Pipe Burst: What to Do First, Step by Step
- Shut off the water. Use the nearest valve if the leak is under a sink or behind a toilet. Otherwise go straight to the main: the house valve on the outside wall where the line comes in, often near the garage or water heater, or the meter valve in the box near the street.
- Kill power to wet rooms at the breaker panel, only from dry ground.
- Open a faucet at the lowest point of the house, such as an outdoor spigot or tub, to drain the water left in the pipes.
- Turn off the water heater at its breaker, or set gas to pilot, if the main will be off for a while.
- Move belongings off the wet floor and out of the drip zone.
- Photograph the break and the water before cleanup.
- Call a water damage company to start removing water, and a plumber to fix the pipe.
How Do I Stop Water From a Burst Pipe?
The only reliable way is closing a valve. Turn the main valve clockwise until it stops, or turn a lever a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe. If the meter valve needs a special key and you do not have one, an adjustable wrench usually works. Wrapping tape or a clamp around the break can slow a small pinhole leak while you wait for a plumber, but it will not hold a real burst, so shut the water off first.
Where Did It Burst?
| Where | What to do first | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Under the sink | Close the two small valves under the sink, hot and cold | Water inside the cabinet floor and under the cabinets |
| Behind the toilet | Close the valve on the wall behind the toilet | Water running under baseboards into nearby rooms |
| Inside a wall | Shut off the main; do not cut the wall open yourself | Bubbling paint, soft drywall, water at the baseboard |
| In the attic or ceiling | Shut off the main; keep out from under any sag | Ceiling stains, sagging drywall, water at light fixtures |
| Under the slab | Shut off the main and call a leak detection company | Water coming up through tile or a warm spot on the floor |
| Washer or water heater line | Close the appliance valve or the main | Water spreading across the garage toward the house |
Pipe Burst Under the Sink
Under-sink bursts are usually a split supply hose or a failed connection. Close both valves under the sink; if they will not turn or still leak, shut off the main. Empty the cabinet, soak up the water and leave the doors open. Cabinet floors made of particleboard swell fast, so the space under and behind the cabinets needs to be dried, not just wiped. See kitchen leaks and wet cabinets.
Don't Do This
- Don't walk through water near outlets or the electrical panel
- Don't turn the water back on to "see where it is coming from"
- Don't cut into walls or ceilings yourself
- Don't run a household vacuum on water
- Don't wait for the plumber before starting water removal
What It Usually Costs
Burst pipe water is usually clean, which is the least expensive kind to dry: nationally about $3 to $4 per square foot, with most jobs between $1,300 and $6,000. Starting the same day is what keeps it low.
Pipe Burst Questions
A pipe burst. What do I do first?
Shut off the water at the nearest valve or the main, cut power to wet rooms from dry ground, photograph everything and call for water removal and a plumber.
A pipe burst under the sink. What now?
Close both valves under the sink, or the main if they fail. Empty and dry the cabinet, and get the space under the cabinets checked and dried so it does not swell or grow mold.
How do I stop water from a burst pipe?
Close a valve: the fixture valve, the house shut-off or the meter valve. Tape and clamps can slow a pinhole leak but will not stop a real burst.
Water Everywhere Right Now?
Shut off the main and call (239) 356-5803. We answer 24/7 across Cape Coral, plus North Fort Myers and Fort Myers. Read more about drying out a home after a broken pipe.