Burst Pipe: What to Do in the First 10 Minutes

Minute 0 to 2: where is the main valve?

Everything else waits until the water is off. Most Winston-Salem area houses have a main shutoff where the supply line enters: in the crawl space near the front foundation wall, on a basement wall, in the garage, or near the water heater. The City of Winston-Salem lists the basement, garage or outdoors by the foundation as the usual spots. Turn a round handle clockwise until it stops. A lever handle closes when it sits crosswise to the pipe.

If the valve will not budge, is buried in a flooded crawl space, or you cannot find one, call Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities through CityLink at 311 or 336-727-8000 and ask for an emergency shutoff at the meter. Do not open the meter box yourself; the city says its smart meter equipment breaks easily and access is limited to utility staff, plumbers and utility contractors. Salisbury-Rowan Utilities customers can call 704-638-5339 after hours. Lexington has its own city utility department.

Minute 2 to 4: is anything electrical wet?

Water and household current are the most serious danger in the first few minutes. The CDC's guidance is straightforward: if circuits or equipment are wet or near water, shut off power at the main breaker, but do not walk through standing water to reach the panel. Never flip a switch or touch an appliance while standing in water. If the panel is in a wet basement or the water is near outlets you cannot avoid, leave that area and let an electrician handle it.

If you smell gas at any point, for example because a gas water heater or furnace in the crawl space got hit, stop. Leave the house and call 911 or Piedmont Natural Gas at 800-752-7504 from outside. Lexington customers are served by the city's own gas system.

Minute 4 to 6: drain the lines and protect the water heater

• Open the lowest faucet in the house, such as a basement sink or a first-floor tub, to let the water still in the pipes drain there instead of out of the break.
• Open an upstairs faucet too so air can enter and the lines empty faster.
• Turn down the water heater. If the break is on the hot side or you shut the main for a long time, switch off the breaker to an electric heater, or set a gas unit to pilot or vacation. That keeps it from heating with little or no water coming in.
• Flush nothing until a plumber has looked, if the break is near a drain line.

Minute 6 to 8: photograph, then move belongings

Before mopping, take wide shots of each wet room and close-ups of the broken pipe. The North Carolina Department of Insurance tells policyholders to photograph damage before and after emergency repairs, keep receipts for anything spent on temporary fixes, and avoid throwing out damaged property before an adjuster sees it. The department also notes that most policies require you to make reasonable emergency repairs to prevent further damage, so stopping the water and starting cleanup is part of protecting your claim, not a risk to it.

Then get rugs, electronics, paper and furniture off wet floors. Wrap furniture legs in foil or set them on blocks. A shop vacuum and towels handle small spills.

Minute 8 to 10: who to call, and in what order

The City of Winston-Salem says Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities handles breaks in mains in the street, while property owners handle breaks on private property and should call a plumber. When you reach an emergency plumber in Winston-Salem, say where the break is, what the pipe looks like (copper, white or gray plastic, flexible red and blue tubing, or galvanized steel) and whether the main is holding.

Why did it break, and could there be another?

In the Triad, the usual cause is a freeze. Pipes in crawl spaces, outside walls, garages and hose bibbs are the common failure points, and a pipe often splits while frozen but does not leak until it thaws, which is why so many calls come in on the first warm afternoon after a cold night. If one line burst, check every other exposed run before turning the main back on. Our guide to keeping pipes from freezing in North Carolina covers what to change before the next cold snap.

Not every break is weather. About 43 percent of Winston-Salem homes were built before 1980, and older galvanized pipe and fittings can fail in July as easily as January. Washing machine hoses, ice maker lines and toilet supply lines are also frequent culprits. A leak with no obvious source, a rising water bill or a damp spot that keeps coming back may need professional leak detection rather than a patch.

What happens after the first 10 minutes?

A plumber cuts out the damaged section and splices in new pipe with fittings matched to what you have. With the water back on slowly, they check the rest of the exposed lines for a second split. If the break was on the line between the meter and the house, that is a yard water line repair, which may involve digging. If the house has had several leaks on the same old pipe, ask whether patching still makes sense or whether a repipe is the better spend.

Drying matters as much as the plumbing. EPA advises fixing leaks as soon as possible and drying everything completely. It says mold covering more than about 10 square feet, or water from sewage, calls for a professional. Run fans and a dehumidifier, keep the crawl space ventilated once the weather allows, and pull up wet carpet pad if it will not dry. For a broken pipe that soaked a ceiling, a burst pipe repair often comes first and drywall work second, usually by a separate contractor.

What if you rent, or the break is in a shared building?

The first steps do not change: stop the water if you can reach the valve, stay clear of wet electrical equipment and take photos. After that, notify the landlord or property manager right away, in writing as well as by phone, so there is a record of when you reported it. In a townhome or condo, water from one unit often reaches the next, so warn neighbors on the other side of the wall or below you. Your landlord's policy usually covers the building, while your own renters policy, if you have one, is what covers your belongings. Keep the photos and receipts either way.

A five-minute drill for a calm day

1. Find the main shutoff and turn it off and on once.
2. Put a flashlight and a pair of rubber boots near the crawl space door.
3. Label the water heater breaker in the panel.
4. Save CityLink (336-727-8000) and your insurance agent in your phone.
5. Know whether your valve is gate-style (round wheel) or ball-style (lever). Old gate valves can seize, and a plumber can replace one before you need it.

This service connects callers with independent plumbers across Forsyth, Davie, Davidson and Rowan counties, including Lewisville and Salisbury. For other plumbing problems, the services list shows what local plumbers handle.