My Pipes Burst! What Should I Do?

Have a burst pipe in your home? You need to act immediately to minimize the damage to your home. Since 1906, your trusted plumbers at Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning have been repairing burst pipes in Brooklyn and Manhattan. These steps will help you take control of the situation:

1. Turn off the water supply. Depending on the pipe – a water main versus a standard pipe under the sink – you will either want to turn off the water source for the entire house, or locate the emergency shut off valve for the particular area of the system. With emergency valve tagging, you can easily find the right valve the first time.
2. Turn off the heating system. Shut down the central heating system and the water heater as well. Drain the system by turning on hot water in several of your sinks and leave them running until the system empties.
3. Drain the entire system. You will need to get all the water you can out of the system. Turn on the faucets, especially those located in the lower areas of the home, and let them run until the water stops flowing.
4. Turn off electricity if necessary. Take a look at the area that has been affected by the burst/leakage.  If any wiring or electrical systems have been exposed to water, do not handle them but instead, shut off the electricity immediately.
5. Begin collecting water/Clean-Up. It is important to remove all the water from the exposed area to begin clean-up and make a solid working area for repair.

In order to prevent your pipes from bursting, you can take preventative measures such as:

• Add an insulating layer around your water tank to protect it from the elements.
• Open up the circulation in the house. Leave loft and hatch doors slightly open to allow warmer air to circulate everywhere and dramatically minimize the chance of freezing.
• Insulate all your pipes with an appropriate layer of foam.
• Disconnect all garden hoses from outdoor spigots.

You can further your efforts by having old or outdated pipework replaced, and your entire plumbing system inspected by a professional. Your pipes can burst for a number of reasons – age, integrity, or even just an unforeseen accident.  If they do, or if you are interested in having parts of your plumbing system replaced, give us a call at (718)748-1254.  Let us be your solution!