Whether you found a puddle, noticed a drip, discovered a major increase in your water bill, or found a wall stain, realizing you have a burst or leaking pipe is a home emergency. The longer the pipe isn’t holding water, the more damage is being done to your home. The moment you realize you have a pipe problem, you need to take quick action to prevent further trouble.
Turn Off the Water Supply
The first thing you need to do is turn off the water supply. This stops more water from entering the burst or leaking pipe, and that stops more damage from happening. The main water supply valve often looks just like the handle on an outdoor spigot you might attach your water hose to. It may be located in your basement or crawl space, an interior wall near your water meter, near the hot water heater, or in your garage. If you don’t already know where it is, you should find out before you have pipe problems.
Call a Plumber
The next step, once you’ve shut off the water supply, is to call a plumber. This must be your next step because you need to get pipe repairs done as quickly as possible. With your water supply turned off, you can’t cook, bathe, or flush toilets. You need to get a plumber, like J & S Plumbing Inc, scheduled to come out and get your pipe repaired so you’re not forced to stay in a hotel or otherwise be inconvenienced any more than necessary.
Clean Up the Water
Now it’s time to clean up the mess the burst or leaking pipe made. The longer the water remains, the more likely you’ll end up with mold, mildew, or other water damage. Some water damage is inevitable after a pipe bursts or is leaking for even a brief period, but the sooner you clean up once you discover the problem, the less expensive and extensive the damage will be.
Depending on the amount of water that leaked out, you may need buckets or a wet-dry vacuum to get it all out. If the water is near a door, you can also push it out of the house. When the water is at a more manageable level, you can use a mop or towels to finish getting rid of it.
Warm and Circulate the Air
Warm, circulating air will dry the pipes out. This helps to prevent more water damage. If the pipe was leaking or burst because it froze, it’s important to warm the air slowly to prevent more breaks elsewhere in the house. Open doors to the space where the damaged pipe is to allow warm air from the rest of the house to circulate into it. You can increase circulation with a few fans on low speed.
A burst or leaking pipe is a serious problem. But it’s one that you can take steps on your own to manage until the professionals arrive to take over. As long as you keep calm and follow these simple steps, you’ll be able to mitigate the damage and make it easier for the pros to get you back up and running quickly.
