Shower Goes Cold When the Washer Runs? Solve Cross-Demand Conflicts
Ever step into a hot shower only to get blasted with icy or scalding water the moment the washing machine kicks on? That frustrating temperature swing is usually caused by a cross-demand conflict—when multiple fixtures compete for the same water supply at the same time. In many homes, showers and washing machines share hot and [...]
Gas Line Basics for Homeowners: Sizing, Materials, and Permit Rules
Gas lines are one of the most heavily regulated systems in any home, and for good reason. Improper gas line sizing, unapproved materials, or skipped permits can cause appliances to underperform, trigger dangerous pressure drops, or create serious safety hazards like gas leaks and carbon monoxide exposure. Homeowners planning to add or upgrade gas appliances [...]
Camera Sewer Inspections: What Tech Sees (and What It Misses)
Camera sewer inspections have become the go-to tool for diagnosing underground pipe problems, offering homeowners and cities a fast, non-invasive way to see what’s happening below ground. High-definition sewer cameras can clearly identify cracks, root intrusion, blockages, corrosion, and pipe misalignment—often without digging. But even the most advanced inspection technology has blind spots. Standing water, [...]
Boiler Market Shift: Why Combi Units Are Surging in Small Homes
The home heating boiler market has shifted dramatically over the past decade, with combination boilers, or combi units, now accounting for 67% of new heating system installations in homes under 1,500 square feet. This trend reflects more than homeowner preference—it mirrors changes in building codes, energy efficiency standards, and urban housing design. Combi boilers save [...]
No Hot Water in the Morning but Fine Later? Diagnose in 10 Minutes
Your water heater works fine all day, but runs out of hot water every morning. This pattern tells you something specific is wrong with your system. The problem usually comes from one of three issues: your heater can't warm enough water overnight, the temperature control (thermostat) isn't set right, or mineral buildup at the tank [...]
How Colorado’s Freeze-Thaw Cycles Impact Underground Plumbing
Colorado’s mountain climate puts underground plumbing systems under constant stress. Unlike states with steady winter temperatures, Colorado experiences rapid and repeated swings above and below freezing, often several times within a single week. Every one of these freeze-thaw cycles causes buried pipes to expand when temperatures rise and contract when the ground cools again. Over [...]
Boiler Expansion Tanks: What They Do and When to Replace
Boiler expansion tanks play a critical role in keeping hot water heating systems safe, stable, and operating efficiently. Yet many property owners and facility managers overlook the early warning signs that these components are wearing out. As water heats, it expands—creating pressure that must be safely absorbed to protect the boiler, pipes, and valves from [...]
Basement Drain Smells After Rain? Here’s What That Means
If your basement smells bad after a rainstorm, it’s often a warning sign of deeper plumbing or drainage problems. Musty or sewage-like odors can indicate that sewer gases are escaping through floor drains, water traps have dried out, or rainwater is seeping through cracks in your foundation. Heavy rainfall puts added stress on your home’s [...]
The State of West Denver Plumbing: Aging Laterals, Tree Roots, and Rising Water Use
West Denver’s underground plumbing infrastructure is facing a growing crisis. Many homes built in the 1940s and 1950s have sewer laterals, pipes that connect houses to the main sewer lines, which are now 70–80 years old and deteriorating. Tree roots from cottonwoods and willows infiltrate these aging pipes, causing cracks, blockages, and backups. At the [...]
High-Altitude Plumbing: Do Water Heaters Need Different Settings in Denver?
Denver’s elevation, one mile above sea level, creates unique challenges for water heaters. Thinner air means less oxygen for combustion, lower boiling points, and different pressure conditions inside the tank. Because of this, both the International Fuel Gas Code and Uniform Plumbing Code require specific high-altitude adjustments, known as derating, for any installation above 2,000 [...]