Burst Pipe? The First Ten Minutes
What to do straight away when a pipe bursts or a hose splits, to limit damage before the plumber arrives.
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- Homes and shops
1. Stop the water
Turn off the water at the meter near the front boundary. If the leak is under a sink or toilet, the small isolation valve there may stop it.
2. Stay safe around electricity
If water is near power points, appliances or light fittings, switch off power at the switchboard. Do not touch switches with wet hands.
3. Call a plumber
Ring 03 7076 1660 and describe what has happened.
4. Protect belongings
Move furniture, rugs and electronics away. Put towels down and buckets under drips.
5. Drain the pipes
Open a cold tap at the lowest point of the house to drain remaining water from the pipes.
6. Turn off the hot water
If the hot water system is affected, turn off the gas or power to it.
7. Take photos
Photograph the damage for insurance before cleaning up.
8. Tell your agent if renting
A burst pipe is an urgent repair. Contact your agent or landlord.
After the repair
Dry the area properly to stop mould. Wet plaster and timber may need professional drying.
Upstairs and unit floods
In townhouses and units, water from a burst upstairs can quickly reach the floor below. Warn your neighbours, and if you live below, turn off power to the affected rooms. Most floods in these homes start with a failed flexible hose under a basin, sink or toilet.
Preventing the next one
Replace flexible hoses older than about ten years or showing rust or bulges, fit a pressure limiting valve if your pressure is high, and know where your meter and isolation valves are.
Keep a torch near the meter
A small torch kept near the front door helps when a pipe bursts at night.
Springvale ground and pipes
Springvale sits on a mix of sandy loam and heavier clay, and much of the suburb was built in the 1950s and 1960s with earthenware sewer pipes and galvanised or early copper water pipe. Clay joints shift over time and let roots in, rusting galvanised pipe slowly narrows and leaks, and drains under subdivided blocks are often shared between homes. We use drain cameras, locators and pressure tests to see exactly what is going on before anyone digs.
Related services
- Emergency plumbing
- Blocked drains
- Hot water
- Gas fitting
- Hot water replacement
- Heat pumps
- Leaking taps
- Burst pipes
- Toilets
- Leak detection
- Pipe relining
- Stormwater
- Bathrooms and kitchens
- Commercial plumbing
- Grease traps
- Backflow testing
More guides
Why Springvale homes and shops call us
Homes and shopfronts
From 1950s brick veneers to restaurant kitchens on the main strip, we work on both every week.
Plain explanations
We show you what we found, in plain English, with photos when they help.
A price before work
You get a fixed price once the fault is found. Nothing starts until you say yes.
Tidy and on time
We ring ahead, protect floors and take the old parts and mess away.
Get a free quote
Tell us what is happening and a licensed Springvale plumber will call you back.
How quoting works
Ring 03 7076 1660 or send the form with a short note and a photo if you can. A licensed plumber calls you back, asks a few questions and books a time. On site they find the cause, explain your options in plain English and give you a fixed price. Nothing starts until you agree, and larger jobs get a free written quote.
Need a plumber in Springvale?
Springvale, Springvale South, Noble Park, Keysborough and nearby suburbs. Quote-only: the plumber finds the fault first, then gives you a fixed price.