A pipe can burst anywhere: a supply hose torn off under the kitchen sink, a cracked line inside a wall, a split pipe in the bathroom. What to do when a pipe bursts in your house is the same in every case. The only difference is whether you can stop the water yourself.
The list of steps can change depending on where exactly the break happened. But there is a set of things that need to be done first, in this order. Below is what to do in the first hour, what to do after the water is stopped, and what not to do while you wait for help.
The First Steps: A Short Checklist
- Shut off the water. If the valves cannot be found or will not turn, go straight to calling for help - a plumber will shut off the supply.
- Cut the power to the flooded rooms using the breakers in the electrical panel, if it is safe to do so.
- Call for help: give the address, the unit number and what is leaking. Write down who you talked to and when - it will be useful later if there is a dispute about timing.
- Warn the neighbors below if you live in an apartment. The sooner they get their appliances off the floor, the smaller the damage.
- Take photos and video before cleaning up - the leak close up, a wide shot of the room, wet walls, the ceiling, the furniture.
- Do not repair or throw anything away until the damage has been recorded. The piece of burst pipe is the main evidence.
Shutting Off the Water
There is usually a main valve where the water line enters the home, and a separate one on the water heater. A ball valve with a lever turns 90 degrees, across the pipe. A gate valve with a round handle turns clockwise until it stops.
Do not force a valve that has seized up. A stripped thread will turn a trickle into a stream. In that case the supply has to be shut off further up the line, and that is a job for the plumber.
If the water keeps coming and nothing can be shut off, the situation is harder, and it is better to prepare for it in advance. A pipe repair clamp or self-fusing silicone tape from a hardware store can slow a leak until the plumber arrives.
Under the leak, put buckets or pans to catch the water.
Turning Off the Power
It may seem that this step is extra. But when a house is flooded from a burst pipe, there is a real danger of electric shock. It is better to cut power to the whole home - switch off the breakers or flip the main switch in the panel. Even if it is dark inside, it is better to use a flashlight for a while than to get hurt.
Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water. Turn off the electricity only if it is safe to do so - this is also the advice on Ready.gov's flood safety page. If you cannot reach the panel without stepping into water, leave the room and wait for help.
Photos and Video
Record what happened: photos or video of the break itself and of the consequences. Shoot before any cleanup. Close-up of the leak, the whole room, wet walls, ceiling, floor, furniture and appliances.
Thanks to these photos and videos you can later prove that you had nothing to do with the break, or prove some other fact. Without them it is almost impossible to show how big the damage was.
If you rent, tell your landlord what happened right away.
Moving Valuables and Furniture
If a lot of water got into the home, the faster things leave the wet area, the less you lose. Neighbors below should be told for the same reason: so they can switch off their electrical devices and move appliances and furniture out of the room under the spot where the water collected. This will not fully prevent the damage, but it helps reduce its scale.
- Appliances go first - lift them off the floor, but only after the power is off.
- Documents, photos and electronics go to a dry room or a higher shelf.
- Soaked items are not thrown out until they have been photographed.
When there is a lot to move or the rooms will be under repair for a while, belongings can be packed and taken out - read about our pack-out and contents storage services, and our guide on protecting valuables during home restoration.
Calling a Plumber
After the valves are closed, call a plumber and report the burst pipe. Say the address, what is leaking and whether the water is stopped. In a condo, also call the HOA or the property manager.
A break on the street side, under the pavement, is usually on the water utility's lines - call the water utility. Stay away and keep children back: washed-out soil can cave in without warning.
A burst pipe in a wall is the worst case. The water is not visible, and it keeps soaking drywall, insulation and the floor below.
If It Is the Hot Water Line
Get people and pets out of the room: hot water burns. Close the valve wearing thick gloves, without putting your face near the leak. If you cannot get to the valve, close the door to the room and wait for the plumber. If a child is hurt or the burn area is large, call 911.
If It Is the Sewer Pipe
The damage can be much bigger. A sewer line has no valve, so it cannot be shut off. Stop using water and ask the people upstairs to do the same - every flush ends up on your floor. A bucket does not help much here, because the stack is vertical and everything drains fast. Cover the damaged area with rags and whatever else is at hand, remove belongings, open the windows. Wastewater carries bacteria: clean up in gloves, and items soaked through are better not saved.
Water Extraction and Drying
To keep the damage as small as possible after the leak is stopped, do the following:
- Remove the water. If there is only a little, use rags. If there is a lot, call a water damage restoration crew - they will do it faster with professional equipment.
- Dry the rooms. The cheapest and simplest option is to wipe the floor dry and air the rooms well. But a pipe can burst in the cold season too. Heaters and air conditioning can be turned on, but usually this does not give the needed effect. It is better to call a crew that dries homes after a flood.
- Dry the furniture. Household devices like a hair dryer can be used. If possible, take the furniture apart and wipe all surfaces.
- Dry the appliances. Have an appliance technician check anything that got wet before you plug it back in.
- Plan the repairs and do them.
Burst pipe water damage should be assessed and repairs planned only after the home has dried completely. Then it will be clear whether the wood floor was hurt, whether the walls need new drywall or paint, whether interior doors need replacing, and whether tile has to be reset - tile can also suffer if it was glued onto drywall.
How we handle extraction, drying and repairs is described on our water damage restoration service page. If a musty smell or dark spots show up after the leak, see our mold remediation service. When the pipe bursts in a shop or office, read about keeping your business open during restoration.
Telling the Insurer
Gather the paperwork: photos and video, receipts for damaged appliances and furniture, documents for the home, and a written estimate of the damage. Get the estimate before repairs.
If the home is insured, call your insurer. Coverage can apply to both sides of the incident at once: the damage in your home, and your liability if the water went down to the neighbors. Limits, exclusions and timing are in your policy - read them there.
There is also another option: the maker of the part or the installer is at fault. Keep the burst piece, the work contract and the receipt - the costs may be shifted to them.
What Not to Do
- Do not force a stuck valve. A stripped thread turns a small leak into a flood.
- Do not tighten nuts or plug holes on hot water lines yourself - the water there is under pressure and very hot.
- Do not touch wet electrical equipment and do not walk through water to reach the panel.
- Do not clean up before photos. Without them it is almost impossible to prove the size of the damage.
- Do not throw away the burst pipe or other damaged parts.
- Do not switch on appliances until a technician has checked them.
How to Lower the Risk Next Time
Most leaks happen not with the main line but with a small part nobody thinks about for years.
- Replace flexible supply hoses on the schedule in the product's manual, without waiting "until it leaks".
- Twice a year, turn the main valves all the way and back so they do not seize.
- Inspect pipes for corrosion. If the first signs of rust show, do not paint over them to stretch the pipe's life - better replace the section or all the pipes. Pipe surfaces that start to flake also mean corrosion.
- Watch the water heater - it is often the cause of a leak.
- Before a long trip, shut off the water at the main and put leak sensors on the floor.
Learn more about our Carlsbad restoration team, read what our customers say in reviews, or go back to the Carlsbad water damage home page.