Repiping in Northglenn, CO

Are original Perl-Mack homes due for new pipe?

Many are worth a look. Northglenn began in 1959 as Perl-Mack's planned community, which Life magazine once called the most perfectly planned community in America, and much of the housing comes from that first build-out in the late 1950s and 1960s. Pipe installed then has been in service for six decades. Galvanized steel from that period rusts and narrows on the inside, and older copper can thin to the point of pinhole leaks. Homes that have been partly remodeled often have newer pipe tied into old, which leaves weak joints between materials. Newer infill such as Karl's Farm is far less likely to need a repipe.

Where does my responsibility start?

The City of Northglenn treats and distributes its own water from its plant on West 112th Avenue and disinfects with chlorine. The homeowner is responsible for the water line from the meter to the house, and leaks on that stretch are repaired at the owner's expense. The city asks residents not to operate the meter-pit shutoff themselves, so a plumber should coordinate if the main needs to be shut at the meter. Northglenn keeps a service line material inventory for its service area, available on request from Public Works, which can tell you what is on record for your service line before you plan the job.

Northglenn's reported hardness is about 120 mg/L, in the moderate range, though that figure comes from older sampling. Scale is a factor for water heaters and fixtures, but age is what drives most repipes here.

What permits apply?

The City of Northglenn Building Division, with services provided by SAFEbuilt, requires permits for plumbing modifications and for outside water line replacement or repair. A repipe that includes the yard line touches both. The plumber normally files the permit and books the inspection.

A local timing note

Original pipe in exterior walls and unheated spaces is the most likely to split during a Front Range cold snap. If your house is still on its first set of supply lines, planning the work in the warmer months avoids an emergency decision in January.