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HiringBurst Pipe

Should I call a plumber or a water damage company first after a burst pipe?

Shut off the main water valve yourself first, unless reaching it means wading through standing water or going near wet outlets or a wet panel. Then call a plumber to repair the leak, and the same day a water damage company if more than a small area got wet. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says water near outlets or panels is the time to call the fire department.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Close the main valve if you can reach it safely

    Shut off the main water valve before you make any call, so the damage stops growing while you wait for help.[1] Do not wade through standing water or go near wet outlets or a wet panel to reach it.[2] If you would have to, call the water utility instead and go straight to the next step.

  2. Step 2: Check for an electrical hazard

    Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says to call the fire department only if water is in or near outlets or panels, or threatens a pilot light or power to a water heater or furnace.[1]

  3. Step 3: Call a licensed plumber

    Ask for the break to be found and repaired, and for the water to be turned back on safely once it is.

  4. Step 4: Call your insurer

    Report the loss early and ask whether they want to inspect before wet materials are removed or a restoration company starts.

  5. Step 5: Call a water damage company if needed

    If ceilings, walls, floors or insulation got soaked, book drying the same day to stay within the 24-48 hour window.[3]

  6. Step 6: Check licences before the rebuild

    Look up each contractor's licence with DPOR before you sign for the repair and rebuild work.[5]

  7. Step 7: Get it in writing

    Get a written contract that lists the price, the scope and the payment schedule, and keep a file of every invoice and photo.[5]

The short answer

Neither call comes first. Closing the main water valve does, and you can usually do that yourself in a minute, as long as you can reach it from dry floor without passing wet outlets or a wet panel. Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water.[2] Then call a plumber to stop and repair the leak, and, if more than a small area got wet, call a water damage company the same day. The one exception is water in or near outlets or the panel, or water that threatens a pilot light or power to a water heater or furnace, which Fairfax County Fire and Rescue treats as a call for the fire department.[1]

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue's order is: "If the pipe breaks, quickly shut off the water valve, if you haven't already done so. Then call a plumber."[1] Its reason is simple: "They have the know-how to correctly fix the break."[1] The fire department is the call only if the water gets in or near electrical outlets or panels, or if the water threatens a pilot light or power to a water heater or furnace.[1]

Who does what

A plumber finds the break, repairs or replaces the damaged section, turns the water back on and checks for other leaks. After a freeze, the plumber is also the person to ask about the longer-term fix; Fairfax County Fire and Rescue notes that at this point you may consider having the pipe or pipes rerouted through less vulnerable areas.[1]

A water damage or restoration company removes standing water, pulls out soaked materials that cannot be saved, dries the structure with fans and dehumidifiers, checks moisture levels until they are back to normal, and often rebuilds the drywall and flooring afterwards. It does not usually repair the pipe.

Your water utility is the call when the break is at the meter or outside on the line before it. In Montgomery County, "The PSA owns lines to the meter, and the property owner is responsible from the meter to the home."[6]

Brown water stain spreading across a ceiling tile above a tiled wall, caused by a leaking pipe
Photo: Atomicdragon136, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Why the drying call cannot wait

Mold is on a clock. The EPA's guidance is to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.[3] It also says: "If wet or damp materials or areas are dried 24-48 hours after a leak or spill happens, in most cases mold will not grow."[3] A plumber can often come the same day, but if you wait for the repair before thinking about drying, a wet ceiling or wall cavity can lose a day you do not have.

You may not need a restoration company at all. If a pipe under a sink wet the cabinet floor and a few square feet of tile, towels, fans and a dehumidifier usually do the job. Call one when water went into ceilings, wall cavities, insulation, carpet pad or a crawl space, or if there has been a lot of water damage, and/or mold growth covers more than 10 square feet.[3] If the water came from a drain or sewer rather than a supply pipe, the EPA's advice is to call in a professional who has experience cleaning and fixing buildings damaged by contaminated water.[3]

Checking who you hire

Emergencies are when people skip the checks. A few minutes on the phone is enough.

