A burst pipe is an ugly and dangerous sight to come across in your home. We are often aware of the intricacies involved with the freezing pipes and the pipes that bust open, still, we choose to ignore it until a catastrophe happens.
Especially, when the pipes in your home are frozen or burst in winters, then the complexity of solving it and the cost for their maintenance is high. The best way to deal with such a situation is to know some tricks and plans beforehand before a water emergency shows itself to you.
To get familiar with the steps of dealing with a pipe burst, read on.
Preparing for the water danger
If you live in a cold climate, then seasonal maintenance should be considered for the safety of the pipes and the water system in your property. The best thing is to have the pipes protected or arranged in a way that they do not burst or freeze, and respond well to the changes in outside temperature. The preparing steps may include insulating the pipes and shielding the faucets in the outdoor area.
Shut off the main water supply
Turning the faucets and the main water supply off is an obvious and wise step when dealt with a burst pipe in your home. This may not prevent the damage from taking place but minimize the damage caused to a certain degree.
Turn off the electric power
You can also turn off the electrical supply in that area to assume the possibility that the water from the pipe burst has accessed the electrical outlets. These are the most crucial steps to take before you head on to other steps and solutions to subvert the effects of a burst pipe.
Get rid of the wastewater
Take a mop and wiper and suck out all of the water on the floor and other parts of your home as a result of the burst pipe. You do not want to get the overflowing water damage and soak into important stuff in your home. These will also prevent mold growth or dampening of walls. Drain out all the water from the taps as well.
Heat the area
After wiping off the water from the surface, you need to heat the pipes that are prone to damage and bursts besides the pipe already busted. Heating is required especially for the cold area of your such as the basement and specific rooms. The icing on certain parts should also melt off with the dryer, and you can leave the taps on while you perform this step. You can also check out methods to insulate walls to get help with the pipe-freezing problem.
Try covering the leak
The next step you can do is put a rubber cap or a clamp over the burst pipe area. This cannot stop the running water but can prevent it from going all around the surrounding area and is thus a recommended safety measure. You can also use a piece of wood to fasten the clamp with the rubber, the woodblock will reduce the water pressure and prevent the destruction of the pipe.
Get a plumber
Unless you are skilled or qualified enough to perform the rest of the prevention and repairing of the burst pipe, calling the plumber is the immediate step to take. Get a proficient plumber for skilled repairing so that such a disaster won’t happen again.
Suddenly flooding water out of your kitchen or bathroom can cost you huge money. Being proactive about the maintenance of your drainage and water system is the best step to take in the first place.