How Colorado Springs Conditions Affect Your Pipes

Colorado Springs is hard on pipes in ways that most homeowners do not fully appreciate until they have a failure. The hard water attacks copper pipe from the inside, leaving pinhole leaks that start small and grow over time. The freeze-thaw cycles that Front Range winters bring stress pipes in crawl spaces, exterior walls, and unheated spaces – even pipes that have survived many winters can fail after an unusually severe cold snap. And older Colorado Springs homes built with galvanized steel supply pipes face a double challenge: the pipes are corroding from the outside and accumulating mineral scale from the inside simultaneously, reducing both flow and structural integrity over time.

Galvanized Pipe in Older Colorado Springs Homes

Galvanized steel supply pipes were the standard in Colorado Springs homes built through the 1970s. These pipes have a zinc coating that was supposed to protect the steel from corrosion, but in the hard water conditions of Colorado Springs, that zinc coating dissolves over time and leaves the steel pipe exposed. The result is corrosion from the outside, mineral scale accumulation on the inside, and eventually pipes that are partially blocked and structurally compromised. Low water pressure throughout the home is often the first sign that galvanized pipes have reached the end of their useful life.

When Repair Makes Sense vs When Repipe Is the Right Call

A single failed section in an otherwise sound pipe system can usually be repaired without repiping the whole home. But when multiple sections are failing or the pipe material itself has reached end of life throughout the home – as is the case with old galvanized steel pipes in many Colorado Springs neighborhoods – a whole-home repipe with copper or PEX pipe is more cost-effective than chasing individual failures one at a time. WireNut’s plumbers give you an honest assessment of where your Colorado Springs home’s plumbing stands before recommending either approach.

• Section pipe repair. Repairing or replacing isolated sections of failed or leaking pipe in Colorado Springs homes, from a pinhole copper leak to a burst section after a freeze event.
• Whole-home repipe. Replacing all supply piping in older Colorado Springs homes with galvanized steel pipes that have reached end of life. WireNut repiping projects use copper or PEX pipe and are fully permitted and inspected.
• Frozen pipe repair. Repairing pipes that have frozen and burst during Colorado Springs winter cold snaps, including assessing the extent of the damage and addressing any other freeze-vulnerable sections at the same time.
• Pipe rerouting. Rerouting existing pipes to accommodate remodels, additions, or to move plumbing away from freeze-vulnerable locations in Colorado Springs homes.
• New pipe installation. Running new supply or drain pipes for additions, finished basements, new fixtures, and remodels throughout Colorado Springs homes.
• Slab pipe repair. Repairing or rerouting pipes that run beneath the concrete foundation of Colorado Springs homes. WireNut assesses the best repair approach for slab leaks – direct access repair or pipe rerouting through the walls – based on the location and extent of the problem.

Here is a look at the pipe repair and installation work our licensed plumbers handle most often for Colorado Springs homeowners.

PEX vs Copper for Repiping Colorado Springs Homes

When repiping a Colorado Springs home, the two most common material choices are copper and PEX. Copper has a long track record and holds up well, but it is susceptible to pinhole leaks from hard water corrosion over time – the same problem that often drives the need for a repipe in the first place. PEX is flexible, freeze-resistant, and not subject to hard water corrosion, making it an increasingly popular choice for Colorado Springs repipe projects. WireNut’s plumbers discuss the tradeoffs honestly and help you choose the right material for your Colorado Springs home’s situation.