A pipe just burst: 7 steps to take right now

1. Shut off the main water valve.
2. Turn off electricity to wet areas, only from a dry spot.
3. Open the lowest faucet and the cold taps to drain the lines.
4. Turn off the water heater if the water will be off for a while.
5. Move belongings and soak up what you can.
6. Document everything and call your insurer.
7. Get the area dried professionally if water reached walls, floors, or ceilings.

Step 1: Shut off the main water valve

This is the step that stops the damage, so do it before anything else. The main shutoff is usually where the water line enters the house:

• Basement homes: on the wall facing the street, near the water meter, often a few inches above the floor.
• Crawlspace homes: just inside the crawlspace access or under the kitchen, near where the line comes in.
• Slab homes (common in the South and West): in a garage, a utility closet, near the water heater, or on an outside wall where the line comes up from the ground.
• Warm climates: sometimes outdoors, either on a pipe near a hose bib or at the meter box near the curb.

A round wheel handle turns clockwise until it stops. A lever (ball valve) is off when the handle sits crosswise to the pipe. If the house valve won’t budge or is broken, the curb shutoff in the meter box can be closed with a meter key; many utilities will also send someone to shut it for you. If only one fixture’s line burst, such as a toilet or sink supply, its own small valve may be enough, but when in doubt close the main.

Step 2: Turn off electricity to wet areas

Water spreading toward outlets, extension cords, a furnace, or appliances is a shock risk. If you can reach the breaker panel while standing on a dry floor with dry hands, switch off the circuits for the wet rooms. If the panel is in a flooded basement, or you see sparking or smell burning, don’t go in. Call your electric utility or 911 and wait outside the wet area. Never unplug something while standing in water.

Step 3: Open the lowest faucet and the cold taps

Even with the main off, the pipes are still full. Opening a faucet on the lowest level, such as a basement laundry sink or a ground-floor tub, lets that water drain out there instead of through the break. Then open the cold taps on other floors to let air in so the lines empty faster. Flush toilets once to empty their tanks if a toilet line is involved.

Step 4: Turn off the water heater

A water heater with no water coming in can be damaged if it keeps heating. For an electric heater, switch off its breaker. For a gas heater, turn the control knob to “Pilot” or “Off” per the label on the unit. If the burst line is the hot-water side, closing the cold-water valve on top of the heater also stops the tank from emptying into your house. If you smell gas at any point, leave and call the gas utility from outside.

Step 5: Move belongings and soak up what you can

• Lift furniture onto blocks or foil squares, and move rugs, electronics, papers, and photos to a dry room.
• Use towels, mops, buckets, and a wet/dry vacuum (plugged in somewhere dry) to remove standing water.
• If water is coming through a ceiling, put a bucket under it and stay out from under any bulge. Our first 60 minutes guide covers the first hour step by step.
• Open windows and run fans if the weather allows. In a freeze, keep the heat on in the rest of the house so other pipes don’t freeze.

Step 6: Document everything and call your insurer

Before you clean up or throw anything out, take wide photos of each room, close-ups of the break and of damaged items, and short videos showing standing water. Keep the broken section of pipe if a plumber removes it. Save receipts for anything you buy (fans, towels, a hotel night). Call your insurer or agent to open a claim; many policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, which is what steps 1 to 5 are.

Step 7: Get the area dried professionally

Once the water is off, the visible puddle is the smaller problem. Water wicks up drywall, soaks into insulation and subfloor, and runs under cabinets and flooring. Mold can begin growing on wet materials within roughly 24 to 48 hours. A water damage restoration contractor:

• Extracts remaining water with truck-mounted or portable pumps.
• Maps hidden moisture with meters and thermal cameras.
• Removes materials that can’t be saved, such as soaked carpet pad or the bottom of drywall.
• Sets commercial dehumidifiers and air movers and checks readings daily until things are dry, typically a few days.
• Provides drying logs and photos your insurer can use.

You will usually need a plumber too, to repair the pipe so you can turn the water back on. Some restoration companies can arrange one; ask when you call.

What not to do

• Don’t walk into a flooded basement with the power still on.
• Don’t use a regular household vacuum on water.
• Don’t try to thaw or solder a pipe with a torch or open flame.
• Don’t turn the main back on “to see” until the break is repaired.
• Don’t close up wet walls or lay new flooring over a damp subfloor.

Why pipes burst

In cold climates, most bursts happen when water freezes in a pipe in an exterior wall, crawlspace, attic, or garage. The ice itself rarely splits the pipe where it’s frozen; pressure builds between the ice and a closed faucet and the pipe fails there. That is why leaks often appear only once things thaw. In warmer areas, common causes include aging or corroded pipes, failing fittings and supply hoses, high water pressure, and ground movement under slabs.

Frozen pipe that hasn’t burst yet?

If a faucet slowed to a trickle or stopped during a freeze, the pipe may still be intact. Open the faucet and warm the pipe gently. Don’t use an open flame. Follow our frozen pipe thawing guide, and see how to prevent burst pipes before the next cold snap.

Frequently asked questions