What to Do When a Pipe Bursts in Your Home

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    Texas became very familiar with burst pipes during the winter of 2021 but knowing what to do when one breaks can be beneficial for any business or homeowner. While contacting Pickett Plumbing is your best option for fixing the break, there are steps you can take to make sure your home or business and contents are secure.

    1. Make sure your family is safe.

    While some pipes burst and don’t cause major water to rise in the building, there are also a number that happen at inconvenient times and can release several inches of water before being discovered. Make sure your family, including your four-legged friends, are out of danger, evacuating to outside if needed.

    2. Turn off your water main.

    The easiest and quickest way to stop the water is by turning off your water main. Go ahead and locate where that is and how to turn it off before there is an emergency so you are familiar with the process. You may be able to turn this back on if you can isolate the problem in step 4, but for the immediate needs of your home, turning off the water is best.

    3. Possibly turn off your electricity.

    Depending on where the break is or how much damage has taken place, you may need to turn off your electric breaker to avoid further issues.

    4. Try to isolate the problem.

    You may or may not be able to tell where this is. There may be more than one break and it could be deep within your walls with water streaming further than what you think is possible. Our team will find the issue and take care of it once we arrive.

    5. Take pictures of the damage.

    For insurance purposes, go ahead and document the damage that has occurred. This is best through still pictures, but some adjusters like video as well. By getting as much documentation as possible ahead of time, your insurance adjuster and company will be able to get your home back to the condition you need it in.

    6. Mitigate the damage.

    This step can be confusing for many home and business owners as they aren’t sure what they can and cannot do. Many insurance policies will encourage, if not require, mitigation to occur, to prevent additional issues from taking place. Some water damage can be fixed with water extraction and fans, other times carpet and dry wall will need to be removed entirely.

    7. Call Pickett Plumbing.

    Give us a call at 281-562-7820 so you can get on our schedule. We know that there may be a long road ahead with fixing damages and you will want running water in your home quickly. Our technicians will come out to find the problem and repair it for you, doing it right, the first time.

    8. Call your insurance company.

    Now that you are on our schedule, you may want to call your insurance company depending on the severity of the damages. The repairs will be subject to your deductible and every insurance provider and policy looks different, but they should help walk you through any steps you missed.

    If you suspect a leak but are not confident there’s an issue, Pickett Plumbing has the tools to test your plumbing system and find the source before more damage occurs. If you have a broken pipe or think there might be an issue, contact Pickett Plumbing today. Our VIP Club Membership includes an inspection and means you can get holiday, weekend, and night visits for no extra charge.

    August 31, 2021