A burst pipe typically occurs when a pipe can’t handle the pressure inside it. If the pressure is too high, it will break or rupture parts of a pipe. Just a single breach is enough to flood the pipe’s immediate surroundings.
Burst pipes tend to occur either due to a flaw in the pipe’s design or general wear-and-tear over time. If you experience a burst pipe, you need to act quickly. Here are the steps you need to take to handle the situation.
Switch Off the Electricity
Unless you’re The Flash, a burst pipe will partially flood the floor by the time you get to it; so, you need to switch your electricity off first. The solutes and ions in water make it a very good conductor. If you don’t turn off the power, you’re risking a fatal electric shock.
Get a Bucket
The more buckets you have, and the bigger they are, the better. You don’t necessarily need a bucket: you only need something to hold the water from the pipe.
Place a bucket under wherever the water is pouring so it catches the water. Once one bucket is full, replace it with another. In the meantime, find a place to empty the filled pail and repeat.
Turn Off the Main Valve
With the electricity off and the bucket in place, your next step is to stop the water flowing through the burst pipe. Your house’s main valve is typically found near or next to your water meter.
Once you turn off the valve, the water will stop flowing through the burst pipe. This will effectively halt the flooding and minimize the water damage. However, this isn’t the last step.
Call an Emergency Plumber
A burst pipe constitutes a significant plumbing emergency. Consequently, once you’ve done all of the above, call us at Pro Serve Plumbing for emergency plumbing services. Our emergency plumbers are ready 24 hours a day to provide emergency plumbing services in Arlington and Fort Worth, TX.
While this isn’t a must, you can also drain the remaining water in your pipes to make the plumbing work easier. Use the cold water tap to drain the cold water. Use the hot water tap after turning off your hot water service to drain the hot water. If you follow these steps, you’ll minimize the damage and costs of a burst pipe.
