A burst pipe is an emergency, and our 24/7 dispatch answers it any hour. Shut off the main water valve now and open a faucet at the lowest point of the house to drain the lines. Switch off power to wet areas only if you can reach the breaker without stepping in water. Then call and describe what you see, because it helps the dispatcher decide what to ask you next.
Burst pipe emergency: the first ten minutes
Find and close the main
It is usually near the water heater, in a basement or crawlspace, or in a utility closet. If you cannot find it, or the house valve will not turn, do not force it. Call the 24/7 line and the dispatcher will talk you through it.
Relieve pressure
Open the lowest faucet and the highest one, then flush a toilet. The lines drain and the flow at the break slows.
Cut power to the wet zone
Use the breaker only if the panel is dry and you can reach it from dry footing. Otherwise stay away and tell the dispatcher.
Save what you can
Lift rugs and electronics off wet floors. Photograph the break, the water, and any damage before you clean.
Call the 24/7 line
Tell the dispatcher where the water is, whether the main is off, and whether the ceiling is sagging.
Weekend and overnight calls go through the same dispatch, and we book same-day appointments when available. If water is near the electrical panel or a ceiling is sagging with water, leave that room and call the 24/7 line from somewhere dry.
If you drained the lines, switch off the water heater at its breaker, from dry footing only, or at its gas control. If a pipe is frozen but not split, call the 24/7 line before doing anything else. Thaw it with warm air, never an open flame, and know where your main is in case it splits as it thaws.
Why a pipe lets go in the first place
Water expands when it freezes, and the ice can build pressure inside the pipe until the wall splits. That can happen when a hard freeze hits and a line runs through an unheated wall, attic, garage or crawlspace. The split often does not leak until the ice melts, which is why the flood can start hours after the cold ends.
Freezing is only one cause. High water pressure stresses fittings and old joints over time. Corrosion thins the wall of galvanized and some copper lines from the inside. Poor soldering, a loose compression nut, or a failed supply valve can also let go with no warning.
Copper, galvanized, PEX: how the material changes the repair
Copper splits along its length when frozen and can be repaired with a new section and fresh fittings. Galvanized steel is often rusty inside, so one burst may signal that neighboring sections are close behind. PEX is more flexible and may survive a freeze that splits copper, but a damaged or poorly crimped fitting can still fail.
A plumber will cut out the damaged stretch, check the pipe on either side, and decide whether a repair holds or a longer run should come out. If several joints in a line show corrosion, ask about repiping before the next failure. Alabama's Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board rule 720-X-1-.02 names the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) for residential plumbing, so check with the board for the current edition.
| Method | Good for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Cut out and replace a section | A clean split in healthy pipe | Needs sound pipe on both ends to join to |
| Coupling or repair fitting | A short crack with enough pipe on both sides | Several repairs in one run may mean the line is wearing out |
| Replace a valve or fitting | A cracked supply valve or failed connector | Check the shutoff and the pipe beside it |
| Run new PEX around the damage | Hard-to-reach copper or galvanized sections | May need wall or ceiling access |
| Temporary clamp | Stopping flow until the proper repair | Not a permanent answer |
Supply valves, fittings and short broken stubs
A broken supply valve under a sink, a cracked angle stop behind a toilet, or a failed washing machine hose can flood a room just as fast. These can be simpler fixes if the shutoff upstream holds.
If the shutoff itself will not close, the main is the only way to stop the water. A plumber can replace a stuck valve once the line is isolated. A burst in the yard between the meter and the house is a different problem, covered under water service line repair.
After the water stops: photos, invoices and drying
Take photos of the broken pipe, the standing water, and every damaged surface before you start cleanup. Keep the plumber's invoice, since insurers and the water utility may ask for it. Restoration and drying are not plumbing services, so ask your insurer about water extraction and drying companies.
Wet drywall, insulation and carpet can grow mold if they stay damp, so start drying quickly. A plumber's job ends when the supply is repaired and tested, and the cleanup begins from there.
A burst that ran for days and your water bill
A pipe that bursts while you are away can run for days and spike a bill. Pelham Water Works has a leak adjustment policy, which is policy at time of writing, so confirm current terms with Pelham Water Works. A sudden, obvious burst may not count as a leak that was not readily detectable, and the city decides each request, so do not count on a credit. The meter and bill guide explains the policy and the paperwork.
If a stain appears later and you cannot tell where it started, leak detection can locate hidden damage. We serve Pelham and nearby towns, including Alabaster.
What changes the cost of a burst pipe repair
A short split under a sink and a long run in a wall are not the same job.
Ask your insurer what your policy covers and keep photos and the plumber's invoice. We give a clear price before work starts. For a real number, call the 24/7 line.
Water running and you cannot stop it?
Close the main, open the lowest faucet, and call. Licensed and insured plumbers are sent through 24/7 emergency dispatch.
Burst pipe questions, answered fast
Yes. Dispatch runs 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays. Same-day appointments are offered when available.
Close the main valve, open the lowest faucet, and keep clear of wet electrical areas until help arrives.
Look near the water heater, in a utility closet, basement or crawlspace, or where the line enters the house. Find the house main before an emergency. If you cannot find it or it will not close, call the 24/7 line and the dispatcher will talk you through it. Do not force the valve.
Only if the breaker panel is dry and you can reach it without standing in water. If the panel or outlets are wet, stay away and call. Electrical repairs after water damage need an electrician.
A single clean split in healthy pipe can usually be repaired by replacing a section. Multiple failures or heavy corrosion may point to a longer replacement.
Stop the water first. Then ask your insurer what your policy covers, and keep photos of the damage and the plumber's invoice.
No. We repair and test the plumbing. Water extraction, drying and rebuilding are done by restoration companies, which your insurer can help you find.