When a pipe bursts in your home, containing the damage should be the first thing you do.
Flying into a panic now can be disastrous for you as it will lead to more water damage. Yes, the first thing you might want to do is call the plumber but, you should take a few moments to deal with the water before you do that.
To help you out, the following are a few things you need to do immediately after a pipe bursts:
Turn Off the Main Switch
When a pipe bursts, water will come gushing out and start flooding the bathroom, the basement or even the attic. The first thing you need to do is turn off the main water switch to stop all water flow in that area of the house.
If you are not sure which switch that is going to be just turn off the switch for all water. This ensures that you don’t keep fiddling around with the switches. Time is of the essence here and how quickly you turn off the switch really makes a difference here.
Take Pictures
Once the water switch is off, start to take pictures of all the water damage done. You want pictorial evidence for your insurance claim. Many insurance policies can cover water damage costs if there is proper documentation available.
Don’t make the mistake of cleaning up first because it will make it difficult to establish your claim in this manner. Once you have taken all the pictures of the damage and pipe, you should call a plumber to fix the pipe.
Clean Up the Water
While you wait for the plumber to show up, you can start to clean up the water. If the burst pipe was a small one, you might only need a mop and bucket to clean it. However, if you ended up with a flooded room, you will have to get to work immediately.
Get all the access water out of the room before it starts to get absorbed into the flooring, sub-levels or even the walls. The quicker you deal with it, the easier it will be to contain the water damage.
Let Everything Air Dry
Once you get all the water out, you have to dry all the excess moisture as quickly as possible. It is a good idea, especially for large water spills to use a dehumidifier to get all the moisture out of the air. Additionally, let the room air dry after you have removed the moisture.
Don’t use tools like hairdryers to dry the room. The warm air can boost the growth of mold. Colder air is better so something like a leaf blower will dry your room properly.
Summary
With a burst pipe, the first step should be to turn the main switch off and gathering documentation for your insurance claim. Then, call the plumber and clean up the water to prevent further water damage in your home.
