What do I do if my frozen pipe bursts?

Question

Accepted Answer

Shut off the main water supply immediately — that single action determines most of your final cost. Then cut power to the affected area if you can reach the panel safely, open faucets to drain the system, contain the water, and call.

In Order

Shut off the main. Usually where the supply enters the building or near the meter. Turn clockwise until it stops. Every minute matters here — a burst pipe running for two hours does dramatically more damage than one stopped in five minutes.
Cut power to the affected area if water is near electrical, and only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
Open faucets throughout the house to drain remaining water and relieve pressure on the rest of the system.
Contain and remove standing water. Towels, buckets, a wet vac. Every gallon removed in the first hour is drywall and subfloor you do not replace later.
Move belongings clear — furniture, rugs, electronics, boxes.
Photograph the damage before cleanup. Insurance claims go far more smoothly with a record.
Call for emergency service.

Then Open Cabinets and Get Air Moving

Open cabinet doors under affected sinks and interior doors between rooms. Fans help. Water damage becomes mold damage within a day or two, and drying speed matters.

Know Your Shutoff Before You Need It

The single most valuable ten minutes a homeowner can spend. Find your main, confirm it actually turns — old valves seize — and make sure everyone in the household knows where it is. Discovering a stuck valve at 2 a.m. with water pouring into a hallway is the worst possible timing.

What We Do

Locate and repair the burst section, then pressure test the rest of the system — a pipe that froze in one place usually has other runs with the same exposure. We also address why it froze: insulation, air sealing, or rerouting the line out of unconditioned space.