I bought a remodeled Victorian in Highland. How do I know what plumbing it has?

Ask the sellers or the remodeling contractor for permit records and plans, and have a plumber look at exposed pipe in the basement and under sinks. Permit history from the city can also show what work was done and when.

Are rooftop deck lines common in newer Highland townhomes?

Many newer townhomes have rooftop decks, and some include a spigot or a small bar sink. If yours does, find out how it is shut off and drained for winter.

Highland Pipe Risks: Victorians, Bungalows and New Townhomes

Technician taking a temperature reading at a ceiling. A representative photo of the task, not a record of work at any particular property.

Two kinds of housing on the same block

Highland, along with neighboring areas like Sunnyside and West Highland, was among Denver's early streetcar neighborhoods, and some original houses date to the late 1800s. These homes have been remodeled repeatedly, so plumbing may be a patchwork of galvanized, copper and newer plastic. Additions on the back of the house, enclosed porches and bathrooms added in former bedrooms often put pipes in places that were never designed for winter.

Since the early 2000s, many lots have been redeveloped with townhomes and duplexes. These newer buildings usually have plumbing inside insulated walls, often PEX, and are less prone to the classic exterior-wall freeze. Their weak spots are different: rooftop decks with hose bibs or wet bars, cantilevered upper floors with plumbing above an open space, and garages beneath living space.

Neither type is immune. The questions to ask simply differ depending on which kind of house you have.

Weak spots by building type

Building type	Where pipes are most exposed	What to check
Victorian or early house	Back additions, enclosed porches, uninsulated exterior walls	Pipe routes in additions; aging galvanized lines
Denver Square or bungalow	North-wall kitchens, basement rim joists, hose bibs	Insulation at rim joists; frost-free sillcocks
Newer townhome	Rooftop deck spigots and wet bars, garage ceilings	Winterizing rooftop lines; shutoffs for deck plumbing
Duplex with shared wall	Lines near the party wall and in the garage	Who controls each unit's main; shared risks
Unit over a garage	Floor plumbing above unheated garage	Insulation in the garage ceiling; garage door seal

Highland homeowner checklist

Know whether your house is original, remodeled or new construction, and where the plumbing runs
Insulate pipes in crawlspaces, additions and along basement rim joists
Drain and shut off rooftop and deck plumbing before the first hard freeze
Have older galvanized supply lines evaluated by a plumber
Ask Denver Community Planning and Development about permits before relocating plumbing
Test older materials before opening walls in houses from the 1970s or earlier

Map of Highland. It shows an area, not an office or a job site.

Common questions

I bought a remodeled Victorian in Highland. How do I know what plumbing it has?: Ask the sellers or the remodeling contractor for permit records and plans, and have a plumber look at exposed pipe in the basement and under sinks. Permit history from the city can also show what work was done and when.
Are rooftop deck lines common in newer Highland townhomes?: Many newer townhomes have rooftop decks, and some include a spigot or a small bar sink. If yours does, find out how it is shut off and drained for winter.

General information for Denver, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.