What To Do If A Water Pipe Bursts?
One of everyone’s worst nightmares is coming home to find an artificial lake in the bedroom. This usually happens when a water pipe bursts. The four most typical signs of a water leak occurrence are traditional:
A hot spot on the floor, wet floor, or soft surfaces indicates pipe breakage.
Sound of running water when the installation is not in use. To be sure, turn off the stopcock and listen carefully.
Water coming from somewhere on the floor or a low spot on the wall is a clear sign of a water leak in the water pipes.
The water heater does not shut off after running. Instead, because there is a leak, the water heater considers that the water is still circulating and therefore continues to operate.
These leaks can be caused by different reasons, the most common being electrolysis. Electrolysis is a chemical reaction between copper pipes and some chemical elements in the soil, which produces electricity. This causes damage to the lines, pitting, and leaks.
Another reason can be air in the pipes. This air exists in a small proportion dissolved in the water, and its amount depends on the temperature and pressure of the water. The higher the pressure and temperature in a pipe, the more air travels through the tube, releasing more air. This air can form pockets and seriously damage the condition of the lines and cause breaks, loss of efficiency, or inaccurate meter readings.
If you have already detected a leak, no matter how big or small, there are several precautions you should take before you call a plumber to take care of the repair. This is the only way to avoid significant damage, such as damp walls and ceilings, or flooding other neighbors, which will make the situation even worse.
- If the broken pipe leak is small, you have been able to locate it without problems, and you can access it and place some insulating tape that covers the area. It will not be a remedy that will do much good, but it will prevent water from leaking momentarily.
- If the water leak is large and floods a room or more than one room, you will have to start bailing out as much water as possible to avoid leaks to other floors or floors.
- Depending on the previous one, if the leak is significant, it is crucial that you cut the electricity to avoid possible short circuits and close the general stopcock that supplies the water to your house or premises.
- Empty all the water pipes to leave the circuit clean.
- Assess and analyze the damage and take photos or record a video to document the loss.
- Call your home, business, or office insurance company to inform them of the damage and send an expert to assess the extent of the damage and the possible causes.
Contact a local plumber who will take care of the repair of all damages immediately.
These leaks can be very costly, and fixing water leaks is sometimes complicated, and if you don’t know how to fix it, don’t even try; you can make the situation worse. So, if you do not know how to act, do not hesitate to call your local plumber.
