A burst pipe does its worst damage in the first few minutes. Here is exactly what to do while a truck is on the way to you, from the crew that answers those calls across the High Desert at every hour, Monday through Saturday.
1. Shut off the main
Your main shutoff is usually at the front of the house near the hose bib, in the garage where the line comes in, or at the meter box by the street. Turn it clockwise until it stops. If you cannot find it, call us at (877) 233-1033 and we will walk you to it over the phone. That two-minute phone call has saved more drywall than any tool on our truck.
2. Open the lowest faucet in the house
With the main off, open a tub or an outside spigot to drain the pressure out of the lines. The water still in the pipes has to go somewhere, and a bathtub is a better somewhere than your ceiling.
3. Kill the water heater
If the burst is on the hot side, your water heater is now emptying itself into the wall. Gas units: turn the dial to off. Electric: flip the breaker. A heater that runs dry can be its own expensive problem, so do not skip this one.
4. Move what matters, photograph the rest
Electronics up off the floor, rugs pulled back, a towel dam at the doorway. Then take photos of everything wet before you start mopping. Your insurance adjuster will want them, and photos taken in the moment beat photos staged the next day.
5. Do not run the heat on the wet spot
Blasting a space heater at soaked drywall mostly grows mold faster. Air movement beats heat. Open windows if the weather allows, run fans, and let the drying happen after the leak is fixed.
Why pipes burst here in the first place
Two reasons in our area. Summer: old galvanized and polybutylene lines that have been corroding for decades finally let go, usually at a joint. Winter: High Desert cold snaps freeze hose bibs and attic lines that were never insulated, and the ice does the rest. If your house is at that age, repiping on your schedule beats a burst on the pipe’s schedule, and frozen line repairs are a regular part of our winters.
The version of this story that ends well
The homeowners who come out of a burst pipe with the smallest bill are the ones who knew where the shutoff was before they needed it. Go find yours today. Better yet, we install smart shutoff valves that watch your usage around the clock and close the main automatically the moment a line lets go, whether you are home or not. Ask about one on any visit.
Water going where it should not? Do not wait for morning. (877) 233-1033, 24 hours a day, Monday through Saturday.