Aurora neighborhood
Backflow and frozen pipe repair in Murphy Creek, Aurora, CO 80018
Murphy Creek is a 2000s neighborhood of two-story homes built around its golf course, east of E-470. Out on the open east side of the city, wind and cold hit the outside plumbing hard, and the sprinkler backflow is often the first casualty.
Murphy Creek at a glance
- ZIP code
- 80018
- County
- Arapahoe
- Typical homes
- 2000s two-story single-family
- From our Aurora office
- East via E Alameda Ave and E-470
- Calls we get most
- Backflow repair, freezes, heaters
Yes, we serve Murphy Creek east of E-470, around the golf course on S Old Tom Morris Rd and near Murphy Creek P-8 School. From our Dallas Street office we head east and south via E Colfax Ave or E Alameda Ave to E-470. We answer 24/7, and a burst line or a split backflow device gets a same day visit.
What open east side weather does to Murphy Creek plumbing
Murphy Creek Golf Course opened in 2000, and most of the homes around it went up in the early 2000s. The neighborhood is two-story contemporary single family homes on the open plains east of E-470. Plumbing from that period is usually PEX or copper supply and plastic drains, with a tank water heater in the basement. At more than twenty years old, the original heaters, valves and sprinkler parts are reaching the age where they fail.
The location adds its own pressure. Wind across open ground pulls heat from exterior walls, and arctic fronts can drop temperatures dramatically in an hour. Backflow assemblies sit above ground beside the house, so one that was not drained before winter can crack on the first deep freeze. Hose bibs, garage lines and pipes in exterior walls on the windward side of the house are the other usual victims.
Aurora Water requires sprinkler backflow assemblies to be tested, and spring start-up is the usual time. That is when most cracked bodies and failed checks get discovered. The neighborhood also sits on expansive Front Range clay, so a yard that settles or swells unevenly can stress the buried sewer lateral over time. If several drains slow at once, the main line deserves a look even in a younger house.
Common calls
Murphy Creek repairs we see each season
Backflow Testing & Repair
Above ground sprinkler backflow assemblies on these lots crack in hard freezes and wear out with age. We test, repair or replace them before the watering season.
More on backflow testing & repairFrozen Pipe Thawing & Repair
Wind exposed walls and garage lines freeze during arctic fronts. We thaw the line safely, find any split and repair it before restoring water.
More on frozen pipe thawing & repairPipe Freeze Protection
Insulating cold walls, adding heat cable on garage runs and setting up vacation settings keeps the same pipe from freezing every winter.
More on pipe freeze protectionWater Heater Repair
Original heaters here are aging. We test thermocouples, gas valves and venting before recommending a replacement, so you only buy a new tank when it is needed.
More on water heater repairOutdoor Faucet & Sillcock Repair
Hose bibs on the windward side of the house take the worst of the cold. We replace split sillcocks and check the wall behind them for water.
More on outdoor faucet & sillcock repairLocal tips
Weatherproofing a Murphy Creek home
- Drain the backflow in fallHave the irrigation system blown out and the backflow assembly drained before the first hard freeze. Wrap it with an insulated cover for extra protection.
- Close the garage doorGarage walls often hide water lines to the laundry or a utility sink. Keeping the door shut on cold nights protects those runs.
- Set a vacation temperatureIf you travel in winter, leave the heat set to a safe level and shut the main water valve. A split pipe with the main off does far less damage.
Nearby areas we also cover
Questions
Plumbing questions from Murphy Creek
Why does my Murphy Creek backflow preventer keep cracking in winter?
Usually it was not fully drained before a hard freeze, or water remained in the body after the system was blown out. The open, windy setting east of E-470 makes it worse. We repair or replace the assembly, then make sure it is drained and covered properly each fall.
How can I tell if a pipe froze inside a wall of my Murphy Creek house?
Look for a faucet with little or no flow on a cold morning, frost on an exposed pipe or a section of wall that feels much colder than the rest. If a pipe splits, you may hear running water when nothing is on. Shut the main and call us right away.
Is it worth repairing the original water heater in a Murphy Creek home?
If the tank is dry and the failure is a part like a thermocouple or gas valve, a repair may buy a few more years. But a heater original to an early 2000s home is well past the typical life of a tank. We give you both prices so you can choose with the full picture.
Plumbing trouble in Murphy Creek?
Call any hour. We tell you on the phone how soon a plumber can get to you.