Burst Pipe — What to Do Right Now
A burst pipe can spill 20+ litres a minute. The next 60 seconds matter more than the phone call — stop the water first, then get us out.
Make it safe — before anything else
Isolate the water at the stopcock
Rotate clockwise until it stops. If it won't turn, force it gently with a cloth — a stuck stopcock is a common problem and we'd rather you break it than let the flood continue.
Kill the electrics if water is near them
Flip the main switch on the consumer unit down. Don't stand in standing water under a live light fitting.
Drain the system
Open every cold tap and flush every toilet. This empties the pipework so the leak slows to a trickle within a minute or two.
Contain, don't clean yet
Bowls, buckets, towels. Take photos and video of the damage BEFORE you dry anything — insurers need it.
What Kevin (our AI) will check first
Message Kevin and he'll ask exactly these questions before we send an engineer, so we bring the right parts on the first van.
- Where in the property is the leak — kitchen, bathroom, loft, under a floor?
- Is it a copper, plastic push-fit or plastic barrier pipe?
- Cold-water mains, hot-water pipe, or a central-heating pipe?
- Is the stopcock working, or do we need to bring the water-authority key for the boundary stop-tap?
- Any electrics affected — do we need to bring extractor / dehumidifier gear on the first van?
Common causes of a burst pipe
Freeze-thaw
Water in an uninsulated pipe expands as it freezes and cracks the pipe or splits a joint. Damage only shows when it thaws and starts leaking — often the first mild day after a cold snap.
Corrosion pinholes
Old copper (25+ years) develops pitting pinholes, especially at elbows and near soldered joints. Small at first, then suddenly not.
Pressure spike
A failing PRV on the boiler, a water-hammer hit, or a sudden mains-pressure surge can pop a weak joint that had been holding for years.
Physical damage
A screw or nail through a hidden pipe in a wall or floor — usually months after the DIY job that caused it, once the metal has corroded around the hole.
Bad joint
Poorly soldered or under-crimped push-fit joints can let go without warning, particularly after temperature or pressure changes.
Honest cost band — why we won't quote blind
Typical
£140 – £320 for a standard burst-pipe repair
Complex
Complex jobs (chased into walls, under concrete, sistered into a heating circuit) £320 – £750
We won't quote sight-unseen because a 'burst pipe' can be a 20-minute push-fit repair or a two-day floor-lift. £50 diagnostic gets you a written fixed price before we cut anything.
Fixed £50 diagnostic
Flat fee. No hourly meter running.
Fair quote or refund
Transparent pricing — refunded if we don't fix it.
Vetted UK engineers
DBS-checked, insured, real reviews.
AI-triaged in seconds
KJ chats first so the right engineer arrives.
Related emergencies
See all in the emergency plumbing hub — or the leaks & water damage hub.
Areas we cover for burst pipe
Same-day across Greater Manchester and Rochdale.
Burst pipe — FAQs
Dealing with a burst pipe? Chat with Kevin now
Real triage in seconds. £50 diagnostic visit — refunded if we don't fix it.
Related hubs: emergency plumbing, leaks & water damage, all services.
Chat with Kevin about Burst pipe