What To Do When Your Water Main Bursts 

There are several reasons why your pipe may burst. The first is because the water in the pipe has frozen. This expansion places stress on the pipe and can cause it to crack. As the water defrosts the leak will become apparent. 

The second is age. Pipes and connections are constantly in water and have the perfect conditions to corrode. The older the plumbing the more likely it is that you’ll have an issue. 

Finally, trauma, such as hitting a pipe, can cause it to burst and give you a leak.

In all cases, it seems to happen most commonly at night and the resulting water can do a lot of damage to your home in a surprisingly short space of time.

Your first instinct should be to call your reputable Sydney plumber, they will respond quickly and resolve the issue. However, before they arrive there are several things you can do to help control the situation. 

Shut Off the Water

The first thing you should do is shut off the water. That means today you need to verify where all the valves are in your home and that they turn. Valves around the home can help as you can shut off the water to a section of the house and still have some water coming in. Naturally, the section you shut off is where the leak is. 

If this isn’t possible or you don’t know where the valves are, head straight to the water meter. There will be a valve there that shuts off the supply to your entire house. 

Call Your Plumber

You know you are going to need a plumber but you don’t call them until after you have turned the water off. Every second counts when water is pouring into your home. 

Open Faucets

The next step is to open the faucets in your home. You need to remove water from the pipes. If you have a well-organized system you will have a supply and an exit valve on your water heater. You can shut these off and turn the water heater off. This will save you from needing to drain it. 

Remove The Water 

The plumber may help with water removal but why pay them for something you can do. If you have a pump turn it on and pump the flood water out of your home. If not you’ll need to use buckets and brooms. 

The quicker you get the water out the better. However, before you start it is worthwhile taking a photo or two. These will be useful for insurance claim.

You can also take more photos after you’ve cleared the water, specifically of any damaged furnishings.

Clearing Out

You may not get this done before the plumber arrives but you can always do it while they are there. Get the carpets and any damaged furniture out of the house. It’s unlikely they are salvageable and the less that is in the flooded area the easier it will be to dry. 

You’ll want plenty of ventilation to help dry your home so that you can return it to normal.