Drain Cleaning in Central City, CO

Central City homes and their sewer lines

Most Central City homes are Victorian houses and miners' cottages from the 1860s through the 1890s, set on steep streets that climb out of the gulch. Downtown was rebuilt in brick and stone after a fire in 1874.

Central City homes are on public sewer run by the Black Hawk–Central City Sanitation District. Property owners are responsible for the service line from the house to the district's main.

Under the old houses, drain lines can be cast iron, clay, galvanized or a mix, depending on repairs over 150 years.

Central City drain problems

Central City's drain problems come from age, slope and cold. Old cast iron and clay lines under Victorian houses have scale, cracks and offsets; steep streets mean service lines drop sharply and can strand solids where they flatten out; and at 8,500 feet, lines in crawlspaces, under porches and on shaded lots freeze in winter.

What drain work usually costs in Central City

The richest square mile

John Gregory's strike in May 1859 set off a rush into the gulch that now bears his name, and within months thousands of miners were working the hillsides. Central City grew into the commercial heart of the district. A fire in 1874 destroyed much of downtown, and it was rebuilt in brick and stone, which is why the main streets look so solid today. The Teller House opened in 1872 and the Opera House in 1878. After the mines declined, the town survived on tourism and summer opera, and in 1991 limited-stakes gaming brought casinos. The Central City Parkway, opened in 2004, links the town directly to I-70.

Victorian plumbing on steep streets

Central City's houses climb the slopes around Gregory, Eureka and Nevada gulches, on streets so steep that some front doors sit a full story above the back yard. Indoor plumbing was added to many of these homes decades after they were built, and much of it has been repaired piece by piece since. Under a Victorian in Central City, it is common to find cast iron, galvanized steel, clay and plastic in the same run. Each change in material is a possible offset where debris collects.

Steep lines and where they flatten

Service lines from hillside homes often drop steeply toward the street before leveling out to meet the main. Water runs fast down the steep part, but solids can separate and strand where the pipe flattens. A line that clogs at the same distance from the house again and again usually has a flat spot or sag there. A camera shows it, and periodic jetting or a section repair fixes it.

Who owns what

The Black Hawk–Central City Sanitation District operates the sewer mains that serve both towns. As with most Colorado districts, the homeowner is responsible for the service line from the house to the district's main, including the connection. If a plumber finds that the clog is in the main itself, they can tell you so you can call the district.

Mining history underground

Gregory Gulch and the surrounding hills are full of old mine workings, and Eureka Gulch runs through downtown in a flume. Mine drainage from the district is treated as part of the long-running Clear Creek cleanup. For homeowners, the practical point is that the ground under older houses has been dug, filled and disturbed for more than 150 years, so lines may sit in loose fill that settles over time. Settling causes the sags and offsets that cameras find.

Winter at 8,500 feet

Central City winters are cold, and shaded north-facing streets stay icy for weeks. Drains under porches, in crawlspaces and in stone basements with little insulation are the first to freeze. Keep heat in those spaces, close vents and insulate exposed pipe. If a drain stops on a frigid morning and worked fine the night before, it's likely frozen.

If your Central City home backs up

1. 01

   Stop running water

   Showers and laundry add to the backup.

2. 02

   Check the basement

   Water at the lowest drain points to the service line.

3. 03

   Find the cleanout

   It may be in a stone basement or near the front steps.

4. 04

   Describe the street

   Steep streets and parking limits help the plumber plan.

Central City warning signs

• A gurgling toilet when the kitchen sink drains
• Water at the basement floor drain
• Slow drains that return weeks after clearing
• Sewer smell in the basement
• A drain that stops on the coldest mornings

What affects the cost in Central City

Simple clogs are quick. Old cast iron that needs jetting, steep service lines, stone basements and frozen pipe take more time. A camera inspection on the first main line call helps plan any repair.

Remodels in old houses

Many Central City Victorians have been remodeled more than once, with new bathrooms and kitchens tied into old drains. Where new and old pipe meet, there can be a lip or offset that catches debris. If you're planning a remodel, have the drain lines scoped while walls and floors are open.

Stone basements and floor drains

Some Central City houses have stone basements with a floor drain at the lowest point. When the service line clogs, that drain is the first place water shows up. Keep its strainer clean and the area around it clear.

Gaming, traffic and parking

Since 1991, casinos have brought heavy traffic to Central City's narrow streets, especially on weekends. Parking near older homes can be tight. When you call, describe where a van can park and how far it is to your cleanout.