What To Do If A Pipe Bursts

A burst pipe in Green Bay is usually a frozen pipe. With a normal January low of about 11 degrees and around 19 nights a year at zero or below, water sitting in a pipe on an outside wall can freeze, expand and split the pipe, and the flood starts when it thaws. The first few minutes decide how much damage is done. Our team has written the steps below for homeowners in Green Bay, De Pere, Ashwaubenon and Howard. Once the water is off, call (920) 247-2089.

Step by step instructions to limit the damage

1. Close the main water shut-off. In a house with a basement it is usually on the pipe where the water service comes through the foundation wall, beside the meter. Turn a round handle clockwise, or swing a lever handle a quarter turn until it sits across the pipe.
2. If water is near outlets, appliances or the electrical panel, switch off the power to that area, but only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
3. Open a cold tap on the lowest floor and flush the toilets to drain what is left in the pipes.
4. If the leak is on the hot side, turn the water heater's gas control to pilot or switch off its breaker.
5. Move furniture, rugs and boxes out of the water, and take photographs for your insurer.
6. Mop, towel and run fans or a dehumidifier. Wet drywall and carpet should be dried quickly to limit mould.
7. If you can see the split, do not try to thaw the rest of the pipe with a torch or open flame. A hair dryer or a space heater kept well clear of anything that burns is the safer choice.

We will ensure that your burst pipe repair in Green Bay is handled by professionals.

Why pipes burst in Green Bay

Cold is the main cause. Frost in this part of Wisconsin normally reaches four to six feet at its deepest, and the record low for January 31 here is 26 below zero, set during the 2019 cold wave. Inside the house, the pipes at risk are the ones on outside walls, in crawl spaces, in unheated garages and in cabinets against an exterior wall. Age adds to it: older galvanized pipe that has thinned with rust gives way at lower stress. A hose left on an outdoor faucet in autumn traps water and can split even a frost-proof faucet. Our team is fully committed to reliable burst pipe repair in Green Bay.

Before the next freeze

• Disconnect garden hoses in autumn and close any inside valve that feeds an outdoor faucet.
• Insulate pipes in crawl spaces, garages and along rim joists in the basement.
• Seal gaps where cold air blows onto pipes.
• In a severe cold snap, open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls and let a thin stream of cold water run overnight.
• Keep the heat at 55 degrees or higher if you are away, and ask someone to check the house.
• Find and label the main shut-off today. Our guide on how to find your water shut-off shows where to look.

When you need frozen pipe repair in Green Bay, our team is ready to help. Call (920) 247-2089 today for a quote.