The plumber. Plumbing is licensed trade work in Virginia. The Code of Virginia says: "The Board shall require a master tradesmen license as a condition of licensure for electrical, plumbing, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractors."[4]

The restoration company. If it rebuilds walls, ceilings or floors, it is contracting, and Virginia's licence classes start with Class C for a single contract valued over $1,000 but less than $30,000.[4] For mold work, the EPA's advice is to make sure the contractor has experience cleaning up mold. Check references[3] before you sign.

Both. A license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the contractor's license is valid.[5] Look the licence up on DPOR's website, or call (804) 367-8511.[5] Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work.[5] The Board for Contractors' rule of thumb for a deposit is an initial deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less.[5]

Permits. Emergency work can start before the paperwork: applications for emergency construction, alterations, or equipment replacement shall be submitted by the end of the first working day that follows the day such work commences.[7] If anyone suggests you pull the permit yourself, decline. The Board for Contractors puts it this way: "Licensed contractors should apply for and obtain all building permits, not the consumer."[5] The permit holder becomes the general contractor and assumes responsibility for the overall job.[5]

The insurance call

Call your insurer between the plumber and the restoration company, or at the same time. Ask whether they want an adjuster to see the damage before wet materials are removed, and what records and photos they need. Photograph everything first, and keep every invoice.

Stop and call a pro if

  • Water is in or near outlets or the electrical panel, or threatens a pilot light or power to a water heater or furnace. Stay out of the water; Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says this is when to call the fire department.[1]
  • A ceiling is sagging or bulging with water. Keep everyone out from under it.
  • The main valve will not close, or the break is at the meter. Call the water utility.
  • Water came from a sewer or drain line.
  • Anything is still wet after two days, or you smell or see mold.

Next steps

If the water is still running, go to what to do when a pipe bursts. For prices and quotes, see what a burst pipe repair costs in Virginia. You can also browse water damage restoration, burst pipe repair, plumbers in Blacksburg, or all plumbing repair answers.

When the water is off, describe the burst pipe once and licensed local plumbers quote the repair.

Common questions

Can a water damage company fix the pipe?
Usually not. Restoration companies dry out and rebuild; repairing a water supply pipe is plumbing, and Virginia requires a master tradesman licence as a condition of licensing a plumbing contractor. Some restoration firms keep a plumber on call or subcontract one; ask who actually does the pipe repair and check that business's licence.
Do I need a water damage company for a small leak?
Not always. If a small area got wet and you can dry it completely with fans and a dehumidifier within a day or two, a plumber alone may be enough. The EPA says that if wet materials are dried 24 to 48 hours after a leak, in most cases mold will not grow. Call a restoration company when water soaked into ceilings, wall cavities, insulation or carpet pad you cannot dry in that time.
Who do I call if the break is outside or at the meter?
Your water utility, and ask it where its responsibility ends. Montgomery County's Public Service Authority, for example, says it owns the lines to the meter and the property owner is responsible from the meter to the home. Other utilities set their own rules.
Does the plumber need a permit for an emergency repair?
The work can start first. Virginia's building code lets applications for emergency work be submitted by the end of the first working day after the work starts. Whether a particular pipe repair needs a permit at all is up to the local building official; the licensed contractor, not you, should apply for any permit.
Should I let the restoration company deal with my insurer?
Talk to your insurer yourself first, and read anything before you sign it. Keep your own copies of photos, invoices and the drying records, and do not sign a blank or partly blank contract.

Sources

  1. [1] Frozen Water Pipes, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. Checked October 26, 2026.
  2. [2] Floods, Ready.gov (FEMA). Checked October 26, 2026.
  3. [3] A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked October 26, 2026.
  4. [4] Code of Virginia § 54.1-1100. Definitions, Code of Virginia, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 26, 2026.
  5. [5] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor (2017), Virginia Board for Contractors, DPOR. Checked October 26, 2026.
  6. [6] Water/Sewer: PSA frequently asked questions, Montgomery County, Virginia, Public Service Authority. Checked October 26, 2026.
  7. [7] 13VAC5-63-80. Section 108 Application for permit (Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code), Virginia Administrative Code, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 26, 2026.

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