For any Mesa, AZ homeowner, the thought of a burst pipe should send a shiver down your spine. That makes sense for a few reasons. A burst pipe is not always easy to spot right away. A burst pipe can also do catastrophic damage to your home if you don’t address it immediately. Before you can do that, however, there are some things you’ll need to know. To help, here’s how to spot the signs of a burst pipe, what causes them, and how to respond to one.
The Signs of a Burst Pipe
A steady flow of water coming from somewhere it shouldn’t is an obvious sign of a burst pipe. However, if you have a burst pipe in an inopportune location, you may not get such an obvious sign. For example, if a pipe inside a wall bursts, it could go unnoticed for a while, giving it ample time to do extensive damage. Keep an eye out for these other signs of a burst pipe.
Low Water Pressure
Water supply pipes are at the greatest risk of bursting in your home. For that reason, a burst pipe should lead to a decrease in your home’s water pressure. If you turn on a faucet and don’t get the same flow of water you usually do, you could have a burst pipe.
Wall or Ceiling Stains
When a pipe inside a wall or ceiling bursts, your first warning could be the appearance of stains. Before the water completely soaks through your wall or ceiling, it will begin discoloring it. If you notice any stains on your walls or ceilings, there’s a good chance a burst pipe is to blame.
Water Bill Spikes
If you suddenly get a water bill that’s much higher than usual, you could have a burst pipe. However, there’s a good chance there will be other signs of trouble preceding a large water bill. If you get a sharp water bill increase, however, it could indicate a burst pipe under your home’s slab. In that situation, you might not see signs of water entering your home right away.
Running Water Sounds
Finally, if you hear any sounds of running water when you’re not using any, you could have a burst pipe. The sounds you hear could be as small as a tiny dripping noise or as loud as a running faucet. In either case, you can use the noise to localize the source of the problem. That can often give you a better idea of what you’re dealing with.
Discolored Water
Although it doesn’t happen frequently, discolored water can also indicate a burst pipe in your home. The discoloration can come from rust inside your pipes and will typically show up before a pipe bursts. If you spot this symptom early enough, timely intervention may prevent your damaged pipe from bursting.
What Causes Burst Pipes?
One of the most common causes of burst pipes is frigid weather. Any time the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, they’re at risk of freezing. The good news is that most pipe bursts from freezing temperatures happen at 20 and below. You can prevent damage to your pipes in the winter by keeping your thermostat above 55 degrees.
Another common cause of burst pipes is simple wear and tear. Corrosion from pH balance issues in your home’s water can cause a pipe to burst. This is especially common in homes that rely on well water. Because the water isn’t treated the same way a municipal supply would be, it can be rougher on your pipes.
Shifting and settling of your home over time can also lead to burst pipes. This is the same phenomenon that leads to the tiny cracks that may suddenly appear in your home’s walls. That same movement can put additional stress on your pipes, leading them to fail prematurely.
What To Do if a Pipe Bursts in Your Home
If a pipe in your home bursts, or you suspect one already has, act quickly. In that situation, you should take the following steps in order.
Turn off Your Water Main
When you discover a burst pipe, turn off your home’s water supply. Most of the time, you’ll find a shutoff valve where your water main enters your home. The faster you do this, the less damage your burst pipe can do to your home. If you believe the burst pipe is a hot water supply line, turn off your water heater, too. Then, shut off its supply valve. Doing so will prevent additional energy waste and keep the remaining hot water in your tank.
Drain Your Pipes
The next thing you should do is go around your home turning on all of its faucets. You should also turn on all of your showers and flush all of your home’s toilets. The idea here is to get as much of the water left in your home’s plumbing out. This will prevent that water from reaching the burst pipe, causing further damage.
Call an Emergency Plumber
After stabilizing the situation, your next task is to call us for help. We’ll arrange to send a plumber to your home to find your burst pipe and repair it. Our plumbers have years of experience dealing with burst pipes and are well-equipped to help you.
Clean up the Water
While waiting for a plumber, you should look for water the burst pipe allowed into your home. If you have a shop vac, you can use that to clean up any standing water. Use towels to soak up as much of it as possible. If you believe that your burst pipe was the result of it freezing, don’t use heat to dry up the leak. That could do even more damage to your pipes if you’re not careful. If necessary, you can use a fan to circulate air in the area where you discovered the leak. That will accelerate drying without doing any further damage.
Your Trusted Burst Pipe Specialists
If your Mesa home suffers a burst pipe, count on our professional team at Delta Mechanical to help you. We’ve served residents for over 30 years and have a spotless reputation. Our team of highly trained and experienced plumbers have seen and fixed burst pipes of all kinds. We can install and repair faucets, showers and toilets, and we offer comprehensive leak detection and repiping, as well. Our plumbers can handle all of your home’s hot water needs, too. We sell and install both tankless and storage tank water heaters.
Best of all, we offer financing options on approved credit to help you pay for any large plumbing project. Additionally, we’re Better Business Bureau accredited with an A+ rating. We also have countless glowing reviews from our many satisfied customers. So, if your home has a burst pipe and you need a trustworthy plumber for plumbing repair, call Delta Mechanical immediately!
