Broken Water Pipe? What to Do

For the average homeowner/business owner, plumbing emergencies are rare. You could easily own your home or building for years and never run into a serious plumbing problem – especially if it was built rather recently. With that said, it is possible that something will happen that requires immediate attention, such as a broken water pipe which causes water leaks. In this article, we will address that issue and offer some basic advice on how you should respond. 

 

There are usually two stages to complete when dealing with a broken pipe. At first, you’ll just need to stop the water from flowing and minimize the damage to your home. Then, you need to bring in an expert team to make the appropriate repairs and get your system back up and running. That’s where Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric comes into the picture. Give us a call today to learn more. 

 

Knowing What to Watch For

Below we will outline the specific steps to take if you do encounter a broken pipe. First, however, it’s important to explain how you would notice that there is a problem in the first place. Most of your pipes are out of sight, after all, so it might take time to notice a water pipe has broken. Fortunately, there are usually signs that will clue you in, as long as you are paying attention.

 

• Sounds of running water. Don’t dismiss what sounds like water running somewhere behind your walls. If you hear something unusual, it’s a good idea to investigate further to see what the cause might be. Even a small drip can do significant damage over time, so hearing anything that sounds like water from a place where no water should be flowing is cause for concern. 
• Low water pressure. If one of your pipes has been compromised, the water pressure you get when turning on a faucet may be reduced. Again, this is an important warning sign that shouldn’t be overlooked – if your water pressure is suddenly lower than it is usually, there is a good chance that something is wrong. 
• Look and smell. Does your water look different than normal? Does it smell “off” in some way? When a pipe breaks, the water that is flowing in your home to various rooms can be contaminated since the pipe is no longer fully protecting it. This might lead to water coming out of your faucets that is discolored or carries an unusual odor. 

 

One other signal to watch for is an elevated water bill for no other obvious reason. If you don’t think you have been using more water than normal, yet your bill is quite a bit higher than you expected, it might be that extra water is getting used by leaking out from a broken pipe somewhere. 

 

The Game Plan for a Broken Water Pipe

Okay – so you have determined that you have a broken pipe that is leaking water somewhere in your home, now what? The most important thing you can do is turn off the supply of water coming into the home. If a pipe is broken, the main water supply that feeds your home is going to just keep pushing new water into the system, which will continue to leak out, and the problem will only get worse. Locate the water supply and turn it into the off position until this problem has been resolved. 

 

With that step done, the next thing you’ll want to do is open up the faucets in your home to drip out as much of the water that remains in the pipes as possible. Also, if you can see where water is collecting from the leak – such as if it is seeping out from behind a wall – make sure to clean that up promptly to minimize water damage.  

 

Now that those simple steps are finished, it’s time to bring in a plumber to have the necessary repairs completed. An experienced, licensed plumber will be able to determine the exact location of the broken pipe and will also be able to properly repair it so that no further issues develop in this area down the road. You may also want to discuss any other maintenance work that might need to be done on your plumbing system to avoid future breaks in other parts of the house. 

 

Dealing with a broken water pipe and water leaks is no one’s idea of a good time, but it happens. Should you be facing this situation, we hope the tips above help you to resolve the matter as quickly and easily as possible. For help from a leading plumber in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, get in touch with Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric right away. Thank you for stopping by!