If a pipe has burst at home, find the stop tap to stop water supply. Call a reliable plumber to repair the pipe.

Most people do not think about the pipes which are running under their homes, until there is a problem and they get a burst pipe. Before calling a plumber for a burst pipe, it is essential that the water supply is turned off at the main stop tap. A burst pipe is not uncommon, especially in the UK where winter temperatures drop below freezing and the underground pipes freeze and then burst. Plumbers are often called out (day and night) to tend to a burst pipe. Once the water supply has been turned off, water wastage will be reduced and what’s more damage caused by the burst pipe will also be reduced.

It is essential that homeowners knows exactly where their home’s main stop tap is located, as in the event of a burst pipe, they will need to react swiftly and turn the water off. The main stop tap for most homes is located under the kitchen sink. However, if the stop tap is not found here, the property owner can look for a point where the service pipes enters the homes. They will generally find the tap here.  It is important to know where the stop tap is located before a burst pipe occurs and before a plumber is called out to make the necessary repairs to the burst pipe.

Once the main stop tap has been turned off after a burst pipe, the stopcock in the cold water tank must also be turned off. Not all homes have a cold water tank but if they do, this is usually located in the attic or loft. With the water supply stopped the next step when dealing with a burst pipe is to contact a reliable plumber. If the burst pipe occurs after hours, it will be dealt with as an emergency and a 24 hour plumber will come out to make the necessary repairs to the burst pipe.

About the author: Shaun Smith covers all aspects of plumbing from bathroom installations to servicing of boilers. For more information about training to become a plumber please click here.