When a pipe bursts, do three things in this order. Get yourself and your family safe. Shut off the water. Call a licensed plumber. The order matters. A flooded house is bad. A flooded house with live electricity or a gas smell is worse.
Burst pipes aren't only a winter problem. Old pipes, worn fittings, and high pressure can fail in any season. Below is what to do in the first ten minutes, step by step. If nothing is leaking right now, read it anyway. It's a lot easier to take in with dry floors than with water running across them.
What do I do in the first ten minutes?
Follow these steps in order:
- Check for danger. If you smell gas, leave the house right away and call 911 and your gas utility from outside. If water is near outlets, cords, appliances, or the panel, do not walk into it. More on that below.
- Get people and pets clear of the wet area.
- Shut off the water at the main valve if you can reach it without stepping in water near anything electrical.
- Call a licensed plumber. Don't wait to see if it stops on its own.
- Stay out from under a wet ceiling. A ceiling that is bulging or dripping heavily can give way.
- Once the water is off, move belongings out of the wet area and take photos.
Water from a hot line can burn, so keep your hands and feet clear of any spray from the hot side.
How do I shut off the water?
Your main shutoff stops water to the whole house. Where it lives varies. Look outside near the front of the house, in the garage, or in a utility room. A round wheel turns clockwise to close. A lever handle closes with a quarter turn, so it ends up crosswise to the pipe.
If you can't find it, or it's stuck, do not force it with tools that can snap the pipe. Call your water provider and ask what they can do to shut off the water at the meter, and call a plumber. Providers set their own rules, so ask yours.
If you've never touched your main shutoff, do it this week, on a calm day. Turn it closed and open again, and note where it is. A stuck valve is a lot easier to deal with when nothing is flooding. While you're at it, show everyone else in the house where it is. The person home when a pipe lets go may not be you.
Is it safe to be near electricity when there is standing water?
No. Water and electricity are a dangerous mix, and this is the one part of a burst pipe that can seriously hurt you. OSHA's flood safety guidance says never to touch electrical equipment if the ground is wet.
So here's the rule: if water is on the floor near outlets, cords, appliances, or the electrical panel, stay out of it. Do not try to reach the panel through the water. Do not unplug things from the wall while standing in a puddle. Do not use a switch if water is dripping through the light fixture above it.
Call a licensed electrician or your electric utility to deal with the power. Tell them that water has reached electrical equipment. A plumber can stop the water. Only an electrician or your utility should decide when the power is safe.
If the water heater is leaking, what do I shut off?
Stay clear of the pooled water around the heater, and don't step in it if it reaches an outlet or the panel. The tank can hold very hot water.
If you can reach the cold water valve on the pipe going into the heater without stepping in water, close it. If not, use the main shutoff. Do not turn off the gas or the power to the heater yourself. That's a job for a plumber, an electrician, or the utility. Then call a licensed plumber.
What should I do once the water is off?
Take a breath. The water has stopped, and now you can slow the damage and record it.
- Move furniture, rugs, and electronics out of the wet area, if the floor is safe to walk on.
- Use towels or a mop for small amounts of water. Leave large amounts, and anything near electrical equipment, alone.
- Take photos of the burst pipe, the wet areas, and damaged belongings before you clean up. They're a record for you.
- Write down what happened and when, and what you did.
Don't use the plumbing fixtures on that part of the house until a plumber has looked at it.
When to call a licensed plumber
Call right away for a burst pipe, water coming through a ceiling or wall, or a leak you can't stop. A licensed plumber can find the break, repair or replace the damaged section, and check the rest of the line for signs of trouble. If you never find where the water came from, leak detection can track down a hidden leak. Not sure how urgent a smaller leak is? Our plumbing emergency guide sorts what can wait from what can't.
Our phone is answered 24/7, usually by a real person. There's no after-hours, weekend, or holiday surcharge, and you see the price and approve it before any work starts. If a big repair is a strain, ask about financing. Get the water off if you safely can, then call our emergency plumber line.
Common Questions
Find the main shutoff valve, often outside near the front of the house, in the garage, or in a utility area, and close it only if you can reach it safely, away from standing water near anything electrical. A round handle turns clockwise to close, and a lever closes with a quarter turn. If you cannot find it or it will not turn, call your water provider and a plumber.
Stay out of standing water that is near outlets, cords, appliances, or the electrical panel. Do not touch any of them. Call a licensed electrician or your electric utility to deal with the power.
If you can reach it safely, close the cold water valve on the pipe going into the heater, or use your main water shutoff. Leave the gas and the power alone and call a licensed plumber.
Take photos of the broken pipe, the wet areas, and damaged belongings before you clean up. Do it after the water is off and everyone is safe. Keep the photos for your own records.
