In Denver, pipe repair challenges arise from the unique climate and infrastructure of the Mile-High City. The high altitude and temperature swings between winter and summer place intense stress on pipes. Plumbing systems commonly fail in three ways: pipe bursts, which usually occur during the freezing part of the year; roof leaks, which happen during heavy snowstorms (not quite a “normal” part of Denver life, but a guaranteed annual occurrence that we can count on); and foundation leaks, two of which have occurred at my house and have required excavation of my front yard and parts of my finished basement to repair correctly. Unlike the kinds of leaks that are visible to the naked eye, those that are not easy to find require special methods of detection.
In Denver, the most prevalent types of leaks are plumbing leaks, which can occur in various forms and severity. Dripping faucets and showerheads might seem innocuous, but their steady stream of water adds up to a significant volume. Far more worrying are the leaks that occur when the piping itself is compromised, either through a break or a less severe slab leak. Denver's water, with its high mineral content, tends to be rough on pipes of all types, but in recent years, many local builders have switched to PVC in order to avoid the expense of copper. They're also trying to avoid the health issues caused by PVC when it's improperly installed, which can happen when it's installed in walls without adequate backer board or in spaces without good ventilation.
Another major concern for the residents of Denver is their roofs and exterior leaks. The heavy snowfall and hail can create real issues. It's not unusual for a heavy winter to damage roofing materials, leading to potential leaks that can persist all year long.
Even with less snow, the builds-up of ice can damage shingles and other materials, and then there's winter's most inventive problem: the ice dam.
Then there are window and door leaks, and the leaks from foundations of buildings that were just attempted by someone in the 'hard hat' community to fix. Once these common leaks are fixed, energy efficiency will finally be restored to these historic buildings, if historic architecture can ever truly be termed "energy efficient."
