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Drain Pros TNWoman-owned · TN LLP #5045

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Burst Pipe

A pipe has split and water is going where it should not.

Plumbing emergency? Call (423) 413-6876Call (423) 413-6876

Quick answer

Emergency. Shut the water off at the main valve before anything else, then call. Every minute the main is open is more water into the structure, and water damage costs far more than the pipe repair does.

Do this right now

  1. 1Shut off the main water valve to the house. This matters more than anything else you do.
  2. 2If water is anywhere near electrical outlets or a panel, switch off power at the breaker.
  3. 3Open the lowest taps in the house to drain the remaining pressure.
  4. 4Photograph the damage before you clean up, for the insurance claim.
  5. 5Then call — this is a phone call, not a web form.

A burst pipe is the plumbing failure with the shortest window to limit damage. The repair itself is usually straightforward. What determines the cost of the day is how fast the water stopped.

How you know this is it

  • Water running or spraying where it should not be
  • A sudden drop in pressure throughout the house
  • Water coming through a ceiling or down a wall
  • The sound of running water when everything is turned off

What usually causes it

  • Freezing, which is the usual cause here in a hard cold snap
  • Old galvanized supply line that has corroded through
  • Failed polybutylene, which fails at fittings and along its length
  • A joint that has worked loose over time
  • Physical damage from a fastener or from ground movement

Common questions

Burst Pipe: your questions answered

Where is my main shutoff?
Usually where the supply enters the house, often in a crawlspace, a utility closet, or near the water heater, and there is a meter shutoff at the street. It is worth finding it now rather than at 2am.
Do you answer at night?
Yes. We run 24/7 emergency service and a burst pipe is exactly what that is for.
Will the whole pipe need replacing?
Often just the failed section. But if it is old galvanized or polybutylene, one burst is usually the system telling you the rest is the same age. We will say so honestly rather than sell you a repipe on the spot.
Are you licensed?
Yes. Tennessee Limited Licensed Plumber #5045, issued by the state Board for Licensing Contractors and verifiable at verify.tn.gov. Across eighteen local competitors, not one publishes their number.

Related problems

Frozen PipesFailing Galvanized Pipe

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TN Limited Licensed Plumber · #5045 · verify at verify.tn.gov

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