Dealing With a Burst Water Pipe

You wake up one morning and see that it is freezing cold outside. You head for the kitchen to start the coffee and get your day going. You walk down the stairs, turn the corner and notice water on the floor, coming from a huge dripping bulge in the kitchen ceiling. You know immediately that you have a pipe that has burst.

What do you do when you have a burst water pipe? 

Act fast. Time is not on your side when it comes to a burst water pipe. Even a very small crack can move hundreds of litres of water through your home within hours. But don’t worry, you and your plumber can manage this emergency quickly and effectively using these 4 steps.

1. Turn off main water supply to your home

First, turn off the main water valve to your home. If you live in an apartment, call the building super immediately and have them do it. Once the main water valve is shut, then open your taps so that all of the water in your plumbing system can drain.

2. Call your plumber

A burst water pipe can cause significant damage to your home in a very short amount of time. Don’t waste time worrying about if you should call your plumber. A burst water pipe is a plumbing emergency and requires the immediate attention of a professional.

3. Avoid electrical wiring or switches

If you have exposed wires, or you think that the water has affected the electrical system, be safe rather than sorry and shut off your electricity at the main circuits. If you have water coming through a ceiling, shut off any lights immediately since water will pool around them.

4. Start collecting the water

The first thing to do is to find as many pots, buckets, towels, and whatever else you can, to capture the water that is running from the leak. You might not immediately see where precisely the leak is starting from, but wherever water is leaking, you need to capture the water.

Use buckets if there are ceiling bulges. Gently take either a broom handle or some other kind of pointer, and pierce the paint or plaster to allow the water an exit point. Keep buckets under the water. By opening the bulge, you can limit the damage by preventing the ceiling from caving in.

For other areas, like running water on the floor, put down as many towels or blankets as you can to prevent the water going any further.

Continue to collect water until your plumber arrives.

A burst pipe is a plumbing emergency, but if you act fast you can lessen the impact. When you need professional help, contact us for all of your plumbing services.