The first ten minutes after a pipe bursts
Do these in order. Each one limits what the water can reach.
- 1
Close the main water shutoff
Find the main valve at the house, often near the meter or where the supply enters. Turn it fully closed. If it will not turn, tell the dispatcher right away.
- 2
Kill power near the water
If water is near outlets, appliances or the panel, switch off the breakers for that area. Never step into standing water to reach a panel.
- 3
Open taps to drain the lines
Open the lowest cold tap, and a hot tap as well, to bleed remaining water and drop pressure.
- 4
Contain and clear
Move rugs and electronics, lay towels along doorways, and use buckets under any active drip. Water can run along framing, so check the rooms below.
- 5
Call the line
Call dispatch and say where the water is, whether it is stopped, and what pipe material you can see.
A note on insurance, kept honest
Damage from a burst pipe is often the kind of loss that homeowner policies deal with, but we cannot tell you what yours covers. Read your policy or ask your insurer.
What helps in any case. Photograph and video the break and the damage before you clean, keep every receipt for temporary help, and save the old pipe section if you can. We give you a written description of what we found and what we repaired.
Water still running? Shutoff won't turn?
Tell us where the water is and what the valve is doing and we will guide you while a technician is sent. Reach the 24/7 line now.
What kind of break is it?
The pipe material and the type of failure decide the fix.
| What you see | Likely cause | Typical repair |
|---|---|---|
| Spray from a copper line | Pinhole corrosion, a split or a failed joint | Cut out the section and sweat in new copper or use a fitting |
| Crack in a plastic or older steel line | Age, movement, pressure or frost-like stress | Replace the cracked length |
| Seep at a joint or fitting | Failed solder, loose connection or worn washer | Rework the joint or swap the fitting |
| Wet soil above a drain line | Cracked or separated drain pipe | Locate by camera, then replace the section |
A single failure in an older pipe often means more weak spots. See Repiping if the rest of the line looks tired.
Cracked or broken pipe: what repair looks like
Once the water is off, we open only what we need to reach the break. We cut back to sound pipe, fit new material with the right connectors, and pressure-test before we close the wall. The goal is a repair that holds, not a patch.
Census figures show that 86.2 percent of Pico Rivera homes were built before 1980, and the median build year is 1957. In older houses, a burst is often the first visible sign that the pipe around it is aging. We note what we saw so you can decide whether to repair or replace more of the run.
Leaking pipe, drain pipe and copper pipe: how each is handled
A pinhole or slow weep is a leak, not a burst, but it can turn into one. We stop it with a cut-in section or a fitting and test the line afterward. If you cannot find the source, Leak Detection is the better start.
Drain pipe repair
A cracked drain sends wastewater into soil or crawlspace. We locate the break, replace the damaged length and check slope so flow stays smooth. Chronic clogs may also be involved, see Drain Cleaning.
Copper pipe repair
Copper fails at joints, at pinholes from corrosion, and at splits. We cut to clean pipe, fit new copper or an approved coupling, and test. If the rest of the copper line is thin, we say so.
What affects the price of a burst pipe repair
Five items decide what a burst pipe repair costs.
Document the damage for your records
Do this as soon as the water is under control.
- Photos and short videos of the break and wet areas.
- A list of damaged belongings.
- Receipts for towels, fans, hotel or cleaning.
- The shutoff time and what you did.
- Your insurer's claim line, saved on your phone.
- Ask us for a written description of the repair.
Standards and sources behind this page
Water-damage and shutoff steps here follow standard homeowner emergency practice. Keep photos and receipts for your insurer, who decides what a policy covers.
Questions we hear most
Yes. A pipe that bursts at midnight or on a Sunday gets dispatch immediately, and a same-day visit is offered when available.
Call the line and tell us whether the main is shut.
It is usually near the meter or where the supply line enters the house. Find it before you need it.
We cannot say. Policies differ, so ask your insurer. Take photos, keep receipts and save the broken pipe section.
Yes, if both are part of the damage, and the scope is priced before we start.
It can become a burst. Shut the water to that line if you can and book a repair soon.
We look at the pipe's condition and tell you what we see. You decide with the price in front of you.
Stop the damage, then fix the pipe
The water is off, the repair comes next. Call our 24/7 dispatch and we will schedule the repair.