A burst pipe does not give you time to read a long article, so here is the short version first. Shut off the main water valve, stay away from wet outlets, open a faucet on the lowest floor and call a plumber. Everything below explains each step and what to do once the water is off.
Water running right now? Stop reading and find the main shut-off. In most Tigard homes it is where the water line comes into the house: the garage, a crawlspace or next to the water heater. There is a second valve in the meter box by the curb. Then call us. A person answers at any hour.
Why the first ten minutes matter
A supply pipe is under constant pressure from the water main, so when it splits it does not trickle. It keeps pushing water out until somebody closes a valve. In a few minutes that water can soak through drywall, run under flooring, collect in light fixtures and drip into the room below.
No plumber can get to you in those first minutes, no matter how close they are. What you do before help arrives decides how much of the house gets wet. The good news is that the most important step, closing the main valve, takes seconds once you know where it is.
Minute 0: Stay safe around water and electricity
Before you touch anything, look at where the water is going. If it has reached outlets, power strips, extension cords, a light fixture or the electrical panel, keep out of the wet area.
If you can reach the breaker panel while standing somewhere dry, switch off the circuits for the wet rooms. If the panel itself is wet, or you would have to stand in water to reach it, leave it alone and keep everyone away from the area.
Move children and pets out of the room, and do not walk under a ceiling that is sagging with water. A bulging ceiling can give way without warning.
Minute 1: Find the main shut-off valve
The main shut-off is the valve that controls all the water coming into the house. Where it is depends on how the house was built:
- Garage: a common spot, often on the wall closest to the street or near the water heater.
- Crawlspace: many ranch homes have the valve just inside the crawlspace access, where the line comes through the foundation.
- Near the water heater: if you cannot find a dedicated main valve, look for where the incoming line enters, sometimes in a utility closet.
- Meter box by the curb: every home has a valve at the meter. It often needs a meter key or a large adjustable wrench to turn.
If you have never looked for your main valve, take two minutes today and find it. Make sure everyone in the house knows where it is.
Minute 2: Turn it off, all the way
Turn the valve clockwise until it stops. A round handle (a gate valve) may take several full turns. A lever handle (a ball valve) only needs a quarter turn, so that the lever sits across the pipe instead of along it.
This is the step that stops the flooding. Once the valve is closed, no new water can reach the broken pipe. If the valve is stuck, do not force it with a long bar, because an old valve can snap. Go to the meter box valve instead, or call us and we will talk you through it.
Minute 4: Drain the water left in the pipes
Closing the main does not empty the pipes. There is still water sitting in the lines, and some of it will keep running out of the break.
Open a cold faucet on the lowest floor of the house, and then a faucet upstairs. Air gets in at the top, and the water in the pipes drains out through the low faucet instead of the split. Flushing toilets once also helps empty the lines.
Minute 6: Turn off the water heater
With the water off, your water heater can no longer refill. A tank that keeps heating while it drains, or after it has emptied, can be damaged.
- Gas water heater: turn the gas control knob to “pilot” or “off”.
- Electric water heater: switch it off at its breaker.
- Tankless unit: switch it off at the power button or its breaker.
If the burst pipe is on the water heater itself, also close the cold water valve on top of the tank.
Minute 8: Move things and take photos
Now that the water has stopped, protect what you can. Lift rugs, move furniture off wet floors, unplug electronics in dry areas and get boxes, papers and photos out of the way.
Before you start cleaning up, take photos and videos of the water, the damage and the broken pipe if you can see it. Your insurance company will want to see the damage as you found it, and it is easy to forget once the cleanup starts. Then mop and towel up as much standing water as you can, and put a bucket under any steady drip.
Minute 10: Call a plumber
By now the water has stopped and the house is safe. The rest is a job for a plumber: finding exactly where the pipe failed, replacing the damaged section and getting your water back on.
When you call, it helps to tell us where the water came from, whether the main valve is off, whether water reached anything electrical and what kind of pipe you can see. We give you an arrival window and come out the same day. Read more about our burst pipe repair service.
What causes pipes to burst in Tigard
Knowing the cause tells you whether other pipes in the house are at risk.
Freezing
Water expands when it freezes, and the pressure can split a pipe. Hard freezes are not an every-year event in Tigard, which is exactly why they catch people out. The January 2024 ice storm was one of the worst in about 30 years, and burst pipes hit homes, schools and businesses across the Portland area. Pipes in garages, crawlspaces, attics and exterior walls are the most exposed.
A frozen pipe often looks fine while it is frozen, because the ice holds the split closed. The leak starts once it thaws, which is why so many burst pipe calls come a day or two after a cold snap ends.
Age and corrosion
The typical Tigard home was built around 1988, and many near downtown date from the early 1970s. Pipe that has been in the walls for decades can thin out until a weak spot finally gives way. If your home has had more than one leak, the pipe may be nearing the end of its life, and repiping can be cheaper over time than patching it again and again.
Hoses and connectors
Braided supply hoses under sinks and toilets, washing machine hoses and old compression fittings carry full house pressure. They are short and cheap, but when one fails it can flood a room as fast as a split pipe.
What not to do
- Do not use an open flame to thaw a frozen pipe. A torch can start a fire inside a wall.
- Do not turn the water back on to “see if it is fixed”. Wait until the pipe has been repaired.
- Do not stand in water near outlets, cords or the electrical panel.
- Do not patch a split with tape and leave it. Tape can slow a small leak for an hour, but it will not hold house pressure.
How to prevent the next one
A few habits go a long way:
- Find your main shut-off now, and make sure it turns.
- Insulate pipes in the garage, crawlspace and exterior walls.
- Disconnect garden hoses before a freeze and cover outside faucets.
- Keep the heat on when you travel in winter, and shut off the main if you will be away for a while.
- On the coldest nights, let a faucet on an exposed line drip slowly.
- Replace old braided supply hoses and washing machine hoses every few years.
When it is not a burst pipe
Sometimes water shows up without a pipe spraying anywhere: a stain spreading on the ceiling, a warm spot on the floor, or a water bill that keeps climbing. Those can be signs of a hidden leak in a wall or under a slab. Turn off every fixture and look at your water meter. If the dial still moves, water is escaping somewhere, and a plumber can trace it before it causes more damage.
We serve Tigard and the towns around it
We take burst pipe calls across Tigard and nearby communities, including Bull Mountain and King City. For winter preparation, see our guide on preventing frozen pipes in Tigard, and for leaks you cannot see, read about slab leak warning signs. You can find every article on the plumbing blog.