A burst pipe rarely happens at a convenient time. What you do in the first few minutes matters more than anything a plumber does after they arrive — it’s the difference between a small clean-up and a much bigger repair bill.
Here’s a simple step-by-step to follow while you wait for help.
1. Shut off your water at the mains
Every property has a main water shut-off valve, usually near the water meter at the front of the house. Turning this off stops water flowing to the burst pipe immediately. If you don’t know where yours is, it’s worth locating it today — not during an emergency.
2. Turn off your hot water system
If the burst affects hot water pipes, switch off your hot water unit at the power or gas isolation point. This prevents the system from continuing to heat water with nowhere for it to go, which can damage the unit itself.
3. Open a tap to relieve pressure
Once the mains are off, open the nearest tap (ideally a low one, like an outdoor tap or bath) to drain remaining pressure from the pipes. This reduces the amount of water still able to leak out.
4. Move anything valuable out of the way
Electronics, furniture, and anything on the floor near the leak should be moved immediately. Water damage to belongings often costs more to fix than the pipe itself.
5. Soak up standing water early
Towels, a wet-dry vacuum, or buckets can limit water spreading to carpets, skirting boards, and flooring underlays — all of which get expensive to repair the longer water sits.
6. Call a licensed plumber
Once the immediate damage is controlled, call a plumber who can attend urgently. Avoid the temptation to patch the pipe yourself with tape or fittings from a hardware store — a poor temporary fix can make the actual repair harder and more expensive.
What NOT to do
- Don’t use electrical appliances near standing water.
- Don’t ignore a small drip assuming it will hold — pipes rarely get better on their own.
- Don’t wait until business hours if the leak is active and worsening — that’s exactly what a 24/7 emergency plumber is for.
VicWide Plumbing provides 24/7 emergency response across Mill Park, Plenty, Reservoir and Melbourne’s northern suburbs. If you’ve got a burst pipe right now, call us before it gets worse.