Fixing a leak is hard enough, but fixing a burst pipe could prove to be more challenging. That’s why many homeowners opt to bring in professional leak detectors when dealing with water leaks as daunting as a burst water pipe.
If you’re searching the web on what to do when your water pipe gets damaged, then you’re in the right place. It’s no coincidence that Google brought you to this page because today, we will break down the steps that you need to take in the event of a water pipe burst.
Now of course, you can always call in the specialists if you’re not confident with your plumbing skills or if you have no idea on how to fix a broken water pipe, but if you plan to take on a DIY approach, then this article is for you. So, let’s begin.
Do You Have A Burst Water Pipe?
1. Shut the outlets
Remember, it’s one of the first things you should do in the event of any major water leak. Shut the outlets.
Your house may be designed to have several levers or a master switch that controls the flow of water from the main pipe to your home. It’s often located near the water meter, but make sure to check your home’s piping design to find out where the outlet switch is.
Once you find out, turn the water off. This will stop the pressure coming from the main pipes and will effectively cut the water preventing it from gushing out of the pipe to your home. If you have electronic appliances near the burst pipe, cutting the water will not only save you from excessive water bills but it can also save your appliances from water damage.
When finished, you’re ready for the next step.
2. Locate the damaged pipe
Not all burst pipes are in plain sight, sometimes they can be well hidden behind walls and much worse — under the concrete floor.
To locate water leaks behind walls, look for wet patches. If water seeps out of the pipes, you will find noticeable marks from warped wallpapers, bubbles in the paint, and even cracks on the walls. You should also watch out for moulds as they develop in wet and damp areas.
You can also do the same for leaks under the concrete flooring. The usual suspects like wet areas and stains on the floor are just some of the things you would want to look out for. And because water can stay stagnant longer when on the floor, they typically emanate a foul-smelling odour, so make sure to mark places with a foul smell.
3. Repair the pipe
Now that you’ve located the damaged pipe, you can come up with a feasible solution to fix the issue at hand.
For small damages, you can patch the break with a sealant. On the other hand, more significant damage might require pipe replacement. Make sure to use plumbers putty on the joints where the pipe has been repaired to avoid further leaks.
If you’re feeling a little technical, you can re-route the pipe if the damage was caused by a break in the structure of your home.
Otherwise, you should call in the leak detection experts to have them handle large-scale repairs as attempting to do it yourself with very little knowledge can sometimes lead to more expensive repairs than paying industry experts for the cost of a single project.
4. Test the pipe
When you’re finished with the repair, and if you’re confident that you’ve fixed the damage — after letting the sealant and bonding agent cure and rest of course — you can now turn the water back on to test if the repair is a success.
To break the pipe in, you can open other faucets in the house to reduce the overall pressure that the newly-repaired pipe can handle. From here, you can slowly turn off other faucets until all are shut.
Takeaways
Fixing a water pipe burst is no easy feat. But with a bit of know-how, you can definitely fix these types of water leaks on your own. Remember to always turn the water source off first to ensure that water will stop from gushing forth the broken pipe. It will also make the repair process easier as you won’t have to deal with the resistance of the pressure from the water.
If you are not confident with your skills in fixing the issue, you can always get in touch with our leak detector team to find how we can help.