There’s a common misperception that it has to be really cold for your water pipes to freeze and/or burst. Though the risk increases as the temperature drops, dip just a few degrees below freezing (32° F) can mean trouble. If the worst has happened, though, and your pipes have burst, it’s important that you take specific steps to ensure your safety and to minimize the damage to your home.
Turn Off the Electricity to the Affected Area
Don’t run the risk of electrical shock or worse. If you suspect that you have a broken pipe or even a small leak, turn off the breakers to the affected area.
Turn Off the Water
If you can isolate the break to a single location, and there’s a separate shut-off valve for that part of the house, that’s fine. Otherwise, you’ll need to turn off the water to the entire house.
Contact an Experienced Plumber
You may be tempted to try to fix a busted pipe on your own, but it’s almost always best to immediately contact an experienced plumber. A knowledgeable plumber will know how to check to ensure that all potential problems have been addressed and fixed.
Remove As Much Water as You Can
The longer you expose drywall, floors, beams, joists and other parts of your home to standing water, the greater the risk of long term damage. Towels, mops and shop vacs can help. You can also purchase water absorption products at most hardware and home improvement stores.
Contact Your Homeowners Insurance Carrier
Your insurance may provide coverage for your losses, often with a deductible of some sort. Your insurance company may want to send out an adjuster and may require that you bring in water damage professionals or other service providers.
Contact Public Service Plumbers
To learn how we can help you, call (214) 753-4633 or contact us by e-mail and we’ll schedule an appointment.
At Public Service Plumbers, we answer our phones 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We can send our service personnel to your home or business anytime, day or night. All of our plumbers are factory-trained and factory-certified.
Public Service Plumbers
5610 Dyer Street
Dallas, Texas 75206
(214) 753-4633
We offer plumbing installation and repair services to individuals and businesses throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Highland Park, University Park, Preston Hollow, Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Richardson, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Coppell, Garland, Mesquite, Addison, Kessler Park, Farmers Branch, Grapevine, Southlake, Flower Mound and Lewisville.
