Burst Pipe? What to Do in the First 10 Minutes

Minute 0 to 1: Is anyone in danger?

Before you touch a valve, look at where the water is going. If it is spreading toward outlets, power strips, an extension cord or the main electrical panel, do not walk through it. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says that water reaching or nearing electrical outlets or panels, or threatening a pilot light or the power to a furnace or water heater, is the situation where you call the fire department. If the panel is dry and you can reach it standing on a dry floor, switching off the breakers for the flooded area is reasonable. If not, leave it for the professionals.

If you smell gas at any point, the plan changes completely. Leave the house first. From a safe distance call 911 and your gas utility. In most of the area that is Washington Gas, emergency leak line 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1. Some homes are served by BGE or Columbia Gas of Virginia, some use propane, and some are all-electric; your gas bill shows which applies to you. Our full gas smell safety guide covers the details.

Minute 1 to 3: Close the main shutoff

This is the single most important step. Where to look:

• Rowhouses and older homes in the District and inner suburbs: usually in the basement, low on the wall facing the street where the service pipe enters.
• Homes with a basement in the suburbs: near the front foundation wall, often close to the water heater or a utility sink.
• Slab homes and townhouses without basements: check a utility closet, the garage, or a closet near the water heater.
• Condos and apartments: there may be a valve under the kitchen sink, behind an access panel, or in a utility closet. If you cannot find one, call building management or the after-hours maintenance line right away.

Turn a round handle clockwise until it stops. A lever handle is closed when it sits across the pipe. Old gate valves in older houses sometimes stick or will not fully close; do not force one until it snaps. If the valve will not budge, the utility can shut water off at the meter or curb stop. Numbers for the main providers:

Other city and town systems, such as Rockville, Manassas, Leesburg, Vienna and Bowie, have their own numbers; check your water bill. If only one fixture is leaking, such as a toilet supply line or the hose to a washing machine, closing the small valve behind that fixture is enough.

Minute 3 to 5: Drain the pipes and protect the water heater

Closing the main does not empty the pipes. Open the lowest cold faucet in the house, such as a basement laundry tub or an outdoor spigot if it is not frozen, and flush the toilets once. That pulls remaining water away from the break instead of out of it. If the burst is on a hot water line, or the heater itself is involved, turn the heater off: switch an electric unit off at its breaker if you can reach it on dry ground, or set a gas unit to its pilot or off position. A heater left running with no water coming in can be damaged.

Minute 5 to 7: Document before you clean

Take photos and a short video of the split pipe, the standing water and anything soaked: drywall, ceilings, flooring, furniture, boxes. Insurance companies want to see the damage as it was. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners explains that homeowners policies usually cover water damage from a sudden and accidental discharge, but coverage for a frozen pipe can depend on whether reasonable steps were taken to keep it from freezing. Keep the broken section of pipe once it is removed, along with receipts for anything you buy to dry the house.

Minute 7 to 10: Start moving water and belongings

• Lift rugs, electronics, papers and anything made of wood or fabric off the wet floor.
• Put buckets and pans under ceiling drips. If a ceiling is bulging with water, keep people out from under it.
• Mop, use towels, or run a wet-dry vacuum on standing water you can reach safely.
• Open interior doors and run fans and a dehumidifier once the electrical side is confirmed safe.

Speed matters because of mold. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency frames its water damage guidance around acting within 24 to 48 hours, and it notes that mold can still grow even when materials are dried within that window. Wet carpet pad, insulation and drywall that stay damp much longer usually have to come out.

What should you tell the plumber when you call?

A clear description helps a plumber show up with the right parts:

1. Where the break is (basement ceiling, exterior wall, under a sink, outside).
2. Pipe material if you can tell: copper, galvanized steel, PEX or CPVC. Older District homes may still have galvanized lines, which DC Water recommends replacing fully because they can hold lead picked up from old service lines.
3. Whether the main is closed and holding.
4. Whether the break happened during or right after a hard freeze.
5. Whether you have water heat, hot water, or no water at all right now.

When you are ready, you can be connected with a local plumber for emergency plumbing in Washington, DC or for a burst pipe fix. Across the river, homeowners often look for plumbers in Alexandria or urgent help in Fairfax, and in Maryland, Silver Spring burst pipe repair or plumbing help in Bowie.

Is it inside the house or outside?

If water is bubbling up in the yard or the street and your house pressure has dropped, the break may be on the service line or the main. Report water in the street to the utility. Responsibility for the service line varies: DC Water handles the section in public space and the owner handles the private side; WSSC Water owns the part connecting to the main and the customer owns the line from the property line in; Fairfax Water customers own the lateral from the meter to the house. A break on your side calls for water service line repair.

After the first ten minutes

Once the plumber has repaired the break, turn the main back on slowly, a quarter turn at a time, and watch the repair and any nearby joints. DC Water suggests that when water returns cloudy or sputtering, you open the highest faucet first to clear the air, and when it is yellow or brown, start with the lowest faucet to flush sediment. Run the cold water until it is clear before you drink it.

Then look at why it happened. Many winter bursts trace back to a pipe in an exterior wall, a garage or a vented crawl space. Our guide to keeping pipes from freezing in the DC area covers insulation, heat and dripping faucets. If the break was a pinhole in aging copper or a corroded galvanized line rather than a freeze, it may be time to look at replacing the old supply lines before the next leak.