What To Do If A Pipe Bursts?

When a pipe bursts in your home, it can be highly stressful; it's scary. You are faced with many things to do, like shutting off the water, finding a plumber that won't break your bank account, and making sure everything is cleaned up. In the aftermath of a pipe burst, you have to worry about a lot, for example, getting your carpeting and drywall professionally cleaned by a local company. Neighborhood Plumbing can help with the pipe repair, but there is more to manage.

Water-damaged carpeting and drywall can become breeding grounds for mildew and mold, leading to more severe health problems. Putting that aside, there's plenty to do between ensuring safety, messes, and cleanup. Getting to the point where you can move forward with repair can be stressful and intimidating.

You don't have to go through the experience of dealing with emergency plumbing repairs without any help. We at Neighborhood Plumbing take care of the heavy lifting for you. Let our friendly customer service agents walk you step-by-step through what to do in this situation.

What Is The Main Line Break?

The mainline is the pipe that runs from the water meter to your home. It's usually a galvanized steel pipe (the most common) or copper pipe. It's typically buried below ground and is not visible outside your home. When this pipe bursts, it can be very destructive and cause thousands of dollars in damage.

Shut Off The Water

The first thing that you need to do is shut off the water. If there is no pressure on the mainline or no water coming out of the pipe, you can use an adjustable wrench and turn off the water supply valve under your sink or toilet. If pressure or water comes out of the pipe, open all faucets and taps until they stop leaking.

Disconnect Power

If you suspect a mainline break, turn off the electricity to your breaker box before attempting any repairs. Do not touch anything electrical until after you have made repairs and have turned on power again.

Drain Remaining Water

Before beginning any repairs on a broken mainline, make sure there is no more running water in the house using a drain tube or bucket test. Run the faucet in one sink until no more water comes out, then repeat for every sink in the house until there are no more drips from anywhere in your home.

Call Neighborhood Plumbing

If you notice any signs of a pipe burst, such as water pooling on your floor or walls, immediately call Neighborhood Plumbing to assess and repair the leak. The sooner you get help, the better off you'll be to prevent further damage to your property.

Clean Up Water

Once the nearby plumber has arrived, they will likely ask you to clean up any water spilled onto the floor or into other areas of your house. This step is crucial because it helps prevent mold growth and other health hazards associated with standing pools of water.

Call Your Insurance Company

Your homeowner's insurance policy should cover any damage caused by a burst pipe, but only if adequate coverage limits exist. If not, then you may need to file an additional claim with your insurer as soon as possible so that they can begin paying for repairs as quickly as possible.

Neighborhood Plumbing To The Rescue

If you're facing a plumbing emergency, it's usually caused by a burst pipe causing flooding. The cost of repairing mainline breaks (no small job) can easily run in the thousands of dollars. Contact us at Neighborhood Plumbing today to learn how to prevent major plumbing emergencies and learn about our services!