3 services · Lakewood
Water heaters in Lakewood, CO
Most tank water heaters last about 8 to 12 years. A plumber can often repair a heater that stops making hot water, but a tank that leaks from the bottom has failed and needs to be replaced. Tankless heaters last longer but cost more to install, especially if the gas line or venting has to change.
- Licensed local plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Water heaters services in Lakewood
Water heater repair
UrgentIf a gas water heater has no hot water, the pilot, thermocouple or gas valve is the usual cause; on an electric heater it's usually an element or thermostat. Those parts are repairable. A tank that leaks from the bottom can't be repaired and needs to be replaced.
Water heater replacement in Lakewood
A leaking tank or a heater past about 10 years old is usually replaced rather than repaired. A proper install includes a permit, correct venting (adjusted for altitude where needed), an expansion tank where required, a drip leg on the gas line and a relief valve discharge pipe.
Tankless water heaters
A tankless water heater heats water as it flows, so it doesn't run out, but it needs a larger gas line, its own venting and a unit rated for your elevation. Installed correctly and descaled regularly, it can outlast a tank heater.
Local conditions
Water heaters in Lakewood: what's different
Lakewood's mid-century homes are long past their original water heaters, and many are on their third or fourth. The heater often sits in a lower-level utility room in split-levels and bi-levels, sharing a flue with the furnace that needs to be checked at replacement.
Water service in Lakewood is split among Denver Water, Consolidated Mutual and other districts, so water quality varies by address. Replacements need a permit from the City of Lakewood for addresses inside city limits, or Jefferson County for unincorporated ones.
- Water and sewer in Lakewood
- Water service is split among several providers, including Denver Water, Consolidated Mutual Water Company and other local districts, depending on your address. Sanitation is also handled by multiple districts.
- Permits in Lakewood
- The City of Lakewood's building division issues plumbing permits for addresses inside city limits; unincorporated Jefferson County addresses go through the county.
Lakewood housing and plumbing
Many 1950s–60s Lakewood homes have cast-iron drain stacks and copper supply, while some still have galvanized runs. Split-level and bi-level designs put plumbing in lower levels that sit partly below grade, where a sewer backup or sump problem shows up first.
Other Lakewood conditions that affect plumbing
- Lower-level backups: In bi-levels and split-levels, the lowest drain is often a floor drain or a basement bathroom. When the main line clogs, that's where water appears first.
- Clay soils on the west side: Expansive soils near the foothills can shift slab floors and stress sewer lines where they leave the foundation, leading to offset joints.
- Freeze-prone hose bibs: West-side homes get cold canyon air during arctic fronts. Hose bibs and pipes along north walls freeze in the same places most winters.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover Lakewood and Jefferson County, including Belmar, Green Mountain, Bear Creek, Applewood, Union Square, Lakewood Heights, Bonnie Brae. ZIP codes: 80214 · 80215 · 80226 · 80227 · 80228 · 80232 · 80235.
When to call a plumber in Lakewood
- No hot water, or hot water that runs out much faster than it used to
- Water pooling around the base of the tank
- Rumbling or popping from the tank
- Rusty or smelly hot water
- A pilot that won't stay lit or a tankless unit showing an error code
- A heater more than 10 years old before it fails
How these problems start and how to choose between repair options is covered in the water heaters guide.
Water heaters questions in Lakewood
Who issues water heater permits in Lakewood?
How long does a water heater replacement take?
More plumbing in Lakewood
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