If you notice a water pipe has burst, it is essential to act quickly to limit the amount of damage it causes whilst waiting for a professional to arrive for leak detection in Bracknell and surrounding areas. Leaking water can destroy your possessions and cause serious damage to the interior and exterior of your home. The actions you take depend on where you have noticed the water leak. Here’s what to do in the event of a burst pipe.
The water supply to your home runs from the water meter or stop cock at the boundary of your property to your internal stop cock. This is typically found either beneath the kitchen sink or in the downstairs bathroom. It is important to know this general layout and the location of your stop cocks to enable you to act quickly in the event of an emergency. As a general rule, this pipe will be yours to look after making you responsible for it if anything happens.
A burst pipe on your property can happen for a number of reasons. Common causes include:
Most burst pipes are very obvious, however you need to be aware of less noticeable indicators such as damp patches on your concrete driveway, a darker patch of grass in your garden or low water flow in the house.
If you have a burst pipe on your property, the first thing you should do is turn off the stop cock. As previously mentioned, the stop cock is typically located outside on the boundaries of your property, and will usually be covered by a small square cover. This will enable you to establish whether the broken pipe is definitely within your property’s underground water supply. It is a good idea to know exactly where it is located because a burst pipe usually occurs unexpectedly and catches home owners off guard.
After you have done this, turn on the taps inside your house to drain the remaining water from your supply pipe. Then, make sure that the water isn’t causing any damage, once you have done this then call Hamblin Water mains and we will advise you. Our first action will be to establish whether the pipe is repairable or if it will need replacing.
If you notice a burst pipe in the road, on the mains water supply, then this is the responsibility of the local water authority. You will have to contact them straight away so they can come and repair it. Taking action quickly is essential because a burst water main can cause danger to the public, due to the pressure the water is coming out at, or to the surrounding area. A burst water main poses the risk of flooding because of the sheer volume of water that may be leaking.
