A burst pipe is about the most urgent call a plumber gets. A split supply line is under constant pressure, so it keeps pushing water out until somebody closes a valve. In a few minutes that water can soak drywall, run under flooring and drip through to the room below. Most of the damage comes from how long the water runs, which is why we answer the phone at any hour and start by helping you stop the flow.
We handle burst pipe repair across Tigard, from the older houses near Main Street to the newer streets on Bull Mountain, and in the cities around it. Some of the pipes we fix are copper lines that have been in the walls for forty years. Others are newer PEX runs that froze in a garage or an exterior wall. The repair is different for each, and we explain what we found before we cut anything.
If water is coming out right now, skip the reading: shut the main water valve and call us. The rest of this page will still be here once the water is off.
Is this an emergency?
Is it a burst pipe? Signs you need help now
Not every burst pipe announces itself with a spray of water. Some split inside a wall or under the house and show up as damage before anyone sees the leak. Call right away if you notice any of these:
- Water spraying, dripping or running from a wall, ceiling or cabinet
- A ceiling that bulges, sags or has a spreading brown stain
- A sudden drop in water pressure at every tap in the house
- The sound of running water when every fixture is off
- Wet carpet, warped flooring or water pooling near a wall
- Pipes that stopped flowing during a freeze and are now thawing
Water near outlets, a light fixture or the electrical panel? Stay out of the wet area and switch off power to it at the breaker, but only if you can reach the panel while standing somewhere dry.
Common causes
Why pipes burst in Tigard homes
Most burst pipes we see around Tigard come down to a short list of causes. Knowing which one you have tells us where else to look, because the same problem often affects more than one spot.
Freezing weather
Hard freezes are not an every-year event here, so homes are not always ready for them. When water freezes it expands, and the pressure splits the pipe. Lines in garages, crawlspaces, attics and exterior walls go first. 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.
Age and corrosion
The typical Tigard home was built around 1988, and many near downtown date from the early 1970s. Copper and galvanized steel thin out over decades. A pinhole leak can turn into a split when the pipe wall finally gives way.
Water pressure that runs high
Supply lines are rated for a certain pressure. When household pressure stays high, joints and older fittings carry extra strain every day, and the weakest one fails first.
Damage during other work
A nail or screw through a pipe during a remodel, or a line knocked loose in a crawlspace, can hold for a while and then let go.
Failed fittings and connectors
Braided supply hoses under sinks and toilets, washing machine hoses and old compression fittings are common failure points. They are short pieces, but they carry full house pressure.
How we fix it
Burst Pipe Repair, step by step
Here is what happens from the moment you call until the water is back on.
Call now- 1
Stop the water
On the phone we help you find and close the main valve. Most Tigard homes have it where the line enters the house, often in the garage, a crawlspace or next to the water heater. The meter box near the curb has a second valve.
- 2
Find the break
When we arrive we trace the leak to its source. A stain on the ceiling is not always directly under the split, so we open only as much drywall as we need to see the pipe.
- 3
Explain what we found
You see the damaged section and hear what the repair involves: how much pipe needs replacing, the material, the access and anything else we noticed nearby. You know what affects the cost before we start.
- 4
Replace the damaged pipe
We cut out the split section and replace it with new pipe and fittings that match or upgrade the existing line. If the surrounding pipe is in poor shape, we tell you, so you can decide whether to replace more of it now or later.
- 5
Test and turn the water back on
We restore pressure slowly, check every joint for leaks and run the fixtures on that line. Then we show you the finished repair before we pack up.
Your options
Spot repair or a larger fix?
Most burst pipes can be fixed by replacing the section that split. Sometimes the break is a sign of a bigger problem, and a spot repair would only move the next failure a few feet down the line.
Spot repair
Best when the pipe failed for an obvious one-off reason, like a single freeze in an exposed garage line, and the rest of the run is in good condition. It is the quickest way to get water back on.
Replacing a full run
Makes sense when the pipe on both sides of the break is corroded or has already been patched before. Replacing the run between two fittings avoids paying for the same visit twice.
Repiping
If an older home keeps springing leaks in different places, the whole system may be near the end of its life. Our repiping service replaces old supply lines with new pipe, one section or the whole house.
Protecting the line
For pipes that froze, we can insulate or reroute exposed lines and talk you through keeping them warm in the next cold snap.
Dealing with the water damage
Fixing the pipe stops new water, but the water that already escaped is still in the house. Drywall, insulation, subfloors and cabinets hold moisture long after the surface looks dry, and anything that stays wet for more than a day or two can start to grow mold.
