Immediate Steps to Take after Frozen Pipes Burst in Your Home
The freezing temperatures of winter are enough to make you incredibly uncomfortable. They are also enough to wreak havoc on your home, especially when it comes to your pipes. Freezing pipes are a real threat to homeowners; when they burst, they can cause extensive damage. If you face this unfortunate scenario, you must know what to do.
Take Preventive Measures
Prevention is always the best course of action. Take steps before the onset of freezing temperatures to insulate any pipes that might be exposed to inclement weather. Wrapping exterior lines with foam insulation, covering outdoor spigots with caps, keeping cabinet doors open, and maintaining a slow drip from faucets can help prevent pipes from freezing.
Locate the Main Supply Points
Ensure you know the main supply points for your water and electrical supply. If a pipe bursts, the sooner you can turn off the water supply, the less water will leak out and cause damage. In terms of the electrical system, you want to shut off electricity to any area where the water has leaked to avoid the risk of a fire.
Schedule Plumbing Repairs
Once you have everything secured, contact a plumber for emergency repairs. Typically, the only way to repair this issue is to replace the damaged pipe. If there has been adverse weather in your area, likely, you are not the only homeowner facing the issue, so the sooner you make the call to the plumber, the closer to the front of the line you will be.
Contact A Restoration Company
Your next call should be to a water restoration company. During the initial visit, a technician will inspect the damage caused by the leaking water to determine what steps must be taken while also providing a timeline by which the services can be performed. After this visit, contact your insurance company to file a claim since you will have an estimate of the costs.
Remove Salvage Items
Once you have called the restoration company, it is essential to immediately remove salvageable items from the area. For many items, the sooner you can remove them from the water-soaked area and clean them, the less likely they will be permanently damaged. However, any items that are saturated should be left in place for the water restoration company to inspect.
If the pipes freeze and burst in your home, ensure you are ready to react immediately to minimize the damage and get on track for repairs as soon as possible.
