Burst Pipe? What to Do in the First Hour

The first 10 minutes

1. Shut off the water at the main house valve. If you don't know where it is, our shutoff guide shows the usual locations in McKinney homes. If your valve won't close, call the City of McKinney's Water/Wastewater line on 972-547-7360 for help at the meter.
2. Open a faucet at the lowest point of the house, such as a bathtub or an outside hose bib. This drains water left in the pipes so less of it ends up on your floor.
3. Turn off the water heater's energy source. Set a gas unit to pilot or vacation, or switch off the breaker for an electric one.
4. Deal with electricity carefully. If water is reaching outlets, light fixtures, or the ceiling around them, switch off power to that area at the breaker panel only if you can reach it without standing in water. If you can't, stay out of the area.

The rest of the first hour

1. Find the break. Look for the wettest spot, sprayed insulation, or the sound of dripping. Common spots: exterior walls, attic lines, garage walls, pipes near unheated spaces, and outdoor hose bibs.
2. Protect belongings. Move electronics, papers, rugs and furniture out of the wet area. Put foil or plastic under furniture legs that can't be moved.
3. Start removing water. Towels, mops and a wet/dry vacuum. Open cabinet doors under sinks so the space can dry.
4. Photograph and video everything before you clean up (see the documentation section below).
5. Call a licensed plumber to repair the pipe. Tell them where the break is, what the pipe looks like (copper, white or colored plastic, gray plastic), and that the water is off.
6. Call your insurance company if there is water damage to the home. Ask what they need from you and whether they have requirements about drying or restoration companies.

Document it for insurance

We can't tell you what your policy covers. Coverage varies a lot between policies. What helps with almost any claim is good records:

• Photos and video of the damage before you move or throw anything away, including the burst section of pipe if you can see it.
• A wide shot of each room, then close-ups of damaged walls, floors, ceilings and belongings.
• Keep the damaged pipe section after the repair. Ask the plumber to leave it with you.
• Keep every receipt: plumber invoices, fans or dehumidifiers you buy or rent, hotel stays if you have to leave.
• Write down times: when you discovered the leak, when you shut off the water, when you called the plumber and insurer.
• Don't throw out damaged belongings until your insurer says it is OK, or at least photograph them first.

Why pipes burst

• Freezing. Water expands as it freezes. The ice itself usually doesn't split the pipe where it forms. Pressure builds between the ice blockage and a closed faucet, and the pipe splits at the weakest point, often somewhere that didn't look frozen at all.
• High water pressure. Pressure consistently above normal stresses joints and fittings. A plumber can test your pressure and check the pressure-reducing valve, if you have one.
• Corrosion and age. Older metal pipes can thin over time. Most McKinney homes were built after 1990, but homes in the historic district and older neighborhoods may still have older piping.
• Failed fittings and supply lines. A split braided supply line to a toilet, sink or washing machine is technically a "burst pipe" and causes a lot of damage fast.
• Physical damage: a nail or screw through a line during a remodel, or ground movement affecting buried pipes.

How to stop pipes freezing next time

When a hard freeze is forecast (several hours at or below the mid 20s is the rough danger zone):

1. Disconnect garden hoses and fit foam covers on outside hose bibs.
2. Shut down and drain the irrigation system at its shutoff and backflow preventer, or follow the steps your installer gave you. McKinney requires irrigation systems to have a working rain/freeze sensor, but that only stops the system running; it doesn't protect the pipes.
3. Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air can reach the pipes.
4. Let faucets on exterior walls drip slowly, both hot and cold on single-handle faucets. Moving water is harder to freeze and a dripping faucet relieves pressure if ice does form. Follow any City conservation requests during a storm.
5. Keep the thermostat steady, including overnight. Don't drop it low if you're going away.
6. Insulate exposed pipes in the garage and attic with foam sleeves. Heat tape on vulnerable lines is an option, installed to the manufacturer's instructions.
7. Know where your main shutoff is before the freeze. See how to shut off your water.

If a pipe is frozen but hasn't burst

Signs: a faucet gives only a trickle, or nothing, during a freeze. Keep that faucet open. Gently warm the likely frozen section with a hair dryer or a space heater placed at a safe distance, starting nearest the faucet. Never use an open flame, torch or propane heater on pipes or in enclosed spaces. If you can't find or reach the frozen section, call a plumber. When it thaws, watch closely for leaks, because a split often only shows itself once water flows again.

What not to do

• Don't turn the water back on "just to see" before the pipe is repaired.
• Don't use electrical appliances or extension cords in standing water.
• Don't seal up wet drywall or flooring. Trapped moisture leads to mold. Dry it out or have it removed.
• Don't rely on tape or a clamp as a long-term fix. Temporary repair clamps can get you through a night, but the section should be properly replaced.

Getting it repaired

A plumber will cut out the damaged section and replace it, then pressure-test the line. If the break was inside a wall or ceiling, some drywall usually has to be opened. If you suspect more than one break, which is common after a freeze, ask them to check the whole system before the drywall is patched. Our burst pipe repair page explains the repair process and what affects it.