Plumbing tips · November 10, 2026
A pipe just burst: the first ten minutes
When a pipe splits, every minute the water stays on is more drywall, flooring and insulation to dry out. What you do in the first ten minutes decides how big the job is afterwards.
Shut the water off at the main
Go straight to the main shut-off and close it, before anything else. A valve under one sink only helps if the leak is past it. If the main will not turn, the curb valve at the meter box stops it too.
Keep power away from the water
If water is near outlets, a panel or anything plugged in, switch that circuit off at the breaker if you can reach it while standing dry. Do not wade into water that is touching something electrical.
Drain what is left in the pipes
Open a faucet on the lowest floor, and an outside faucet, to let the water still in the lines run out there instead of through the split. Turn off the water heater, gas or power, if the hot side is what burst.
Start drying and take pictures
Mop up, move what you can off wet floors, and get air moving. Take photos of the pipe and the damage before anything is cleaned up: an insurance claim goes easier with them.
Questions we get asked
Can I turn the water back on if I only use one side of the house?
Not until the split is repaired or capped. The water is all one system, so turning the main back on sends water straight back out of the break.Is tape or a clamp enough to get by?
A repair clamp can hold a small split on straight pipe for a short time, but it is a stopgap. The section needs to be cut out and replaced, and the cause found so it does not happen again.Why did it burst after the freeze, not during it?
Ice splits the pipe while it is frozen and the ice itself plugs the crack. The leak only shows once it thaws and water flows again.Plumbing questions we answer
Where we go
Parker, Wise and Tarrant County, out of the shop in Springtown. Springtown, Weatherford, Azle, Boyd, Decatur, Newark, Millsap, Fort Worth and the country in between.
Call 817-487-8866