Water pouring through a ceiling or spraying from under the sink is frightening, but the first steps are simple. Turn off the water at your stop tap, switch off your heating, and open your taps to drain what's left in the pipes. Then deal with the electrics and the mess, and get a plumber to fix the pipe.
This post walks through each step in order, explains why pipes burst in cold weather, and covers how to thaw a frozen pipe before it splits. The one safety rule that comes before everything else: if water is near your electrics, don't touch anything electrical while you're standing in water.
Step 1. Turn off the water at the stop tap
The stop tap (sometimes called a stopcock) is the valve that controls the mains water coming into your home. In most houses it's under the kitchen sink, but it can also be in a garage, a cellar or a cupboard near the front door. Turn it clockwise until it stops.
It's worth finding your stop tap now, before you need it, and checking it turns. Old stop taps can seize if they haven't been used for years. If yours is stiff or won't close fully, that's a small job for a plumber, and much easier to sort on a dry day than in an emergency.
Step 2. Switch off the heating and drain the pipes
Once the mains is off, there's still water in the pipes and any tanks. United Utilities, the water company for Bury and the surrounding area, advises turning off your heating and opening all your taps to drain the system quickly.
- Turn off your boiler or central heating at the controls. If you have a hot water cylinder with an immersion heater (an electric element that heats the water), switch that off too.
- Open all the cold taps and flush the toilets. This empties the pipes so less water escapes from the burst.
- Open the hot taps as well. The hot water will run for a while and then slow down as the system empties.
Step 3. Deal with the electrics safely
Water and electricity are a dangerous mix. If water has reached light fittings, sockets or the consumer unit (the fuse box), switch the electricity off at the main switch on the consumer unit, but only if you can reach it while standing somewhere dry.
If the consumer unit is wet, or you'd have to stand in water to reach it, leave it alone, keep everyone out of that area and call an electrician or your electricity network operator on 105. Don't use any lights or sockets that have been in contact with water until they've been checked.
Step 4. Limit the damage
With the water and electrics off, you can start on the mess.
- Soak up water with towels, and put buckets or bowls under any drips
- Move furniture, rugs and electrical items out of the way
- If water is coming through a ceiling and the plaster is bulging, keep clear of it. A sagging ceiling can come down suddenly.
- Take photos of the damage and the burst pipe before anything is moved or repaired, as your home insurer will usually want them
Call your home insurer early. Many policies cover the damage caused by escape of water, and some include emergency plumbing cover too.
Why pipes burst in cold weather
When water freezes, it expands and puts pressure on the pipe and its joints until they split or pull apart. Often you won't know until the ice thaws and the water starts flowing again through the damaged section. That's why bursts are common on the first mild day after a cold snap.
Pipes most at risk are the ones in cold places: in the loft, the garage, a cellar, under the floor and on outside walls. Outside taps are a common weak spot too.
How to thaw a frozen pipe safely
If you turn on a tap in cold weather and nothing comes out, a pipe may be frozen. United Utilities says this often happens where the supply pipe comes up out of the ground and into the house, near the stop tap.
- Turn off the stop tap.
- Turn on the kitchen cold tap, so water can escape as the ice melts.
- Gently warm the pipe with a hot water bottle or a warm towel. A hairdryer on a low setting works too, as long as it's kept away from any water. This can take a few hours.
- Turn the stop tap back on slowly and check the pipework carefully for leaks, as the pipe may have split while it was frozen.
Never use a blowtorch or any open flame to thaw a pipe. It can damage the pipe and start a fire. If your boiler has stopped working as well, a frozen condensate pipe may be the cause. Our guide on what to do when your boiler stops working explains how to deal with it.
How to stop it happening again
A few simple jobs make a burst much less likely:
- Wrap pipes in cold spaces with lagging, the foam tubes sold in DIY shops that slide over pipes
- Fit an insulated cover on any outside tap
- Keep the heating on low when the house is empty in very cold weather, rather than off altogether
- Get dripping taps and small leaks fixed, as a constant trickle can freeze in a cold pipe
When to call a plumber
Once a pipe has burst, it needs a proper repair. A temporary clamp or tape can slow a leak, but it won't last, and a split often means a whole section of pipe needs replacing. A plumber can also check whether other pipes nearby have been weakened by the cold.
AB Plumbing and Maintenance repairs burst and leaking pipes for homeowners in and around Tottington and Bury, and we take emergency calls 24 hours a day, every day of the week. If you've had a burst, or you'd like your stop tap and exposed pipes checked before the worst of the winter, see our plumbing service or get in touch through our contact form.
