Burst or leaking pipe: what to do first

The first five minutes

Turn off the stopcock. In most homes it is under the kitchen sink, in a downstairs cupboard or where the water main enters the property, and turning it clockwise stops the supply to the whole house. It is worth finding yours today, before you ever need it in the dark.

Then open the cold taps to drain the water sitting in the pipes, which reduces what is left to escape. If water is near sockets, switches or light fittings, switch off the electricity at the consumer unit for the affected area, and keep people clear of any ceiling that is bulging with water. Move furniture, rugs and electronics away from the wet area and catch drips in buckets.

A burst pipe or a slow leak?

A burst pipe announces itself: water pouring or spraying, a rapidly growing stain, a ceiling dripping in several places. A slow leak is quieter: a stain that grows over days, a musty smell, a floor that feels spongy near a wall, or a meter that moves when nothing is running. Slow leaks cause just as much damage, but over months rather than minutes.

The repair approach differs too. A burst needs the water off and the section replaced. A slow leak needs finding first, because the visible stain is often some distance from the failed joint. Our leak detection page explains how hidden leaks are traced.

Why pipes burst

Freezing is the classic cause: water expands as it freezes, and an unlagged pipe in a loft, garage or outside wall can split over a cold snap, with the flood only appearing when it thaws. Beyond freezing, pipes fail at corroded joints, at flexible connectors to taps and appliances that perish with age, and where a pipe has been accidentally nailed or screwed through during other work.

After any burst, it is worth asking why. Lagging exposed pipework, replacing ageing flexible hoses and fitting isolation valves are all cheap ways to avoid a repeat.

How the repair works

First the water is isolated and the failed section exposed. A burst on an accessible pipe is usually a cut-and-replace repair: the damaged section comes out and a new piece is jointed in, then the system is refilled and tested. A pipe inside a wall or under a floor needs opening up to reach, and we agree where before doing it.

Once the pipe is sound, attention turns to what the water damaged. Because our team covers plastering and decorating as well as plumbing, the ceiling or wall can be dried, reboarded and redecorated by the same people, which avoids the usual gap between the plumber leaving and the making good starting. Our guide on what to do first in a plumbing emergency covers the safety steps in more detail.

Need it sorted? Book an emergency plumber

If water is escaping now, our 24/7 call outs cover Essex, Kent and East London: we stop the water, make the property safe and explain the permanent repair. For slower leaks, book a visit through the quote form and we will trace the source properly. Quotes are free, and the repair carries our 1-year workmanship warranty.