Burst pipe: the first ten minutes
Close the main water shutoff by turning it fully clockwise. It is usually where the line enters the cellar or utility room. Open the lowest faucet in the house to drain the lines, and switch off the water heater so it does not heat an empty tank. Then call the 24/7 line.
If water is near electrical outlets, panels or appliances, stay out of the room and switch off power at the main breaker only if you can reach it without standing in water. If the shutoff will not turn, tell the dispatcher, because the plumber may need to shut the water at the street.
- Turn off the main water valve first.
- Open a low faucet to drain the lines.
- Switch off the water heater.
- Move valuables and photograph the damage for your insurer.
- Do not touch wet electrical devices.
Why pipes burst in New Hampshire
Water expands when it freezes, and the ice plug in a pipe pushes pressure on both sides. The split often forms where the ice formed, but water only appears after the ice melts. A pipe that froze last night can look fine until the house warms up this afternoon.
Pipes in unheated spaces face the highest risk. Cellars with exposed lines, crawlspaces, exterior walls, garages and outdoor spigots are the usual places. A pipe can also fail from corrosion, a loose joint or high water pressure, and those failures happen in July as often as January.
Water pouring from a pipe?
Close the main shutoff and call the 24/7 line.
If a pipe is frozen but not yet split
A frozen pipe is a warning. These steps lower the chance of a split while you wait for the plumber.
- Open the faucet. Open the tap on the frozen line so water can flow as the ice melts.
- Warm the pipe gently. Use a hair dryer or warm towels, working from the faucet toward the frozen section.
- Never use an open flame. A torch can ignite framing and damage fittings.
- Call if you cannot find or reach the frozen section. A plumber can locate and thaw it safely.
Repair methods by pipe type
The repair depends on what is behind the split.
| Pipe | Common repair | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | Cut out the split and sweat in a new section or use push fittings | Check nearby sections for damage |
| PEX | Cut and install a crimp or expansion coupling | Flexible, but still susceptible to freezing damage |
| Galvanized steel | Replace the section, often with newer pipe | Corrosion elsewhere is likely, so consider repiping |
| CPVC | Cut and replace with solvent-welded fittings | Brittle with age |
After the water stops
Stopping the water is the first job and drying the structure is the second. Wet drywall, insulation and flooring can grow mold within a couple of days, so arrange drying promptly. Photograph everything, keep damaged items until the insurer sees them and save receipts for the emergency work.
The plumber repairs the pipe and checks nearby lines for damage. If the cause was a frozen section, the plumber will suggest insulation or rerouting. Where a house has repeated freezes, the answer may be a permanent change, such as moving a line out of an exterior wall.
Derry houses and freeze risk
Older farmhouses and capes around Derry Village and East Derry often have supply lines in exterior walls and unheated additions. Newer homes in Derry, Londonderry and Windham can still have lines under cold garage floors or in cantilevered rooms. Rockingham County has had winter storm and ice storm declarations in past decades, so extended outages are possible, and a power loss can leave pipes unprotected.
If you leave the house in winter, keep the heat on, open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls and ask a neighbor to check the house during extended cold spells. If a slow leak appears after the thaw, our leak detection page explains how the plumber locates it.
Burst Pipe Repair questions in Derry
Yes. The line is open 24/7, including holidays and storms. Close the main shutoff, open a low faucet and call (603) 815-9179. The dispatcher will stay on while you describe what you see.
Check where the water line enters the house, usually in the cellar, a utility room or a crawlspace. If you cannot find it or it will not turn, tell the dispatcher. The plumber may shut it off at the curb stop.
Many homeowner policies cover sudden bursts and not slow leaks or wear. Ask your insurer before relying on coverage. Photograph damage and keep receipts.
Gentle heat from a hair dryer or warm towels is generally fine, and an open flame is not. If you cannot reach the frozen section or the pipe is already split, call a plumber.
Insulate exposed lines, seal drafts, keep the heat on, open cabinet doors on exterior walls and let a faucet drip during extreme cold. For repeated problems, ask the plumber about moving the line.
References: Rockingham Planning Commission regional plan, which lists winter and ice storm declarations for the county. Derry code enforcement, 603-432-6148.
Burst pipe in Derry, any hour
Call now. The dispatcher stays with you until the water is stopped.