Denver County · Denver–Aurora–Centennial metro

Plumbing help in Denver, CO

Older PipesFrozen Pipes

Denver's plumbing mixes old and new: about half of its housing was built before 1980, and the city's freeze-thaw winters test pipes, outdoor faucets and irrigation backflow devices every year. Water hardness varies with the mountain system supplying each neighborhood.

Call (833) 878-1592Plumbing help in Denver and Denver County

Median home built: 1979
Built before 1980: 51%
Owner-occupied: 48%
Water hardness: See below
Winter: Regular hard freezes
Plumbing code: IPC

The plumbing calls that come up most in Denver

Frozen Pipe Repair
Repeated freeze-thaw cycles and sudden cold snaps catch pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and garages.
Outdoor Faucet and Hose Bib Repair
Frost-free sillcocks split when hoses are left connected in winter, and the leak often appears inside the wall in spring.
Backflow Testing
Sprinkler systems are common, and their backflow devices need winterizing and testing.

Local programs in Denver

Lead service line replacement in DenverHow Denver Water replaces customer-owned lead service lines with copper at no direct cost, which homes are most likely affected, and what to do while you wait.

Emergency plumbing in Denver

Call (833) 878-1592

Shut off your main water supply if it's safe to do so. The emergencies below are listed most likely first for Denver homes, based on local conditions.

Denver's 1970s housing and its pipes

The median home in Denver was built in 1979, and 51% of homes predate 1980. Homes from that era were typically built with copper supply, early plastic (ABS or PVC) drains, some cast iron.

Median home: 1979

1900195020002025

Galvanized steel supply (1900–1960)
Copper supply (1950–2000)
Polybutylene (some homes) (1978–1996)
PEX / CPVC (1995–today)

Typical supply-pipe materials by construction year. Many older homes have been partly repiped since.

Common projects in homes like these:Repiping Sewer camera inspection Water line repair Brown or rusty water

Frozen pipe risk in Denver

Regular hard freezes · 51% of Denver homes were built before 1980

Before winter:Winterizing checklist Outdoor faucets Find your shutoff

If a pipe freezes:Frozen pipe repair Burst pipe repair No water

Plumbing code and permits in Denver

Plumbing work in Denver falls under Colorado's statewide plumbing and fuel gas codes, based on the 2021 International Plumbing Code, International Fuel Gas Code and IRC plumbing provisions. [2]

Licensing:Check a plumber's license in Colorado How to check a license

Where Denver's water comes from

Denver Water describes its southern collection system's water as moderately hard and its northern system's as somewhat soft, so hardness in Denver depends on which system serves an address. [1]

Plumbing services for Denver homes

Or start from:Plumbing problems Emergencies

Denver plumbing questions

How do I keep my outdoor faucet from freezing in Denver?

Disconnect the hose before the first hard freeze so a frost-free sillcock can drain. On standard spigots, close the interior shutoff and drain the faucet. See outdoor faucet repair.

Is Denver water hard?

It depends on your neighborhood. Denver Water describes its southern system as moderately hard and its northern system as somewhat soft.

Sources (3)

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year (B25035) · checked 2026-10-01
Denver Water, Water Hardness · checked 2026-10-01
International Code Council, Colorado adopts the latest IPC and IFGC (July 19, 2023) · checked 2026-10-01