Burst Pipe in Your Home? How To Seek the Leak

1/29/2020 (Permalink)

Water stains on a wall or ceiling may show you exactly where a leak is, but it's not always that easy. Follow our steps to seek the leak.

Often, if you experience a burst water pipe, you’ll know it almost immediately. There may be a puddle or drip, or water stains on the drywall or ceiling. If the pipe freezes before it bursts, you may not have any water flowing through the pipe at all. If the damage happens on an exposed pipe in your basement or elsewhere, you can often spot the hole in addition to the leaking water. But other leaks are hidden behind walls and are not so obvious.

Signs of a Burst Pipe

These are the clues of a burst or leaking pipe in your home:

• Sudden drop in water pressure
• Water marks on ceilings or walls
• Puddles of water
• Discolored or smelly water
• Unusual sounds when running water
• Sudden jump in water bills

Seek the Leak

If you suspect a leak, you’ll need to do some sleuthing. This step-by-step procedure will help you locate the source of your mysterious leak.

Turn off all appliances that use water, and don't use any faucets, toilets or other sources of water during the test. Look at the water meter. After 30 minutes, check it again to see if it moved at all during that time. If it did, you have a leak.

To determine if the leak is inside or outside, shut off the main water valve coming into the home. Watch your water meter; if it stops moving, your leak is likely inside the house. If the meter continues moving, the source is likely a water main leak outside the home.

Once you know you have a leak, look for the visible signs of leaks to figure out where the problem lies. Start with obvious places like toilets, sinks and showers. If you can't find the leak yourself, call a plumber to help you find and fix the problem.

After You Find the Leak

Cleanup from even minor water damage in your home or business should be done by experienced professionals like SERVPRO® of Bloomfield / Enfield to remove all the water, ensure that your structure is sound and reduce the risk of developing a stubborn mold problem.

We're Here For You

The team at SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield has the people, skills and equipment to help homeowners recover from water damage and eradicate mold. Call SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield at 860-216-2785 any time.

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SERVPRO publishes educational articles on how to protect your home and business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

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When you have suffered a water or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Bloomfield / Enfield at 860-216-2785