Water Heater Repair in Lakewood, CO

Local conditions in Lakewood

Lakewood is a large, diverse suburb directly west of Denver with no traditional downtown; Belmar serves as its town center. Its housing is middle-aged: census estimates put the median build year at 1977, with about 55.8% of homes built before 1980. In those homes, water heaters often sit in basements with older gas piping, flue connectors and shutoff valves, and a repair can uncover a corroded fitting or stiff valve worth replacing at the same time.

Water is a patchwork. Denver Water sells water to nearly 20 providers within Lakewood, including the City of Lakewood's own utility, Consolidated Mutual, Green Mountain, Bear Creek and many other water and sanitation districts. All of them deliver Denver Water supply, which Denver Water's latest report puts at an average hardness of about 105 mg/L, a moderate level. Denver Water uses a long-lasting chloramine disinfectant. On the City of Lakewood system, the homeowner is responsible for the service line from the meter pit to the house; other districts may draw that line differently.

The City of Lakewood Building Department says most plumbing work requires a permit, filed through eTRAKiT. Its pages do not specifically address water heater replacement, so ask the plumber or the permit counter before a new heater goes in.

Repair or replace?

Signs to watch for

• A heater that rumbles or pops
• A pilot that keeps going out
• Rust at the fittings or a damp base
• Water dripping from the relief valve pipe

Seasonal notes

Snowmelt supply runs coldest in winter, so heaters work hardest from December through February and worn parts tend to fail then. Fall is a good time to flush the tank and test the relief valve on an older unit. If you smell gas, leave the house first, then call 911 and Xcel Energy, Lakewood's gas utility, at 1-800-895-2999 from outside.