Emergency plumber in Westminster, CO

What to do right now in a Westminster home

If your water heater is in the garage, the main shutoff is often nearby, where the water line enters through the garage wall or slab. Otherwise look in the basement or crawl space on the street side. Close it, then deal with the heater: gas to Off, cold supply closed.

Garage water heaters and the pipes around them are exposed to cold. In a hard freeze, check them first.

Common Westminster emergencies

• Frozen or split pipes near garage water heaters
• Relief valves discharging from high pressure when a pressure-reducing valve fails
• Failed supply lines under sinks in older homes

Before the next cold snap

Garage water heaters and the pipes around them are the Westminster weak spot. Insulate exposed lines, seal drafts at the garage door, and keep it closed on frigid nights.

Westminster's after-hours water line

The City of Westminster lists 303-658-2500 as the number to call day or night if you're without water or suspect a water main break (City of Westminster water page). That covers the public mains, the service up to the meter, and the meter itself. Leaks after the meter, inside walls, at the water heater or under fixtures are the homeowner's responsibility.

From Historic Westminster to Orchard Town Center

Westminster's oldest houses, around 72nd Avenue in Historic Westminster, can have a main shutoff in a cellar, a crawl space or even a closet where an old line was rerouted. Expect older valves and some surprises. In the neighborhoods around Standley Lake and Hidden Lake, look where the line enters the garage or the basement wall closest to the street. North Westminster homes near Orchard Town Center usually have a ball valve in a mechanical room with the water heater.

Because so many Westminster tanks live in the garage, it's worth checking what else is out there: the cold inlet, the relief valve line and any hose bib on the same wall all sit in unheated space.

When a front comes through

Cold air settles into the lower ground around Standley Lake and Big Dry Creek, and garages drop close to outdoor temperature overnight. Pipe insulation on exposed garage lines, weatherstripping on the garage door and a closed door on the coldest nights do more than most people expect.

A relief valve that suddenly drips or sprays isn't always the heater failing. It can mean water pressure has climbed because a pressure-reducing valve has worn out. Turn the heater off, close its cold valve, and call; don't cap the relief line.

What we handle

Burst and freeze-split pipes, active leaks you can't stop at a fixture shutoff, and water heater failures. More on emergency plumbing, burst pipe repair and leaking water heaters.