Having said that, here are the steps you can take to address a busted pipe.
1. Stop the flow of water – Upon suspicion of a broken pipe, turn off all faucets. Do this even if you don’t know the source of the unnecessary water yet. Locate the stop tap on your water’s main source. It is often found under the sink or the point that connects your house to the main service pipe. Make sure that each member of your household knows where it is for emergency purposes.
After switching the main water source off, you must drain the pipes. First, run cold water on all your faucets. Flush every toilet one or more times. Turn the water heater off, then return to the faucets and run hot water to drain. Once tap water has stopped running, the leak will also stop.
2. Find the broken pipe, then inspect the damage – Once you have drained the excess water, you need to find the busted pipe. Check the damage, and consider the location of the pipe. A major pipe, regardless of the breakage size or damage, will need more effort and time to replace. This is because it leads to other connections, and holds more water.
You may be able to save some money if the break is small. You can just use a chemical bonding agent or commercial tape to fix it. But, you need to make sure that you do a good repair job. Otherwise, it may later burst, and you may only have a bigger problem in your hands.
3. Repair the busted pipe – It is often easy to fix cracks in a non-major pipe. Your choice of mending material will determine the cost. One inexpensive and easy repair for a small crack that provides an excellent hold involves the use of a long regular garden hose and a few hose clamps or something similar that can give extreme constriction. Measure the crack, then cut a piece of garden hose that is around 10” longer than the damaged area.
Slice the hose in a way that you can slide it over the burst area of the pipe. Use the clamps to hold the hose over the damaged area. Compress it as tight as possible. Turn the water on to test your repair job.
If you have a bigger break, cut the busted portion of the pipe with a hacksaw. Cut at least one inch longer on both sides of the rupture. Use a sealant and pipe spacers when replacing the damaged pipe piece. A compression nut that is too tight will cause an ovaling effect. This causes further leaking.
4. Call in a professional – If water leaks from a busted pipe on your ceiling, floor, or wall, it is best to let a professional handle the job for you. If your idea of a quick remedy is opening the windows and using fans to dry a wet area, you are only inviting mold to thrive.
Final Word
Fixing a broken pipe may or may not be an easy task, depending on the nature and location of the damage. The important thing is to fix the problem as soon as you spot one.
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