Hilltop at a glance
- Setting
- A residential neighborhood east of Colorado Boulevard, known for Cranmer Park and its views west to the mountains.
- Housing
- Tudors, colonials and mid-century ranches, alongside many large newer homes on lots where older houses were removed.
- Basements
- Nearly universal, and frequently finished. Newer homes often have deep basements with window wells and extensive finished space.
- Government
- City and County of Denver. Denver Water supplies water; permits come from Denver Community Planning and Development.
Older home versus newer build
Two houses on the same Hilltop block can have very different risks.
Older Tudor or ranch
- Original galvanized or copper supply pipes, sometimes partly replaced
- Clay or cast iron sewer lateral that roots can penetrate
- Basement finished later over older foundation walls
- Boiler or older furnace and water heater in the basement
- Plaster walls on upper floors in the oldest homes
Newer large home
- Plastic supply piping and many fixtures spread over several floors
- Upper-floor laundry and multiple baths above finished ceilings
- Deep basement with window wells, sump pit and perimeter drains
- Irrigation systems close to the foundation
- Large tankless or multiple water heaters and recirculation lines
Basements tie it together
Whatever the age of the house, a Hilltop water loss often ends in the basement. In older homes, that might be a sewer backup through a floor drain, seepage through an older foundation wall after heavy rain, or a water heater failing in a finished utility room. In newer homes with deep basements, window wells that fill during a storm, a sump pump that quits, or irrigation soaking soil against the foundation are more typical.
Finished basements make these losses bigger. Carpet and pad, drywall to the floor, and built-in cabinetry all absorb water, and the cooler temperatures below grade slow drying. Moisture readings in the bottom of walls and under flooring are the only reliable way to see how far water traveled.
Many Hilltop homes also have mature trees close to sewer lines, so a backup in an older house is a good reason to have the lateral scoped with a camera before rebuilding the basement.
Basement checklist for Hilltop homes
General information for Cherry Creek, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.