Plumbing Services in Chama• Same-Day Service Available

Multi-layer protection is essential at this elevation. Every pipe must be either inside heated space, buried below frost line (4+ feet here), or actively heat-traced. Well houses need insulation plus a heat source—many use heat lamps on thermostats. Supply lines from wells need heat trace and insulation. Inside the home, maintain consistent heat even in unused rooms—dropping temperature to save money invites frozen pipes. Leave cabinet doors open under sinks to allow warm air circulation. During extreme cold, let faucets drip overnight. Even with all this, pipes can still freeze here—it's part of mountain living at 7,850 feet.

Absolutely. Gas appliances—furnaces, boilers, water heaters—must have high-altitude burner orifices for proper combustion at nearly 8,000 feet. Standard sea-level setups will run rich, produce carbon monoxide, and soot up the heat exchanger. This isn't optional, it's life-safety critical. HVAC systems need to be sized for the heating load Chama winters demand, which is substantial. Well pumps need to be rated for the elevation. We ensure all installations are properly configured for altitude.

From a plumbing perspective, you need to winterize it properly. That means draining all water lines, adding RV antifreeze to traps, shutting off and draining the water heater, and either draining or heavily insulating well components. Many Chama cabins are seasonal for this reason—maintaining systems through winter when you're not there is expensive and risky. If you want year-round capability, you need heat maintained all winter and someone checking on the property regularly. We can winterize cabins in fall and de-winterize in spring for seasonal owners.

For plumbing services in Chama, our experts with 30+ years of experience recommend considering the local challenges: cold winters, high altitude HVAC needs.

For plumbing services in Chama, our experts with 30+ years of experience recommend considering the local challenges: cold winters, high altitude HVAC needs.

For plumbing services in Chama, our experts with 30+ years of experience recommend considering the local challenges: cold winters, high altitude HVAC needs.