First Steps: What To Do When A Pipe Breaks

10/10/2018 (Permalink)

Water damaged kitchen due to a burst pipe in Billings,MT

Many things can cause water damage to your home in Billings, MT, even elements of the home itself. Bursting pipes are not something you necessarily expect, but it's good to have a plan in place just in case. The faster you can spring into action, the less water damage the broken pipe is likely to cause. Here are some suggested first steps to take if a pipe breaks in your home.

1. Shut Off Supply

The first thing you should do is halt the problem. To do this, you need to stop the flow of water into the pipe. Turn off the water at the main valve, thus limiting the volume that will need to be extracted. It is also advisable to shut off the power, at least to the immediate area where the flood is located. This minimizes the danger of water taking on an electrical charge and causing possible injury to anyone who comes into contact with it.

2. Call Mitigation Services

The sooner you call water restoration specialists about bursting pipes, the better off you'll be. If technicians can get to your home quickly, they can often fix the broken pipe and prevent a lot of the secondary damage that could happen if water is allowed to sit stagnant in your home. You may have to replace fewer inches of drywall. You may even be able to avoid a mold problem.

3. Start Extraction

If you have the appropriate protective gear, such as rubber boots and gloves, you may want to start extracting some of the water before the professional technicians arrive. There's no such thing as removing excess water from your home too soon. As long as you can remove it safely, there's no reason to let water linger longer than necessary.

Most of the work of fixing the damage caused by bursting pipes will be handled by the professionals. Your responsibilities are to get them there quickly and make sure the job is as easy as possible once they arrive.