What to do if a Pipe Bursts in your Home

Like it or not burst pipes are something Calgarians can face and knowing what to do when it happens is crucial. Whether it is weather related such as frozen pipes, high risk plumbing such as poly b or some other reason a burst pipe can happen in your home. If the burst happens while you’re at home and you know what to do you can drastically reduce the damage done to your home. Let’s take a look at the steps you should take if you are ever faced with a burst pipe in your home.

The first thing you should do is shut off the main water flow to your home. The main water flow is typically located where the main service pipe connects to your home. It is important that everyone in your home knows exactly where the main water shut off is in case of emergencies. If you can cut off the water running through the burst pipe then you can seriously reduce the amount of damage done to your home. If you or any of your family members are unaware of where the main water shut off is it is important to find out or teach them.

The next thing you should do immediately is shut off the power to the area of the home that was affected. This absolutely should be done if any electrical, outlets or exposed wire have been hit with water. This will prevent the risk of any shocks when dealing with the burst pipe and the potential for any fires.

Once you have shut off the water to the house and the electricity to the affected area you will need to drain your pipes. In order to do this, run the cold water on all of your faucets until it stops flowing, and flush each toilet at least once. Once this is done shut off your hot water heater. Now that your hot water heater has been shut off go back to each faucet and run the hot water until the water is no longer running. Now all of your pipes should be drained of any existing water.

Once your water has been shut off and all the water has been drained out of the pipes you can start analyzing the damage. Find where the burst occurred and asses any damage to your home near the leak. Now that the source of the leak has been identified it is time to call a professional that can fix the damaged pipe. At Lone Star Plumbing and Heating we have licensed, expert plumbers that have years of experience fixing burst pipes. We can respond to your call quickly and make sure you don’t spend unnecessary time without water to your home.

Once the burst pipe has been repaired it is important to bring in a professional drying crew if the portion of your home that was affected by the leak includes your walls, ceilings or floor. If you try to dry your home yourself using fans and opening windows your are inviting in mold, mildew and even serious illness for your family. A professional water restoration company will be able to properly dry your home to keep your home and family safe.

If a pipe bursts in your home please do not hesitate to call us at Lone Star plumbing and heating. We will be able to walk you through what you need to do to prevent further damage to your home and keep your family safe. We will also be able to send out an experienced and licensed plumber to fix your plumbing.