Thornton, CO water damage help, across 1 ZIP code

Thornton up close

Thornton is in Adams County and is served with the Littleton area. Its homes are mostly newer: Census figures show 23% were built before 1980 and 0% before 1950. About 19% sit in buildings of 5 or more units, 27% are rented, and 5% are manufactured homes, where water collects under the floor.

Cold sets the pattern. NOAA climate normals show 149 nights a year at or below 32 degrees, 17 days that stay below freezing and 45 inches of snow. Pipes in exterior walls, garages and crawl spaces split, and ice at the eaves can push meltwater under the roof edge and into ceilings. Ceiling repair after a leak from ice at the eaves waits until the roof leak is stopped and the framing is dry.

Outside flooding is rare. NOAA's climate normals show only 2 days a year with an inch of rain or more. FEMA's National Risk Index puts yearly inland flood loss at $41 per $100,000 of building value, against $80 for Colorado. Federal flood insurance covers only 0.2% of Adams County homes. Basements needing water removal in Westminster face the same freeze and snowmelt risks.

Before the crew arrives in Thornton

Thornton's winters drive most water damage here. NOAA climate normals show 149 nights a year at or below 32 degrees, 57 nights at or below 20 and 45 inches of snow. When a pipe freezes and splits, close the main shutoff fully. It is usually in the basement or a utility room near the water heater.

Then switch off the breakers for wet rooms and the basement if water reaches outlets or the furnace. Photograph the split pipe, the walls and the floor before cleanup. Lift boxes and rugs off the basement floor. Census figures show 23% of Thornton homes were built before 1980, so many houses are newer. But plastic lines in exterior walls and crawl spaces still freeze. Burst pipe cleanup begins once the water is off. Calls for water removal in Commerce City go the same way, and the line is open 24/7.