Plain answers from Aurora plumbers
Plumbing advice for Aurora homeowners
Short, practical guides on the plumbing problems Aurora homes actually have: frozen pipes, clay soil and sewer lines, water heaters at altitude, and what to do first when something breaks.
Written by Mavis Vickery, Advice Center Editor.
All guides
Guides for the plumbing problems Aurora homes actually have
How to find and shut off the main water valve in an Aurora home
When a pipe splits, the first minute decides how much water ends up on the floor. Here is where Aurora homes usually hide the main valve, how to close each type, and how to keep it ready for the day you need it.
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Why pipes freeze in Aurora homes even with the heat on
A warm living room doesn't protect a pipe inside a cold exterior wall. This guide explains how freezes happen in heated Aurora homes, which spots fail first during an arctic front, and the fixes that actually work.
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Tank or tankless at 5,400 feet: choosing a water heater in Aurora
Both kinds of water heater work well in Aurora, but altitude, winter groundwater temperatures and moderately hard water change the math. Here is how to compare them honestly for the way your household uses hot water.
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What Front Range clay soil does to your sewer line
The clay under many Aurora yards swells when wet and shrinks when dry, year after year. That slow movement bends, separates and sags buried sewer pipe. Here is how it happens and what you can do about it.
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What pipe is in your Aurora house? A guide by build year
The year your house was built is the best first clue to what runs through its walls. This guide matches Aurora's building eras to the supply and drain pipe you're likely to find, and shows you how to confirm it yourself.
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Backflow testing in Aurora: what property owners need to know
If your property has a sprinkler system, a fire line or certain commercial equipment, there's a backflow assembly keeping that water out of the drinking supply. Here is what it does, how testing works and how to keep it healthy.
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Why a sewer scope belongs in every Aurora home inspection
The pipe that carries everything out of the house runs where no home inspector can see it. A sewer scope puts a camera inside it for a modest fee, and in Aurora the results can change what you offer.
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Is Aurora's water hard enough to need a softener?
Aurora Water's own report puts average hardness at about 8 grains per gallon. That's moderately hard: not extreme, but enough to show up on glass, faucets and water heaters. Here is how to decide whether a softener is worth it.
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Burst pipe? What to do in the first ten minutes
A burst pipe can push a startling amount of water into a house in a few minutes. What you do before help arrives decides how much of it soaks into floors and walls. Here is the order that matters.
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Seven signs your water heater is near the end of its life
Water heaters rarely fail without warning. Most give months of hints before the tank leaks, and catching them lets you replace the unit on your schedule instead of on a cold morning. Here are the seven to watch for.
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