What should I do in the first hour after a burst pipe?
Close the main water valve. Turn off power to wet rooms if it is safe. Drain the lines by opening low taps. Move belongings out of the water, take photos, and call (000) 000-0000. Those steps stop the damage growing and protect your insurance record. (The full first-hour guide is Page 20.)
Who fixes the pipe itself?
A plumber repairs or replaces the broken pipe. The restoration provider handles the water: extraction, drying, cleaning and repair of what the water damaged. Many homeowners need both — the call at (000) 000-0000 connects you with the water damage provider. Ask the provider how the two jobs fit together.
Will insurance cover a burst pipe?
A sudden break is usually the covered kind of event, while damage from a long, slow leak is usually not. Every policy differs, so report the loss to your insurer early and keep your photos and records. Your adjuster makes the final call.
How long does the cleanup take?
Extraction usually happens on the first visit. Drying then runs about 3 to 5 days in most homes, checked with moisture readings. Repairs after drying depend on how much material was damaged.
Can I stay in my home during burst pipe cleanup?
Often, yes, if the damage is limited and the water was clean. Some rooms will be closed off and the drying equipment is loud. If a large part of the home is wet, a few nights elsewhere may be calmer. Ask the provider about your case on the call.
How can I lower the risk of a frozen pipe this winter?
Insulate exposed lines in the attic and pool house, disconnect outdoor hoses before a hard freeze, and know where your main shut-off valve is before you need it. During the February 2021 freeze, the homes that fared best were the ones where someone closed the valve quickly.
Which pipes freeze first in a Texas home?
The exposed ones: lines in the attic, plumbing in the pool house, outdoor hose bibs with a hose still connected, and pipes running along outside walls, especially in garages and under sinks in cabinets on those walls. Heated interior lines are rarely the problem.
How much should a faucet drip during a freeze?
A slow, steady drip or a thin stream is the usual guidance — enough to keep water moving and to relieve pressure if ice forms. Drip the faucets fed by exposed or outside-wall lines, and the faucet farthest from where water enters the home is a common choice.
Do open cabinet doors really help?
Yes, for one specific spot: pipes inside kitchen and bathroom cabinets on outside walls sit in trapped cold air. Opening the doors lets heated room air reach them. It protects that spot only — it is no substitute for insulating attic, garage and pool house lines.
What should I do if a pipe freezes but has not burst?
Open the faucet the pipe feeds, so melting ice has somewhere to go. Warm the frozen section gently — a hair dryer on low, a space heater kept attended, or towels soaked in warm water — and never use an open flame. If you cannot find the frozen section, or no water comes at all, that is a plumber’s call. Watch the pipe closely as it thaws: a split often shows itself at that moment.
Why did my pipe only start leaking when the weather warmed up?
A frozen pipe often splits while it is frozen, but the ice inside plugs the split, so little or no water escapes during the freeze itself. When temperatures rise and the ice thaws, water suddenly starts spraying or dripping from the damaged section. This is why many North Texas burst pipes are discovered during the thaw, not the freeze.
Local facts
- Winter Storm Uri (February 2021): pipes burst across Texas; attic and pool-house lines are the local weak points.
- North Texas freeze season runs December to February; the hardest snaps usually come in January and February.
- A pipe often splits during the freeze but only leaks at the thaw — the discovery moment is the warm-up.
This website connects callers with independent local water damage providers. It is a referral service and does not perform the work itself.