Blog: Pipe Burst? What to do and how to prevent it.

Water, water everywhere!

A burst pipe, especially an internal pipe, can cause a colossal amount of damage if not tackled quickly and effectively. Here are the 5 easy steps you should follow:

Turn the water off

When a pipe bursts it can be easy to panic and forget the basic things you need to do, the first logical step is to shut off the water for the house. There are normally 2 stop taps for your home, one inside and one outside. The one inside is normally in a downstairs toilet or near the sink, you’ll want to turn this clockwise to close the water supply.

If you can’t find your indoor stop tap, there will be one outside too. This can sometimes be found under a grid at the front of the property but this one can be quite hard to reach. If you can’t find either of them, ask a neighbour where their one is, it should be in the same place as yours.

Drain the system

This is an extra measure to ensure no water is flowing to the leak. Firstly, run the cold taps in the house to drain whatever water is left in the pipes and flush the toilets a couple of times, this will help to prevent any leftover water from freezing and will remove pressure in the system.

Secondly, turn off the heating and boiler system and run all the hot water taps in the house. When all the water in the house has been drained, there should be no water available in the system to run to the leak.

Clean the affected area

The severity of the damage caused by a burst pipe can depend on where it is located. If this happened in a living room or another area with a lot of furniture it could cause big problems. Not only could your furniture be damaged but if left too long it could cause mould.

Mould can cause illness if not dealt with quickly. Place towels down and get the mop out to ensure the area is as clean as possible quickly.

Dry the area

Damage and mould occur when moisture gets trapped inside fabrics and materials such as the fabric on your couch or in your walls. You need to dry the area as quickly as you can. Before using anything electrical you should ensure the leak is fully stopped and nothing is placed near the leak.

A dehumidifier is perfect for drying out entire rooms with ease, use one in conjunction with an electric fan heater and you will have a dry home in no time at all. If your pipe bursts in an area with carpets, a carpet dryer may be your best solution. Whatever method you take, ensure the area is as dry as possible.

Call an emergency plumber

You need to get the leak fixed as quickly as possible. An emergency plumber may be able to get to your property within the same day and fix the pipe for you.

Burst pipe prevention

Pipes tend to burst due to a build-up of pressure, in the winter months, this is likely caused by frozen pipes restricting the proper flow of water. There are a few steps you can take to help prevent pipes from freezing:

• Insulate your pipes: Pipes that are located in unheated areas, such as basements, attics, and garages, should be properly insulated to prevent them from freezing.
• Fix any leaks: Leaking pipes can weaken and eventually burst, so it's important to repair any leaks as soon as possible.
• Keep your thermostat set to a consistent temperature: Maintaining a consistent temperature in your home can help prevent pipes from freezing.

If you follow these steps you should be well prepared for a pipe burst and know how to stop it in the future!