In the first hour after a supply line bursts, shut off the water at the valve that serves the broken line, or at the main if that valve cannot be found. Switch off power to wet outlets and appliances, photograph the damage, keep people out of the water and call for extraction. Do not start cleaning until the water has stopped and the house is safe.
Key takeaways
- Shut off the water first, because a supply line under pressure keeps releasing water until the flow stops.
- Switch off power to wet outlets and appliances before stepping into water near them.
- Photograph each room, the water line and the break before anything is moved.
- Keep wet materials in place until the technician has seen them and recorded them.
- Call for extraction at once, because standing water soaks into flooring and framing while it waits.
- A plumber repairs the line, and the water work is kept separate so the drying is not blocked by the repair.
How do I shut off the water quickly?
Close the valve that serves the broken line if you know where it is. If you do not, close the main valve where the service enters the house. Once the flow has stopped, the rest of the first hour is about safety and the record.
Many homes have a main valve where the water line enters the house and smaller valves at fixtures and appliances. In an emergency any valve that stops the flow is the right one, because the aim is to stop the water rather than to isolate the line neatly.
If the water keeps coming after you have closed one valve, close the main as well. Check the meter if you can, with every tap and appliance off, to confirm the flow has stopped. Note the time you closed each valve, because the technician will ask.
What do I switch off, and how do I stay safe?
Switch off electricity to any outlet, fixture or appliance that is in or near the water. Do not step into standing water near power, and do not reach into it while a cord or a plug is in it. If you are unsure, wait for an electrician or a technician to confirm the area is safe.
The breaker that serves the affected circuit is the one to switch off, if you can reach it from a dry spot. If the panel is in the wet area, leave it alone and call for help. Do not use an extension cord on a wet floor, and do not run a fan or a heater in the water.
Keep children and pets out of the wet rooms. Walk around standing water rather than through it, and take care on a wet floor, which can be slippery. Safety comes before the cleanup in the first hour.
What should I photograph before anything is moved?
Photograph each wet room wide, then the water line on the walls, the damaged items and the break itself if you can see it safely. Date each photograph and name the room it belongs to.
The wide photographs show where the water sat and how it relates to the rest of the house. The water line shows how high it rose, which tells the technician how far the water moved inside the walls.
Photograph any item that is damaged before you move it, including furniture, stored boxes and flooring. A photograph of the failed fitting, taken from a safe spot, is useful to the plumber and to any claim.
What do I keep and what do I move?
Move valuables and small items out of the water to a dry room, and keep damaged items where they are until the technician has listed them. Do not throw out wet materials before the record is made, because the list is what supports the claim.
Valuables such as documents, electronics and keepsakes should be moved to a dry room as soon as it is safe. Rugs can be lifted out of the water, but do not roll them up on a wet floor. Furniture can be moved onto dry surfaces, with its position noted.
Anything that is wet and that you plan to discard should be photographed and listed first. A written list with the date and the reason, plus the photographs, is often enough for the record, and it is better than an item thrown out with no record at all.
Keep a note of the order in which you moved things, and where each item was placed. A short written note, with the time, makes the record clearer when the technician arrives, and it avoids confusion about what was moved and what was left in place.
Who do I call, and what do I tell them?
Call the water line, which is answered at any hour, and tell the call-taker where the water is, how deep it is, whether it is still running and what you have already done. A technician is sent as soon as one is free.
Give the nearest cross street and the room where the water is. Say whether the water came from a supply line, a drain, a storm or a roof, if you know. Tell the call-taker which valves you have closed and the time you closed them.
No arrival time is given on the phone, but the first instructions are given on the call, and the technician arrives ready to read the house from the source outward.
What happens after the first hour?
The technician extracts the water, reads the structure with meters, sets the drying and keeps a log. The plumber repairs the line on a separate visit, and the water work is coordinated with that repair so the drying is not blocked.
Extraction takes the standing water off the floors and out of carpet. The readings then show which walls, floors and cavities are still wet, and the drying plan is set from them. The record of the readings and the openings goes to you.
The plumber repairs the break once the water work has shown where the line runs and which parts are wet. The repair and the drying are separate jobs, and they are scheduled so that neither blocks the other.
Why is the first hour so important?
Water from a supply line soaks into flooring, framing and insulation while it sits. The sooner the water stops and the standing water is removed, the less of the structure takes it up, and the less drying the house needs.
A burst line can release water at pressure, and the water runs to the lowest point of the house before it is noticed. Each minute of standing water is a minute of soaking, and the wet material keeps moving water toward dry material even after the surface looks dry.
The first hour is therefore about stopping the flow, removing the standing water and recording what happened. Those three steps set up the rest of the job, and they protect both the structure and the record.
The first hour also sets the tone for the rest of the job. A homeowner who has photographed the room, closed the valve and written down the time has a record that the technician can build on, and the drying plan can start from known facts instead of from an account pieced together later.
What if water reached an electrical panel or an appliance?
Water near an electrical panel or an appliance is the most dangerous part of a burst-pipe call. Do not approach the panel in water, do not switch an appliance back on, and call for an electrician or technician to confirm the area before anything is restored to use.
An appliance that was in the water should not be used again until it has been checked, even if it seems to work. Water can corrode its connections, and the check protects the appliance and the house.
If the breaker box is wet or the water reached the meter, leave that equipment alone and say so when you call. The technician will explain what can be done from a dry spot and what needs to wait for a qualified person.
What should I tell the plumber before the repair begins?
Tell the plumber where the water was found, which rooms were wet, which walls the technician opened and what readings were taken. The plumber can plan the repair around the wet areas and avoid opening a wall that has already been dried.
Give the plumber a copy of the photographs and the readings, and point out the break if you saw it. Ask the plumber to note any fitting or section of pipe that was replaced, so the record of the repair matches the record of the water work.
Ask the plumber to confirm in writing what was repaired and where. A short written record from the plumber, kept with the water file, closes the loop between the two jobs and helps any later claim.
Frequently asked questions
I cannot find the valve. What now?
Close the main where the water service enters the house, if you can reach it safely. Call the water line and say that you could not find the valve, so the technician can help locate it.
Can I mop up the water myself?
A small spill can be wiped up if no electricity is involved. Anything larger, or any water near power, should wait for a technician, and wet materials should be photographed before they are removed.
Should I call a plumber or the water line first?
Call the water line first if the water is still spreading, because extraction stops the damage from growing. The plumber repairs the line on a separate visit, and the technician can show where the break is.
Is it safe to run the hot water?
Do not run any water or appliance that is connected to the broken line until the plumber has checked it. Ask the technician which fixtures are safe to use while the drying is in progress.
What do I tell my insurer?
Tell your insurer that a supply line burst and that the water has been stopped, extracted and recorded. Give the insurer the photographs and the record once the technician has prepared them.
The water reached the meter. What should I do?
Stay away from the meter and any panel in the water, and tell the call-taker. A qualified person should check the equipment before anyone uses the power in that area.
Do I need to be home when the technician arrives?
It helps to be there, or to have someone who can answer questions about the house and the valves. If you cannot be present, leave the valve location, the access details and a contact number with the call-taker.
This guide is general information for Richmond County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.