Open cabinet doors, pull back wet rugs and run fans and a dehumidifier if you have them. If a large area got soaked, or water got into a ceiling, wall cavity or under flooring, a water damage restoration company can measure moisture and dry the structure properly. Ask your insurer which companies they work with before you hire one.
Keep the photos you took before cleanup, the plumber's invoice and a note of when the leak started and when the water was shut off. Insurers usually ask for all three.
What we check after the repair
A burst pipe is often a symptom. Before we leave, we look at the pipe on both sides of the break, the fittings nearby and, if the break was caused by freezing, the other lines in the same cold spot. If the pressure in the house seems high, we tell you, because high pressure strains every joint in the system.
If we find another weak spot, we show it to you and explain whether it needs attention now or can wait. You decide. We would rather point out a problem you can plan for than have you call us again next month for one we could have mentioned.
Burst pipes in businesses and rentals
A burst pipe in a restaurant, office or apartment building affects more than one person. Water can spread into neighboring units or the floor below, and a closed restroom or kitchen costs a business money every hour. We work after hours when that helps, and we leave clear notes on what failed and what we did for owners, managers and insurers.
If you manage a building, make sure tenants and staff know where the main shut-off and any zone shut-offs are. A labeled valve and a posted phone number make a real difference at two in the morning. Our commercial plumbing service covers businesses of every size.
Small leak or burst pipe? When to call right away
A slow drip under a sink can usually wait for a scheduled visit, as long as you put a bowl under it and check it often. A pipe that sprays, pours or keeps running after you close the fixture valve cannot wait. Neither can water coming through a ceiling, water near anything electrical, or a leak you cannot find but can hear.
If you are not sure which one you have, call and describe it. We will tell you honestly whether it needs a plumber tonight or can wait until a time that suits you, and what to do in the meantime to keep it from getting worse.
Local knowledge
Burst pipes and Tigard winters
Tigard gets far more rain than snow, so a hard freeze tends to catch people off guard. Pipes that cause trouble are usually the ones nobody thinks about until they split: the hose bib on the north side of the house, the supply line running through an unheated garage, or the pipes in a vented crawlspace where cold air moves freely.
A frozen pipe often looks fine while it is frozen. The ice can hold a split closed, and the leak only starts once the pipe thaws. That is why we get so many calls a day or two after a cold snap ends, when the sun comes out and water starts running through the cracked section.
If your water stops flowing during a freeze, shut off the valve that feeds that line if you can find it, open the faucet it serves and call us. Do not use an open flame to thaw a pipe. A hair dryer or a space heater kept at a safe distance is fine for a pipe you can see; for one inside a wall, leave it to us.
Bull Mountain is one of the places we take burst pipe calls. Homes there sit on a hillside with longer service lines and a range of house ages, and a freeze that splits a line in an exposed spot can do a lot of damage before anyone notices.
Pricing
What affects the cost
We never quote a burst pipe repair before we see it, because the price depends on things nobody can judge over the phone. The biggest factor is access. A split under a kitchen sink is a short job. The same split behind a finished wall, in a ceiling or under a slab means more time, and sometimes a drywall patch afterwards.
The other factors are the pipe material, how much of it needs replacing, the time of day you call, and whether the break is a sign of wider problems that are worth fixing at the same visit. We go over each of these with you before we start. Our plumbing cost guide explains them in more detail.
Read the plumbing cost guide
Related services
Areas we serve for burst pipe repair
Questions
Burst Pipe Repair FAQs
What should I do first when a pipe bursts?
Shut off the main water valve. In most Tigard homes it is where the line comes into the house, often in the garage, a crawlspace or next to the water heater. If you cannot find it, there is a second valve in the meter box by the curb. Then open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain the lines and call us.
Can you come out at night or on a weekend?
Yes. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays, and we offer same-day emergency service. When you call, we give you an arrival window.
Will you have to cut into my walls?
Sometimes, if the pipe is inside a wall or ceiling. We open only as much as we need to reach the damaged section and repair it properly, and we tell you before we cut.
My pipe froze but is not leaking. Do I still need a plumber?
It is worth a call. A frozen pipe can split and only start leaking once it thaws. Shut off the water to that line if you can, open the faucet it feeds and keep the area warm without using an open flame.
Is a burst pipe covered by homeowners insurance?
That depends on your policy and the cause, so check with your insurer. Taking photos of the damage before cleanup and keeping the repair invoice will help with any claim.
How do I stop pipes from bursting next winter?
Insulate pipes in garages, crawlspaces and exterior walls, disconnect garden hoses before a freeze, and keep the heat on when you travel. On very cold nights, letting a faucet drip on an exposed line can help.