What Should You Do About a Burst Pipe in the Basement?
Look from the stairs first and stay out if water touches outlets, cords, the furnace or the panel. Then close the main water valve, take photos from a safe spot and call a cleanup crew and a plumber. The plumber fixes the pipe, and the crew pumps out the water and dries the basement.
Make It Safe Before You Go Down
Water and electricity are the first danger in a flooded basement. Look from the top of the stairs at where the water stands and what it touches.
If it reaches outlets, extension cords, the furnace or the breaker panel, do not go down. Call the electric utility or an electrician for the power, and call a cleanup crew for the water.
- Stay upstairs if water touches outlets, cords or the panel
- Never wade in with the power on
- Leave the house and call the gas utility if you smell gas or fuel
- Keep children and pets away from the stairs
- Cut power only from a dry panel while standing on dry ground
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Stop the Water
A broken pipe keeps feeding the basement until the supply is off. The main valve is usually near the water meter or where the supply pipe enters the house.
If the valve sits in the flooded part of the basement, do not reach for it. The water utility can close the supply at the street, and a plumber can deal with the valve.
- Close the main water valve
- Open an upstairs tap to drain pressure from the pipes
- Call the water utility if the valve is under water
- Switch off the water heater only from a dry spot
- Note the time you found the water and the time the valve closed
Record the Damage
Photograph and film the water line, the broken pipe if it is visible and every item the water reached. Take wide shots first, then close-ups, all from where you can stand safely.
Those images start the insurance record. The crew adds its own photos, moisture map and readings once it is on site.
- Wide shots of each wall and the floor
- Close-ups of stains, swollen trim and wet carpet
- The broken pipe or fitting, if you can see it
- Appliances, boxes and furniture that got wet
- A written list of damaged belongings
Call the Crew, and What to Hold Off On
Call (888) 450-9281 for the pump-out and the drying, and call a plumber for the pipe. Hold off on the jobs that look helpful but cause trouble.
Skip the household vacuum on standing water, skip gas pumps and generators indoors, and skip tearing out drywall before the technician maps it.
- Do not use a shop vacuum or household vacuum on standing water
- Keep gas-powered pumps and generators outdoors
- Do not drain a deep basement all at once when the soil outside is soaked
- Do not throw away wet items before they are photographed
- Do not mix bleach with other cleaners
Start the basement dry-out now (888) 450-9281
More Burst Pipe Questions
What Should You Do About a Burst Pipe in the Basement: More Answers
Should I call the plumber or the cleanup crew first?
Close the main valve, then call both. The plumber repairs the pipe, and the crew pumps out and dries the basement. Pumping can begin once the supply is off.
Can I pump the water out myself?
A small puddle, yes. Deep water should come out in stages because emptying a basement too fast while the soil is soaked can stress the walls. A crew knows how to stage it.
What if I cannot reach the main valve?
Call the water utility and a plumber. The utility can shut the supply at the street. Do not wade into water near live power to reach a valve.
How soon should I call?
As soon as the main valve is shut. Water wicks into drywall and the slab every hour, and mold can start growing within 24 to 48 hours. Call (888) 450-9281 any hour.
Water damage gets worse by the hour. Call now to get basement burst pipe cleanup started, 24/7.