How to Stop a Burst Pipe Until the Plumber Arrives

When a pipe lets go in your house, the next stretch decides how much of the floor, drywall and insulation survive. The plumber is not the first step. Stopping the water is, and you can do that yourself. This guide walks through it in order, with the details that apply to Lawrenceville and Gwinnett County homes.

Step 1: Close the Main Shutoff

Almost every home has a shutoff valve where the water line enters the house. Common spots in Gwinnett homes:

• On the garage wall, near the front of the house
• In a basement or crawl space, close to where the line comes in
• In a utility closet or beside the water heater
• On an outside wall facing the street, sometimes behind a small access panel

A round handle is a gate valve: turn it clockwise until it stops. A lever handle is a ball valve: turn it a quarter turn so the handle sits across the pipe.

Gwinnett County's water meter is in a box near the street. That meter box belongs to the county's water utility. Use the shutoff on your side of the house. If you cannot close it, or the water is coming from the meter box or the street, call the Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources 24 hour line at 678-376-7000. They can shut the water off at the meter.

Step 2: Drain the Lines

With the main closed, there is still water in the pipes. Open the lowest faucet in the house, then a few others, to let it drain away from the break rather than out of it. Flush the toilets once. If you have an electric water heater, switch it off at the breaker before the tank drains, and turn a gas heater to its pilot or off setting, so the heating element or burner does not run dry.

Step 3: Cut Power if Needed

Switch off breakers for any area where water is near outlets or fixtures, but only if you can reach the panel without walking through water. When in doubt, leave it alone and call for help.

Step 4: Contain the Water

• Put buckets under drips and towels along the edges of the wet area
• Lift rugs and furniture off the floor, and put foil or plastic under furniture legs you cannot move
• Move electronics and anything cardboard up and out
• Use a wet vacuum or mop on standing water
• Bring in fans, and open windows if the air outside is drier than inside

Georgia is humid, and wet drywall and carpet can start growing mold within a couple of days if they are left damp. The sooner things dry, the better.

Step 5: Call

Call (770) 285-5619. The line is answered 24/7, and we connect you with an independent local plumber who handles burst pipes. Tell them:

• Your address and where the water is coming from
• Whether you have the main closed
• Whether it is a garage, wall, ceiling, crawl space or slab floor
• What the pipe looks like (grey plastic, copper, white or red PEX) if you can see it

This site is a referral line. The plumber does the work and gives you the price, so ask for it before work starts.

Temporary Measures

These only slow a leak. They do not repair it, and none is dependable under full pressure.

Repair clamp

A rubber-lined pipe repair clamp can seal a small hole or crack when the water is off and the pipe is dry and clean. It is a stopgap until a proper repair.

Rubber and hose clamps

Wrap a strip of thick rubber, such as inner tube, around the damaged spot and tighten hose clamps over it. It works best on a straight run of pipe that you can reach.

Self-fusing silicone tape

Wrapped tightly over a clean, dry pipe, this tape can slow a small leak. Treat it as the last resort.

Duct tape does not hold against water pressure and is not worth the time.

What Not to Do

• Do not turn the water back on to see if it held. A pipe that failed once under pressure can fail again, and a second flood is worse.
• Do not pour drain cleaner into a drain near the damage. It is corrosive and a hazard for whoever works on the pipe afterwards.
• Do not try to solder, cut or replace pipe unless you know what you are doing. Water left in the line makes soldering close to impossible.
• Do not ignore a small leak. A small split in a pipe can open up with pressure and time.
• Do not force a stuck shutoff. If the valve will not turn, stop and use the county's line or the next valve upstream.

Local Causes Worth Knowing

Metro Atlanta had a hard freeze around Christmas 2022 that burst pipes in many homes. Pipes in garages, exterior walls and vented crawl spaces are the ones most at risk, and bursts often show up when the thaw starts the water moving. Older homes may have polybutylene (grey flexible plastic from roughly the late 1970s to the mid 1990s) or aging galvanized steel, which are more likely to fail. If your pipe was one of those, ask the plumber about the rest of the house. See signs you need to repipe and how to prevent frozen pipes.

Water Coming Through a Ceiling

If the break is upstairs or in the attic, water often shows up as a stain, a bulge or a drip in the room below. Close the main first. Then put a bucket under the drip and, if the ceiling is bulging, poke a small hole at the lowest point to let the water drain into a bucket instead of letting the whole section give way. Stay out from under a sagging ceiling, and keep off the area until it is dry and checked, because wet drywall is heavy. Turn off the power to that room at the breaker if you can reach the panel safely.

If It Happens While You Are Away

Many homeowners find a burst after a trip, with water running for days. If your water bill is far higher than normal, or you come home to a damp smell or wet floor, close the main first and then call. Taking photos before you touch anything helps with insurance. Some people close the main whenever they leave town for several days, which takes a few seconds and removes the risk. Smart shutoff valves and leak sensors are another option to ask a plumber about.

Document Everything for Insurance

Take photos and video of the source, the damaged pipe, every wet area and anything that is damaged. Keep the removed section of pipe if the plumber gives it to you, and ask for a short written note of what failed and where. Many policies cover sudden water damage but not a slow leak, and many ask you to report promptly, so call your insurance company right away.

After the Repair

Open the main slowly, run faucets one at a time to clear the air, and check the repair for leaks over the next few hours. Look at the ceiling below if the break was upstairs, and watch the meter with everything off to confirm it is not moving. Keep drying the area with fans, and look again for staining or a musty smell over the next few days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first thing to do when a pipe bursts?

Close the main shutoff valve. Until the supply is closed the damage keeps growing, so this matters more than calling, containing or moving belongings. Then open the lowest faucet to drain the lines.

What if I cannot find or close my shutoff valve?

Check the garage wall, basement or crawl space, utility closet and near the water heater. If you cannot close it, or the water is coming from the meter box or street, call the Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources 24 hour line at 678-376-7000.

Can I temporarily patch a burst pipe myself?

A repair clamp, a rubber and hose clamp or self-fusing silicone tape can slow a leak once the water is off and the pipe is dry. Treat any of them as a stopgap. None is reliable under full pressure, and duct tape will not hold.

Should I turn off the electricity when a pipe bursts?

Yes, if water is near outlets, fixtures or appliances, but only if you can reach the panel without standing in water. If the panel is wet or you cannot reach it safely, stay away and call 911 or the electric utility.

Should I turn off the water heater?

If you are draining the lines, yes. Switch off an electric heater at the breaker, or set a gas heater to pilot or off, so the element or burner does not run dry.

Will my insurance cover a burst pipe?

Many policies cover sudden water damage from a burst pipe but not a slow leak, and often cover the damage rather than the pipe itself. Photograph everything, keep the failed section of pipe, and call your insurer right away.