Key Takeaway
When a pipe bursts, shut off the main water valve first, then switch off power to any area where water has reached outlets or appliances, open the lowest faucet to drain the lines, and call a plumber. Move valuables, mop up standing water and photograph the damage for insurance. A burst supply line is often repaired in 1 to 2 hours once the plumber is on site. If the pipe froze, the American Red Cross warns that other pipes may freeze too, and never to thaw them with an open flame. SKS Plumbing is open 7 days, 8am to 9pm. Call (503) 319-9348.
When a pipe bursts, shut off the main water valve first, then cut power to any area where water has reached outlets or appliances, and call a plumber. Those first few minutes decide whether you are dealing with a wet floor or a flooded house, because a broken supply line keeps pushing water at full pressure until the valve is closed.
In Hillsboro and across Washington County, burst pipes cluster around the first hard freezes of the season, when pipes in crawl spaces, garages and exterior walls are exposed to cold air. Here is what to do, in order.
1. Shut Off the Main Water Valve
Everything else waits until the water stops. The main shutoff is usually where the water line enters the house: in the garage near the water heater or laundry hookup, in the crawl space, or outside by the foundation under a concrete ring or clay pipe. Turn a round handle clockwise until it stops, or turn a lever handle a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe.
If you cannot find it or it will not turn, do not force the meter yourself: Hillsboro Water asks customers to call and have the water shut off at the meter (503-615-6700 during business hours, 503-615-6775 after hours). Our guide on how to shut off your main water valve shows where to look in a typical Hillsboro home. Find it now, before you need it.
2. Make the Area Safe
Water and electricity are the real danger in a burst pipe, not the pipe itself.
- Switch off the breaker for any room where water has reached outlets, appliances or light fixtures, if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
- Stay out of the room if the electrical panel is wet or the water is deep near outlets.
- Turn off the water heater if the leak is on the hot side or the tank may drain. Set a gas unit to "pilot" or switch off the breaker for an electric one.
3. Drain the Lines and Limit the Damage
With the main closed, there is still water sitting in the pipes. Open the lowest faucet in the house, often a laundry tub or an outdoor spigot, and flush the toilets to drain what is left. Then:
- Move furniture, rugs, electronics and boxes out of the wet area.
- Mop or wet-vac standing water and get fans running.
- Photograph the damage and the broken pipe before anything is cleaned up. Your insurer will want to see it.
4. If the Pipe Froze, Check the Rest
A pipe that splits in a freeze is a warning about the pipes next to it. The American Red Cross puts it plainly: "If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too." Check the other faucets in the house for low flow.
If you are thawing a frozen pipe that has not burst, use gentle heat such as a hair dryer or heating pad, never a torch. The Red Cross advice is: "Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device." (American Red Cross, Frozen Pipes) If you cannot find the frozen section, call a plumber. Our frozen pipe prevention guide covers how to keep it from happening again.
5. What the Plumber Will Do
On site, the plumber finds the break, cuts out the damaged section and replaces it, usually with PEX or copper to match the rest of the system. The repaired line is then pressure tested before the water goes back on, and the pipes either side of the break are checked for further damage.
A burst supply line or failed shutoff valve is often repaired in 1 to 2 hours once the plumber is on site. What drives the cost is mostly access: a pipe in an open basement or crawl space is quicker than one inside a finished wall or ceiling. If the line keeps failing in different places, or the house still has old galvanized pipe, it may be time to talk about whole home repiping rather than patching one leak after another.
If the water is coming from somewhere you cannot see, such as a ceiling stain or a wet floor with no visible pipe, our leak detection and repair team can find it without opening up more than necessary.
Call SKS Plumbing for a Burst Pipe
SKS Plumbing handles burst pipes, failed valves and flooding leaks through our emergency plumbing service across Hillsboro, Beaverton, Tigard, Forest Grove and the rest of Washington County. Same-day service is available for urgent problems.
We are open seven days a week, 8am to 9pm. Shut off the water, then call (503) 319-9348, or contact us and we will get the pipe fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shut off the main water valve. In most Hillsboro homes it is where the water line enters the house: in the garage near the water heater or laundry hookup, in the crawl space, or outside by the foundation. Turning it clockwise stops water reaching the broken pipe within seconds.
Turn off the breaker for any area where water has reached outlets, appliances or light fixtures, but only if you can reach the panel without standing in water. If the panel itself is wet or you would have to walk through water to reach it, stay out and call the utility.
A burst supply line or failed shutoff valve is often repaired in 1 to 2 hours once the plumber is on site. Pipes inside walls or under floors take longer because the section has to be opened up, repaired and pressure tested.
A pipe repair clamp or rubber patch can slow a small leak until a plumber arrives, but it is a stopgap. A split pipe needs the damaged section cut out and replaced, and the rest of the line checked, because a pipe that froze once often has other weak spots.
The most common causes are freezing, corrosion in older copper or galvanized pipe, high water pressure, and physical damage. In the Portland metro area, freezes are the usual trigger in pipes that run through crawl spaces, garages and exterior walls.