What to Do If a Pipe Bursts (Step-by-Step)

A holiday rental in Collaroy taught me this one

I got a frantic call from a holiday rental in Collaroy about a burst pipe near the hot water system. The owners were away and the tenants woke up to water running down the hallway. They said, "We thought it was raining inside the house." Turned out a frozen pipe in an uninsulated crawl space had split overnight during a cold snap. I had to locate the isolation valve, drain the pressurised line, cut out the damaged section, and throw in a compression fitting. The tenants were back to their holiday by lunchtime.

A burst pipe can dump 750 litres an hour. You've got about 30 minutes before the damage goes from manageable to catastrophic. Here's exactly what I tell my customers to do.

What to do, in order

• Turn off the water at the mains — this is the only thing that matters in the first 30 seconds. The shut-off valve is at the front of your property near the water meter. Turn clockwise (gate valve) or rotate the lever 90 degrees (ball valve). If you have an internal stopcock, it's usually under the kitchen sink or near the hot water system.
• Open all taps to drain the system — once the mains are closed, turn on every tap in the house to release pressure. This reduces how much water leaks from the burst. Flush toilets to empty cisterns.
• Turn off the electricity if water's near appliances — water and electricity are a lethal combination. If the burst is near power points, go to the switchboard and turn off the main circuit breaker.
• Contain the damage — move furniture and rugs out of the way. Place buckets under drips. If the ceiling is bulging, poke a small hole at the low point to let water drain into a bucket — this prevents a collapse.
• Call a licensed plumber — with the water off and damage contained, call an emergency plumber. Describe where the burst is. Most repairs on the Northern Beaches run $250–600 for a standard fix.
• Document for insurance — take photos and videos before any cleanup. Most home insurance covers sudden water damage from burst pipes but requires evidence.

What NOT to do

• Don't turn the water back on to "check if it's still leaking" — leave it off until I arrive.
• Don't try to solder a copper pipe with water still in the line — it won't seal.
• Don't ignore a small leak thinking it'll stop — pipe cracks propagate under pressure.
• Don't use duct tape or electrical tape as a repair — they'll blow off under pressure.
• Don't enter a room where water is contacting power outlets or switchboards.

When it can wait vs when to call now

Every burst pipe needs a plumber. Call an emergency plumber immediately if: water can't be contained with buckets, water has reached electrical outlets, the pipe is behind a wall or under a slab, or you can't find your shut-off valve. If the drip stops completely when the mains are off, a same-day business-hours repair is fine.

I carry replacement sections and fittings for copper, PVC, and PEX — most repairs are completed within an hour of arrival. I serve all Northern Beaches suburbs from Collaroy to Narrabeen.

Why pipes burst in Collaroy and Narrabeen

In coastal suburbs like Collaroy and Narrabeen, uninsulated crawl spaces are common in older properties built on slabs. A cold snap can freeze exposed pipes overnight. In older suburbs like Mosman and Balgowlah, ground movement in reactive clay soils shifts underground pipes until joints crack. In coastal areas, salt spray corrodes exposed copper pipes years ahead of schedule. If you own a holiday rental on the Northern Beaches, have someone check the property after storms — a burst pipe in an unoccupied place can run for days unnoticed.

Related reading

• Water Leaking Through the Ceiling? Do This Now— If the burst pipe is above you, not below you.
• How Much Does an Emergency Plumber Cost?— What you will pay and how to avoid being overcharged.
• Signs You Need Emergency Plumbing Services— Learn the warning signs before a pipe bursts.
• How to Turn Off Your Water Mains in an Emergency— Step one for any burst pipe — find and shut the valve.
• What Counts as a Plumbing Emergency?— A burst pipe is always an emergency — here is why.