What to Do If a Pipe Bursts in Your Home

There is nothing worse than finding water damage in your house. Whether it’s a small leak or a burst pipe, water damage can be tricky and expensive to remedy. Luckily, there are some quick steps you need to take as soon as you find a burst pipe in your home to minimise the damage. Make sure you know these steps so can take immediate action.

1. Turn off the stop tap

As soon as you spot a leak, turn off your stop tap. This will stop more water from coming into the system and slow the leak down.

If you don’t know where your stop tap is, find it now so you can be prepared. Some homes have them inside (usually in the kitchen); others are outside in a small drain near the property.

2. Drain the pipes

Even after turning off the stop tap, there will still be a lot of water in your system that will come through the leaking pipe.

To stop this, turn on your cold-water taps and flush your toilets. This will empty the system and prevent as much water as possible from finding its way out through the leaking pipe.

3. Turn off your boiler

If you’re heating is on, turn your boiler off to make sure your system is totally empty. However, don’t open your hot taps, only the cold ones.

4. Turn off your electricity

There is always a risk that water from a leak could come into contact with a plug or electrical outlet. To protect your electronics, turn your fuse box off if possible.

5. Find which pipe burst

Now you’ve done all you can to stop more water damage and protect your electrics, you can locate the leaking pipe. Large cracks or a burst pipe are easy to spot, but small leaks or hairline cracks can be trickier.

Look for stains or bulges in the ceiling or pooling water underneath pipes in a bathroom or kitchen. You might find the pipe is still leaking even after turning the water off, so try containing it as best you can with a container or bucket.

6. Call a plumber

Small cracks can often be repaired using commercial-grade tape and bonding agents. However, large cracks or a fully burst pipe will need to be replaced.

If you try to DIY a repair, you risk it bursting again and causing even more damage. So it’s always best to call a professional who can assess the damage and fix it properly.

7. Document the damage

Finally, if the damage is severe, don’t forget to take pictures or a video. If you plan on filing an insurance claim, you’ll need evidence of the damage as well as a full quote for any repairs you need from your plumber.

Call Us in an Emergency

If you have a burst, cracked, or leaking pipe in Eastbourne or the wider Sussex region, call us now. We have an emergency call out service and can be with you ASAP to stop the leak and help minimise water damage.