What is different about these blocks
Before Lakewood incorporated as a city in 1969, the area along West Colfax was already a busy corridor with small homes on the streets behind it. Neighborhoods like Two Creeks, Eiber and Morse Park include compact houses from the 1940s and 1950s, some on crawlspaces or partial basements, along with duplexes, small apartment buildings and newer infill homes built on scraped lots.
Many of the older houses have had additions over the years: a family room on a slab, a bedroom over a crawlspace, a bathroom carved out of a porch. Each addition joined new construction to old, and those joints are where leaks and drainage problems often start. Galvanized supply lines, clay sewer laterals and older water heaters squeezed into closets are common.
Small creek drainages called gulches cross this part of Lakewood. Properties close to them may have different drainage and flood considerations than the blocks around them.
Typical trouble spots in older east Lakewood houses
| Location | Why it is vulnerable | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Joint between original house and addition | Roof flashing and foundations meet at different heights | Inspect flashing; check for staining at the joint inside |
| Crawlspace under an addition | Little ventilation and often no ground cover | Ground cover, pipe insulation, periodic inspection |
| Water heater in a hallway closet | No floor drain, carpet next to it | Drain pan with a line to the outside, leak sensor |
| Clay sewer lateral | Roots enter joints over decades | Camera inspection, especially before buying |
| Galvanized supply lines | Corrosion and narrowing inside | Plumber review, phased replacement |
For landlords with older rentals in the area
Inventory each unit
Record water heater age, supply line types and the location of every shutoff.
Brief tenants
Show tenants the shutoffs at move-in and explain how to report leaks.
Inspect between tenants
Check under sinks, around toilets and tubs, and the crawlspace whenever a unit turns over.
Plan replacements
Budget for the oldest water heaters and galvanized runs before they fail.
Questions to ask if you live near a gulch
- Is my property in a mapped floodplain? Check FEMA flood maps and ask the City of Lakewood.
- Does my homeowners or renter's policy exclude flood, and should I consider separate flood insurance?
- Which way does surface water flow across my lot during heavy storms?
- Who maintains the drainage channel near my property?
General information for Lakewood, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.