Worried about pipe bursts in the winter?

11/3/2020 (Permalink)

Water pipes burst because the water inside them expands as is it gets close to freezing and this causes an increase in pressure inside the pipe. When the pressure gets too high for the pipe to contain it ruptures.

A burst pipe can mean anything from a sink valve blowout to a water main fracture and anything in between. The most critical aspect of dealing with a burst pipe is turning off the water supply and stopping the flow of water. If the pipe is in a crawl space or a basement the water is fairly well contained. But if the pipe that burst is in a household setting, such as a toilet feed or an under-sink supply line, drying out the area becomes a bit more complex depending upon how much water has inundated the house.

As with any water damage, time is of the essence. Mold can start to develop in as little as 24 hours after an incident. The more time that passes without treatment, the more likely those materials will continue to deteriorate and may not be salvageable, especially with carpet.

If a water leak has affected multiple rooms, traveled from an upper level to a lower level of the home, or has been left unnoticed for more than 8 hours, professional water mitigation and specialized drying equipment is necessary. If you see that water has seeped into the sub flooring or the drywall, the safest step would be to contact a professional restoration company like SERVPRO. We can help remove or restore items that would otherwise develop mold. Another thing to keep in mind is the amount of time in which porous materials in your home have been exposed to water saturation.