How to Deal With a Burst Pipe in Your Home
A burst pipe is a relatively common occurrence in many households. Even if a home has the best foundation work and an impeccable build, a pipe can still burst, causing various problems ranging from unnoticeable to full-blown, home-wide flooding.
We're going to describe how to discover and how to combat a burst pipe inside a home.
The causes
Before discussing how to battle a burst pipe, let's examine the potential causes that can result in leaking plumbing. Knowing some of these situations will help ensure that the piping in your home is in good condition.
Corrosion is among the most frequent causes of burst pipes. This corrosion occurs due to the pH imbalances in the water that flows through the pipes. This imbalance can cause rust, which further leads to decline. Over an extended period, corrosion will lead to leaky and, eventually, burst pipes.
Freezing causes the bonds inside pipes to grow weaker, which can eventually result in breaks. Turning on the hot water in cold conditions can cause the pipe to expand and shatter quickly. Keeping your home warm during these cold seasons can help by balancing the temperature changes.
Because the cold can cause pipes to contract, pipes can shift after the cold months are over. This contraction will eventually lead to shifts due to high water pressure, which can burst a pipe.
Whenever a pipe clogs, the water pressure builds around it. After a while, the pressure gets too much for the pipe, which can cause it to burst.
Dealing with a burst pipe
If a pipe has already burst, it's critical to know how to deal with it. Here are a few tips for this situation.
First, turn off your water supply. A burst system will continue to flow with more water running through it.
Unless you have experience as a plumber, referring the problem of your burst pipe to an expert should go without saying. We recommend calling an expert who can offer 24-hour service Monday through Saturday as soon as possible.
Mop up and clear away any excess water caused by the burst pipe. This is to avoid extra water damage – the quicker this is done, the better.
If there's any water in the system, drain it immediately. Doing this will take as much pressure off the pipes as possible and help avoid further problems.
Slowly start letting in the warm air. If you do this too quickly, it could cause further damage. You can even use a hairdryer to heat the pipes if the surrounding heating isn't doing a great job.
Renovate the plumbing and replace the pipes. It's the best way to make sure everything is in top shape and that you're OK for the next few years.
Dealing with a burst pipe
Before doing anything to combat a burst pipe alone, take the above-advised steps to devise a solid plan to take care of the issue. But the best way to go would be to listen to the advice of a qualified, expert, professional plumber.
If you need honest and experienced professional plumbing services for residential and commercial plumbing needs in Las Vegas, Henderson, and Enterprise give us a call at 702-766-3320.
