In the winter, it’s not unusual to deal with burst pipes. Despite our best efforts to insulate them, leave water dripping, and keep the pipes warm, sometimes you simply can’t stop it from happening. In fact, broken and frozen pipes are one of the leading causes of water damage in both homes and businesses.

If this does happen to you, the water comes out quickly so you’ve got to think fast and act fast, too. These steps will help walk you through what to do should it happen to you.

1. Shut Off the Water

When a pipe bursts, water will come gushing out. And we don’t mean just a little bit of water. It’s going to be the full force of water rushing out of those pipes. The only exception would be if there are frozen pipes that are holding back water, which could actually lead to bigger problems.

Regardless, if your pipes burst, you need to get the water shut off. This is your first step, no matter what. Once you get the source of water stopped, then you can start taking action to work toward cleanup and restoration. But first – stop that water!

2. Check for Safety

Before you go any further, you’ve got to check for safety. For example, are there any electrical outlets, power cords, or plugged in electrical appliances that are in the water? These issues could lead to a risk of electrical shock. Here’s another prime example: consider what type of water this is. Most of the time, burst pipes come from clean water sources, but you need to be sure.

It’s entirely possible that the burst pipe could be a sewage pipe. If so, that’s a whole other monster. Even if the water is from a clean water source, you still want to be careful about just diving into it. It’s much safer to put on some rubber boots, grab some gloves, and maybe even wear protective eyewear as well.

Think about the details that will keep you safe.

3. Water Removal and Drying

Once you know it’s safe and you’ve got the water stopped, you can start drying up the water. This will be necessary to assess the full extent of damages that you might be dealing with. Removing water should be done as quickly as possible. Things that are salvageable can be moved to dry areas, or possibly even outdoors, to let them begin drying out.

Professional companies will have fans and water extraction tools to help. They will also probably have commercial dryers to help dry things out.

4. Restoration Can Begin

Once you get the water out, figure out how extensive the damages are. You can work with your water damage restoration company on this process. A thorough inspection will reveal damages so a plan can be made. Once a plan is in order and any insurance claims have been started, restoration can begin to get your home or business back together.

Let Us Help with Your Burst Pipe Damages

Burst pipes do happen. But the good news is that you are not alone. When you experience an issue like this that leads to water damage, contact us right away. Dry 24 Water Restoration promises a quick response time, and we will be there in a hurry to help clean up water, dry things out, and restore your property.