If a pipe has burst, find your stopcock and turn it off first. Do this before anything else. That one action does more to limit the damage than anything else on this list.
A burst pipe can put a serious amount of water into a room within minutes. Because the damage keeps building for every minute the supply stays on, work through the five steps below in order. Then get in touch so we can find the actual cause and repair it properly.
The 5 things to do right now
None of these need any tools or plumbing knowledge — just move quickly and in this order.
- Turn off the stopcock — Find it and shut it fully. It’s usually under the kitchen sink. Other common spots include a cupboard near the front door, under the stairs, or an external meter box in a flat. A part-closed stopcock will still let water through. Make sure it’s turned as far as it will go.
- Open the taps — With the stopcock off, open the cold taps around the house. Focus on any below the level of the burst. This drains the water still sitting in the pipework and relieves system pressure. Less water escapes from the split as a result.
- Kill the electrics near the water — If water could reach sockets, switches, or the consumer unit, isolate that circuit. Not sure which one covers the area? Isolate the whole electrical supply instead. This isn’t a step to skip or guess at.
- Contain and protect — Towels along the skirting, buckets under the worst of the water, and anything valuable moved out of the way. You’re not fixing anything at this stage. You’re just limiting how much gets ruined before help arrives.
- Photograph the damage — Before you start clearing up, photograph the pipe, the water, and anything it’s affected. It’s much harder to capture this evidence once cleanup is under way. You’ll want it if you end up making an insurance claim.
Why do pipes burst?
Freezing is one of the most common causes in colder weather, since water expands as it turns to ice. A pipe exposed in a loft, garage, or on an outside wall can split clean through. Additionally, old or corroded pipework can fail on its own. It simply gives way under normal pressure after years of wear. A good number of bursts are accidental too. A nail, screw, or drill bit can go through a hidden pipe during other work in the house. Or sometimes it’s just a joint or fitting finally wearing out, rather than the pipe itself.
What happens once the plumber arrives
We start by finding the exact break. Sometimes that’s obvious, since the water’s coming from one visible point. However, when the break is particularly behind a wall or under a floor, we need to trace it first. We work from the signs of where the water is actually travelling. That’s not just where it’s showing up in the room.
Once we’ve found it, we isolate just that section of pipework wherever we can. This avoids leaving the whole property without water for longer than necessary. The repair itself is usually straightforward — replacing the damaged pipe or a failed fitting. However, if it’s a bigger job than that, we’ll explain what’s involved and why. That happens before any further work goes ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Will my home insurance cover a burst pipe? Many buildings and contents policies cover sudden, accidental escape of water. A burst pipe usually falls under this. Cover and excess vary by insurer, though. Some policies exclude damage left unresolved for a long time before being reported. Check your own policy or speak to your insurer directly. Keep the photos from the first 10 minutes along with the repair invoice in case you need to claim.
How do I thaw a frozen pipe safely? Warm it gently — a hairdryer on a low setting, or towels soaked in warm water. Work from the tap end towards the blockage. Never use a naked flame or a blowtorch. Direct heat like that can boil trapped water and turn a frozen pipe into a burst one. If you can’t reach the frozen section safely, get in touch instead of forcing it.
How long does a burst pipe repair take? It varies. An accessible, exposed pipe is usually quicker to deal with. One hidden behind a wall or under a floor takes longer — we first need to expose it safely before any repair can start. We’ll give you a realistic estimate once we’ve had a proper look, rather than guessing before we’ve seen it.
Has the burst come through your ceiling specifically? See our guide on water coming through a ceiling for what to do about the damage above you. This post covers the wider emergency, not the ceiling damage itself. If you’re making a claim for the water damage, our guide to claiming on home insurance for a water leak walks through the process in detail. For the repair itself, our burst pipe page covers what’s involved. Get in touch through our contact form and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can. We cover burst pipe call-outs in Romsey, Fareham emergency plumbing and Hedge End plumbers, day or night. If the drains back up too once the water’s off, see our guide on blocked drains and who’s responsible for them.