E for plumbing contractors pulling permits who are not working under another contractor. When you hire someone to replace a heater, ask whether they are set up with the city; the permit cannot be pulled otherwise. A repair that leaves the existing heater in place is a different matter, and the plumber can tell you whether it needs anything.

Who supplies my water, and does it affect the heater?

That depends on the address. Denver Water serves the City of Greenwood Village directly as a Total Service distributor, while Southgate Water District serves some areas and Cherry Creek Village Water District serves the area between Belleview Avenue and I-225 and Yosemite and Fulton streets. All of them deliver Denver Water supply, and Denver Water's latest report shows average hardness of about 105 ppm, with a range of roughly 55 to 124 ppm. That is moderate water, enough for scale to collect on electric elements and sediment to settle in a tank. A plumber will often drain some water during a repair to see how much is there. The city publishes Water Districts and Sanitation Districts maps if you are not sure who serves you.

Is my water heater worth repairing?

Look at the date on the label. A heater under about ten years old with a failed thermostat, element, igniter or thermocouple is usually a good repair candidate. An older tank that leaks from its body or shows rust at the fittings is usually better replaced. Larger homes here sometimes have two heaters or a recirculation pump, and a plumber will check the whole system, not just the tank that seems to be failing.

A local note on gas

Xcel Energy supplies natural gas in Greenwood Village. If you smell gas near a water heater, do not try to relight it or touch switches. Leave the house first, then call 911 and Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-2999 from outside. A plumber can repair the heater once the utility has made it safe.