A burst water pipe can feel like a nightmare. After all, your pipes usually cause you no trouble. But a burst pipe can happen for a variety of reasons and, when it does, it can be incredibly damaging to your home and possessions, not to mention very inconvenient and potentially costly. No one wants to find a flood at home, but keep calm and you can fix the situation. Read on to find out how to deal with a burst pipe – and when to contact a professional plumber.
Assess the situation
If you have found a leak or a flood, it can be challenging to know where exactly the problem is coming from. Try to discover where the damaged pipe is, specifically if possible but more generally if that is all you can manage. This can help your plumber, if and when you need to call them. However, if you cannot find the source of the leak, don’t panic – a professional will be able to do this more easily.
Turn off the water mains
As long as your water is on, a burst pipe will continue to flood out. Discover where your mains water supply is (usually near to the front of your property, but possibly somewhere else) and turn it off. If you don’t know where your mains water supply is, go and check so you know for future reference.
Clear the water
While turning off your mains water should quickly stop the leaking, you may need to clear any water still standing in your pipes before doing this. You can do this by running the water or flushing the toilet to ensure that the leaking is finished before you start working on the burst pipe. It makes for a much less messy repair!
Give DIY a go
Is the burst pipe fairly minor? You may be able to assess this when you locate it. Small cracks may not require a plumber’s attention at all. Use pipe sealant to fix minor issues like small cracks – you can buy this and keep it handy for just such an occasion. You could even potentially replace a section of the pipe that has become damaged – you can take the section of damaged pipe to a home improvement store and purchase a replacement piece. However, this is best undertaken only if you are quite handy, as it can be easy to overtighten nuts and cause even more leaks to occur.
Call in the professionals
Don’t avoid calling a professional – while you can utilise your DIY skills for minor or temporary repairs, larger issues need the expert services of a licensed plumber. If your home is on the bigger side, your pipework may be more complex so even a seemingly obvious and simple burst pipe might require expert attention.
Any burst pipes that are in hidden areas such as ceilings or under your floors should be attended to by a plumber. If a burst pipe happens at night, don’t wait to get help – there are plenty of 24-hour services available to help you with larger scale burst pipes or anything you aren’t sure how to tackle.
Remove water and dry the moisture
Try to get rid of any excess water as soon as the burst pipe is fixed, especially water that may be pooling on your property. Depending on how bad the damage from your burst pipe is, you may wish to bring in some professional dryers to ensure that all the moisture is dried out from your home. While keeping windows open and running some fans can help, even a little water damage left unattended can result in mould or even pests such as termites. Make sure it is completely dried out before beginning to use the room again, where possible.
Consider maintenance
Once your burst pipe is fixed and your home is dried out, consider making a plan to reduce the chances of it happening again. Assess why the pipe burst and arrange for a plumber to come and perform routine maintenance to keep your pipes in great condition and find issues before they become disasters.
Remember, if you have had a pipe burst on your property, then the best thing that you can do is contact a professional to assess the damage and decide what the best course of action is. While you may be able to fix small issues, a burst pipe can cause serious damage to your home, and if one is improperly fixed, it is likely to happen again. If one of your pipes has burst, get in touch with a trusted professional with Same Day Trades. Our expert plumbers can be with you quickly and provide you with top quality advice and support during a stressful time. Let us help so that you can deal with a burst pipe as easily as possible.
