When you hear the words “burst pipe,” what comes to your mind? You might picture it as a worst case scenario — you walk in the door to find your home flooded, with inches of water rising on the floor and a steady stream of water pumping out of a wide open pipe.
Here’s the thing though: A burst pipe doesn’t always look like the worst case scenario. Sometimes you might not even realize you have a burst pipe for weeks or even months (though let’s hope it doesn’t go on that long). But just because a burst pipe doesn’t look like the type of emergency described here, that doesn’t mean it’s something you should ignore. Instead, you need to address the burst pipe as soon as possible with several important steps.
Now, it is possible that your burst pipe can be an emergency. Some burst pipes really do look like the scenario described at the beginning of this post. Others involve a hairline crack along a pipe that results in just a few drips of water. But those drips of water build up over time, resulting in damage and mold.
How do burst pipes happen?
Most of us take it for granted that the heavy duty metal pipes that carry water to our homes aren’t going to break open. But the reality is that they sometimes do. It could be because of several reasons:
Corrosion: If there’s an imbalance in your water’s pH levels, this could lead to a wearing down of the metal.
Freezing: If the temperatures around your pipes drop too low, the water in your pipes freezes and swells. This causes strain on the pipes from the inside, and they can break.
Clogs: Just as ice can put enormous strain on pipes from the inside, so too can clogs. When water isn’t able to move, it builds up inside your pipes, and the pressure could force pipes to burst.
How will you know if your pipe has burst? The first sign could be problems with water pressure, where your shower or sink gives off a lighter flow than it normally does. This is because water is escaping before it reaches whatever fixture you have turned on.
After the burst pipe leaks for a while, you might also start to see a puddle build up on stains on the wall from water damage. If anything is entering your pipe through the break, your water will end up discolored. You may also see exorbitantly high water bills because of all the water that has leaked out of your pipes.
What To Do In Case Of A Burst Pipe
As soon as you notice that you have a burst pipe, you want to address it. Even if your burst pipe is not a scenario you would describe as an emergency, you don’t want to let it get any worse. Here are the practical steps you need to follow:
First, shut off the water.
Go to your main water valve and turn off the supply to your house. Even though this is inconvenient, this will ensure that you won’t have a sudden rush of water coming through the pipe and causing thousands of dollars in damage. (This is one reason it’s always wise to identify where your water shutoff valve is before an emergency strikes.)
Open a faucet.
Go to a sink or bathtub and turn it on, allowing the water to run out of it. This will relieve any remaining pressure that might be in your pipes and reduce the risk of water leaking out of the crack.
Eliminate any water or moisture that entered your home from the burst pipe.
You might have a lot of water or you might have only a little bit of water. Make sure you’re diligent in removing any standing water using a mop and a shop vacuum. Then you will want to set up fans and dehumidifiers to suck up all the excess moisture in the room, including any wetness that might have been absorbed by textiles like carpets or furniture.
Use a repair sleeve as a temporary solution.
You can use a repair sleeve to cover the hole and stop water from leaking for a short-term fix, but it’s important to remember that these sleeves aren’t meant to hold water for a long time. The pipe will ultimately need to be repaired.
Seek professional help in fixing the pipe.
Repairing a burst pipe is not a DIY type of project. Instead, you want to get a qualified professional who knows the proper way to remove a damaged pipe and install an intact one in its place.