What do I do when a pipe bursts in my house?

The short answer

Stop the water first, as long as you can reach the valve from dry floor and away from wet outlets or a wet panel, then deal with electricity, then call for help. Every minute the break runs adds water to floors, walls and ceilings, so the main shut-off valve usually comes before the phone call. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue puts the order simply: "If the pipe breaks, quickly shut off the water valve, if you haven't already done so. Then call a plumber."^[1]

1. Shut off the main valve, if you can reach it safely

Before you go to the valve, look at the route. Be aware of the risk of electrocution.^[4] If the valve is in a flooded basement or crawl space, or the way there passes wet outlets, an extension cord in the water or a wet electrical panel, do not go in. Call the water utility to shut the water off at the meter. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says to call the fire department if water is in or near outlets or panels.^[1]

In many homes, it is located near the water meter or close to where the water pipe enters the home.^[2] In a house on a crawl space or basement, look where the line comes through the foundation wall. Virginia Beach Public Utilities lists other likely spots: on the wall of the garage, near the water heater, in a bathroom vanity cabinet, under the kitchen sink, or in a closet near the front entrance.^[3]

Ball valves generally only require a quarter turn to close.^[2] That is the kind with a lever handle. Gate valves are generally closed by turning the handle clockwise,^[2] the round wheel kind, and may take several turns. If the valve does not close easily, it may need to be serviced.^[2] Do not wrench on a stuck valve until it snaps. Call your water utility instead and ask them to shut off service at the meter.

If the hot water line is the one that broke, shut off the water heater too. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue's advice is to "Locate the shut-off valves for both the hot and cold water, and the power shut-off for the hot water heater," and to shut off the water heater if it's the hot water pipe.^[1] Use the heater's own power switch or breaker, and only if you can reach it from dry floor. If the heater sits in standing water, or it is a gas unit and you are not sure how its controls work, leave it alone and tell the plumber when you call.

If the break is on a single fixture line, such as the supply hose under a sink or a toilet, the small valve behind that fixture may stop it faster. When in doubt, close the main.

2. Drain the lines

With the main closed, the pipes still hold some water. Open a faucet on the lowest floor, and an outdoor spigot if you have one, so that water usually drains out there instead of through the break. Leave them open until the plumber is done.

3. Deal with electricity before you wade in

Water and household current are the real danger in the first hour. Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water.^[4] Turn off the electricity to prevent electric shock if it is safe to do so.^[4] In practice that means switching off the breakers for the wet rooms only if you can reach the panel from dry floor. If the panel, or the wall or floor around it, is wet, do not touch it.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says to call the fire department 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] For a burst pipe that is just making a mess, the call is to a plumber.

4. Call the right people

• A plumber, to find and repair the break and turn the water back on safely. If the break is in a wall or ceiling, expect them to open it.
• Your water utility, if the break is at or before the meter, or if you cannot close your valve. In Montgomery County, the Public Service Authority's after-hours advice is: "Contact the NRV 911 non-emergency line at 540-382-4343".^[6] It also says the meter box and meter are PSA property and should be entered by PSA personnel only.^[6] Other Virginia utilities have their own numbers on their websites and bills.
• Your insurance company, early, before large repairs, to ask what is covered and whether they want to inspect first.

5. Limit the water damage

Move rugs, furniture, boxes and electronics out of the wet area. Mop or wet-vac standing water, open cabinet doors under wet sinks, and run fans and a dehumidifier. Photograph and video everything before you throw anything away.

Speed matters here. The EPA's guidance is to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.^[5] Porous materials such as carpet and ceiling tiles may have to be thrown away if they become moldy, because mold can be difficult or impossible to remove from them completely.^[5] If some mold does appear, the EPA says that if the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet (less than roughly a 3 ft. by 3 ft. patch), in most cases, you can handle the job yourself.^[5] After a lot of water damage, or for more mold than that, the EPA points readers to its guide Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, which it says applies to other building types too.^[5] If you hire a contractor for the cleanup, the EPA's advice is to make sure the contractor has experience cleaning up mold and to check references.^[5]

If the break followed a hard freeze, check the rest of the house. In most cases, the actual break doesn't appear until the water begins to thaw,^[1] so a second split can show up hours later on another frozen line.

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]
• The hot water line broke and you cannot reach the water heater's shut-off from dry floor, or the heater is in standing water. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue's advice is to shut off the water heater when the hot water pipe breaks;^[1] if you cannot do that safely, leave it for the plumber, or call the fire department if the water threatens its pilot light or power.
• The main valve will not close, or the break is at the meter or on the line outside the house. Call the water utility.
• A ceiling is bulging or sagging with water. Keep everyone out from under it and let a plumber or restoration crew deal with it.
• The water came from a drain or sewer line, not a supply pipe. The EPA's advice for contaminated water is to call in a professional who has experience cleaning and fixing buildings damaged by contaminated water.^[5]
• Water reached ductwork or the furnace or air handler. Do not run the HVAC system if you know or suspect that it is contaminated with mold.^[5]
• Walls, floors or insulation are still wet after two days.

Next steps

Our answers on whether to call a plumber or a water damage company first and what a burst pipe repair costs in Virginia cover the calls after this one, and why pipes burst in winter explains how to stop it happening again. You can also browse burst pipe repair, find plumbers in Blacksburg, or see all plumbing repair answers.

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