Burst water pipes can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to your home. If a pipe in your home burst, split or leak, here is a quick guide of what we recommend you should do.

Shut off the water
If you have a burst pipe, the first thing you need to do is turn off the mains water supply to your house using the main stopcock. By isolating the water coming into the property you can stop the flow of water into the house and prevent any more water flowing into the pipes around the house. If the flow of water continues, we recommend that you drain the cold water in your house by flushing the toilet several times and running all the cold taps until the flow dries up. Should their be any water flowing around electrical sockets, turn off the main electrical supply immediately to avoid any form of electrical damage.

What to do next
Once you've stopped the flow of water and spoke with your home insurance company, you may need to contact a reputable professional plumber to assess the damage and make immediate repairs. Your home insurance company may well be able to recommend one for you so it might be worth checking when you speek with them. If the water has reached any power sockets, you may also need to call out a certified electrician. Do not under any circumstances use any appliances which have come into contact with the water.

Contact your home insurance company
Not all water leaks cause damage to the home but if your home is damaged by the escape of water you should contact your home insurance company as soon as possible. Some insurers have a 24 hour home emergency helpline that you can call for advice in an emergency. Check with your insurance company what you will need to support your claim, such as photographs of damage or receipts for plumbing repairs or decorating. Don't assume that they will tell you what is required. If you want to claim on your home insurance for any damage that may have been caused due to the water leak, please make sure that you contact your insurer before you arrange for a plumber and/or an electrician to visit. If your insurance policy offers a home emergency service, the insurer may be able to contact a reputable professional plumber or electrician for you.

Repairs to your home
Depending on your home insurance company they will either give you the go-ahead to make repairs by professional tradesmen, for which you should keep receipts, or they may arrange for a loss adjuster to come and examine the damage in person. (A loss adjuster is an insurance agent who assesses the amount of compensation that should be paid after a person has claimed on their insurance policy) The loss adjuster will then liaise with your insurance company and inform them on the extent of the damage to your property so that the insurer can then look to settling your claim.

Putting your home back to its pre-incident state after damage from a burst pipe can take time. Water can flow into places that you cannot see and can cause damage beyond what is superficial and visual damage. Here at Tempest we provide a complete restoration service covering plumbing, electrical and remedial works to your home. You should not underestimate the damage water can do to a property if not dealt with by a professional tradesman. Some cleaning is likely to be needed and depending on the amount of water that has leaked into the property, the affected areas could take several weeks to dry out. Just because a wall looks dry it doesn't necessarily mean that it is. Your home is full of porous materials that soak up water. Walls need to dry fully before they can be replastered and redecorated otherwise you can trap this water which can lead to further problems.

Things to remember

• Isolate the mains water supply to prevent further water damage.


• Contact your home insurance company for advice and response.


• Ask for details that may need to be logged for a claim and make sure you keep receipts for all services.


• Avoid throwing damaged items away immediately, as they’re used to help validate the insurance claim.

How to help avoid water damage
Sometimes, burst water pipes just happen. Regular maintenance can help to identify potential hazards but ultimately if a pipe is going to burst, its going to burst and it can happen with no warning. Water freezing and expanding in pipes is by far the most common cause of burst pipes so its worth considering that if you are going to be away and the temperature’s likely to drop below freezing, we recommend that you keep your home’s central heating on for a few hours each day to help to maintain a regulated heat within the building. If you are going to be away for long periods of time, you may want to consider completely draining your system down