If any of your home’s pipes burst, just the smallest crack can cause a major leak that sends out hundreds of gallons of water into your home. Your prized possessions, furniture, carpeting, and all other belongings could be damaged or even destroyed if you don’t take quick action. All of this could cost thousands of dollars in repair and replacement work in addition to the sheer stress of navigating the situation.
Luckily, a pipe burst doesn’t have to cause all this damage to your home. Every homeowner can reduce the severity of a burst pipe with a few simple tips. By taking quick action, you can ensure your house and all your possessions stay safe. You might still get wet in the process, but you won’t have to worry about excessively costly repairs.
While the advice below will help you prevent unnecessary damage and costs if your home has a burst pipe, you’ll almost certainly want to contact an expert plumber at The Plumbing Works to repair the pipe. Before calling and waiting for the plumber to arrive, let’s take a closer look at how to minimize the threat of water damage in the event that a pipe bursts in your home.
Activate the Water Shut-Off Valve
To help make dealing with a burst pipe easier, it’s important to note that every home has a dedicated water shut-off valve. But it’s important to find where your valve is located, since this can vary from home to home. For instance, where your shut-off valve is will depend on whether water for the home comes from a well or municipal water line, as is more typical in cities. When sourced from a well, the shut-off valve is usually located on the side of the home’s pressure tank. For homes that use a municipal water line, the water shut-off valve is typically on one side of the water meter. This meter could be inside the home or near where the water line connects to the house. When you know where your home’s water shut-off valve is located, you can turn it off to stop any water from flowing into your home.
Disconnect The Electrical System
After shutting off the water and letting the pipes drain, it’s important to locate your home’s electrical main service panel and shut off the electricity. You can usually find this panel in your home’s basement, garage, laundry room, or even outside the house. This is an important step to remember because water from the pipe burst may have gotten into a socket, circuit breaker, or even the breaker box.
Find The Burst Pipe
With the electricity and water turned off, it’s important to locate the burst pipe itself if you don’t already know where it is. While it’s important not to attempt any repairs to the pipe on your own if you have no prior professional experience, you can still help to mitigate the issue. For example, you can temporarily fix the burst pipe by sealing off the source of the leak via binding the area with electrical tape, sleeve clamps, or even epoxy putty if you have any while waiting for the plumber to arrive.
To help prevent moisture-related damage, you can also mop up any puddle of water from the floors. To soak up any moisture from the walls, you can apply moisture absorbers if you have them on hand. You can also improve air circulation by opening the windows to replace the damp, musty smell. Lastly, you can also increase the heating if you have radiators or even contact a professional drying company.
Contact The Plumbing Works
A burst pipe should never be ignored and can damage other parts of your home quickly, so it’s important to call your trusted plumber in the Reading, PA, area for quick and careful service. For expert repair work to solve your home’s burst pipe issue, reach out to The Plumbing Works right away. Contact The Plumbing Works for all plumbing emergencies and we’ll get back to you ASAP with an affordable quote/service!
