The period at the end of winter is the time when plumbing pipes are at the highest danger of bursting. When any frozen pipes might start to melt from warmer weather is when the pressure in the pipe dramatically spikes and causes the lateral bursting. You always want frozen pipes dealt with by professional plumbers as soon as possible. But if you do run into a burst pipe emergency, you’re past the point of prevention or a planned remedy.
However, you shouldn’t panic. We’ll help guide you through what to do in the case of a burst pipe that is threatening to flood parts of your house.
By the way, do you have a sump pump?
Before we get to the steps of dealing with a burst pipe, we want to check if you have a sump pump for your house. A sump pump is the best way to stop flooding problems, no matter where they come from. Spring is a good time to have one installed. Call us to arrange for this service.
Okay, now on to handling the burst pipe…
- Shut off the water: Shut off the water main into your house so no more water escapes from the pipe. There are other places you could stop water flow to parts of the plumbing, but in an emergency like this you don’t want to have to make guesses about that. Go to the source and shut it all down. If you don’t know where this water main is, find out after you read this. Local plumbers can assist you. Make sure all your household members also know where the shut-off is. (You can also have an automatic shut-off valve installed that closes the water main when a burst pipe creates a loss of pressure.)
- Drain all the pipes: To do this, first run cold water from each faucet until all the water is out. Now shut off the water heater. Then run all the hot water taps to drain the water from them. This will stop any water still in the pipes from escaping through the burst pipe.
- Call for a licensed plumber: You should have stopped any further water damage from occurring by this point. Now you need a professional plumber on the job to fix the burst pipe before you can have the water restored.
- Locate the leak and start cleaning up: Go to the leak if you haven’t found it already. Put a bucket underneath to catch any more water dripping from it. Use towels to absorb as much water as possible to prevent extensive water damage. You may still need water damage remediation services afterward; water damage is insidious and difficult to get rid of through cleaning alone.
To call for emergency plumbing in Mason, OH or the surrounding areas, keep our contact information handy. We’re a fully licensed professional plumbing contractor handling residential and commercial plumbing, and we offer 24-hour emergency services. We know all about burst pipes and handling potential flooding problems, and we’ll find the fast, effective solution you need.
Ken Neyer Plumbing, Inc. has served Greater Cincinnati and the surrounding Tri-State Area since 1972.