One of the horrifying nightmares you could experience as a homeowner is a burst pipe. Nonetheless, not many people know how best to deal with this issue since they neglect to think that they could be at risk of it. Naturally, the first thing that you should do when you encounter a burst pipe in or around your home would be to call a professional plumber immediately. However, depending on the location of your lumber, it may take them some time to reach you. Below is a list of emergency steps that you can make as you await professional help to reach you.
Step 1: Find your stopcock and turn off your water supply
It is outstanding the number of homeowners who are not aware of where their home's stopcock is located. This device functions to shut off the main water supply in the house. Therefore, it is critical to identify it when you have a burst pipe on your hands. Some of the typical locations for stopcocks include in the garage, under the kitchen sink or at your main water metre. Turn this device off to ensure there is no water being supplied to the burst pipe.
Step 2: Drain your plumbing
Once you have switched off the stopcock, you then have to eliminate all water that is still running through your plumbing. The easiest way to do this would be to turn on all the water faucets in your home and let them run dry. Additionally, you should lush all toilets in your home until the cistern stops filling with water. The lack of refilling would indicate that there is finally no water supply in your home.
Step 3: Mitigate the damage
With no water coursing through the burst pipe, you now have the chance to assess the extent of the damage. If the pipe burst recently, chances are the damage will be limited to one area. Some of the measures you can take would be to mop up the excess water in your home. If the leak occurred at a higher level in your home, you could place a bucket underneath the ceiling to collect any dripping water. If the burst pipe had gone unnoticed for a long time, there is the likelihood of structural damage in your home. It would be advisable to steer clear from the affected areas, as the integrity of your property could be compromised increasing the risk of falling through floorboards, exposure to mould and more.