Burst Pipe? What to Do Before the Plumber Arrives

Turn off the water

Go straight to the water meter, usually in the front garden near the footpath, and turn the stopcock clockwise until it stops. If the meter box is buried, use a screwdriver or a stick to lift the lid and clear any soil or spiders. If you cannot reach the meter quickly, look for an isolation valve on the pipe feeding the leaking fixture, such as the small tap under the sink or behind the toilet.

Make it safe

If water is near power points, appliances, light fittings or the switchboard, turn off the power at the main switch if you can do it without standing in water. Keep children and pets away. Open a cold tap at the lowest point of the house, often the laundry or garden tap, to drain the pipes and reduce pressure.

Limit the damage

Move furniture, rugs and electronics out of the wet area. Use towels and buckets to catch water. If water has come through the ceiling, do not stand under a sagging section; it can collapse. Make a small hole at the lowest point of the bulge with a screwdriver, with a bucket underneath, to let water drain in a controlled way.

Record everything

Take photos and video of the damage and the failed pipe or hose before anything is cleaned up. Keep the failed part once the plumber removes it. Your insurer will want to see the cause as well as the damage.

Call a plumber

Call 03 7075 3465 and tell us where the burst is, what kind of pipe it looks like, and whether the water is now off. We can often tell you on the phone whether it is safe to restore water to the rest of the house while you wait.

After the repair

Once the repair is done, check for further leaks over the next day. Ask the plumber to look at your water pressure; high pressure is a common reason hoses and pipes fail. Replace any other braided hoses in the house that are the same age as the one that burst.

Narre Warren soil and pipes

Most of Narre Warren sits on grey and yellow clay that holds water through winter and cracks open in a dry February. Pipes laid in it move a little every season. On the streets built in the 1970s and 1980s that means earthenware sewer joints that have shifted and let roots in. On the 1990s and 2000s estates south of the Princes Highway it usually means PVC lines that have sagged where the trench was backfilled, leaving a dip that collects grease and wipes. Up in Narre Warren North the blocks are bigger and the runs are longer, often to a septic system or a pump. We bring that local knowledge to every job, and we use a camera to confirm what is happening underground rather than guessing at it.

Related services

• Emergency plumbing
• Blocked drains
• Hot water repairs
• Gas fitting
• Hot water replacement
• Heat pumps
• Leaking taps
• Burst pipes
• Toilet repairs
• Leak detection
• Sewer and relining
• Stormwater
• Roof and gutters
• Bathroom plumbing
• Kitchen and laundry
• Backflow and commercial

More guides

• Burst pipe first steps
• Hot water warning signs
• Gas or heat pump?
• Water meter and stopcock
• Tree roots in drains
• What not to flush
• Clay soil and plumbing
• Check for hidden leaks
• Gas heater safety
• Rental plumbing repairs
• Choosing a plumber