Burst and frozen pipes
Burst pipe and frozen pipe water damage
A pipe that splits inside a wall or under the house can run for a long time before anyone notices. The plumber fixes the pipe; a restoration contractor deals with the water.
Two trades, one problem
When a pipe fails, the repair to the pipe and the cleanup of the damage are usually separate jobs. In Georgia, plumbing is licensed work in its own right, so expect a plumber to handle the line itself while the restoration contractor handles extraction and drying.
Pipes in crawl spaces, exterior walls, garages and attics are the ones most exposed to a hard freeze. Damage often shows up only when the line thaws and pressure returns, so a cold snap can be followed by a wet morning.
Water from a supply pipe is usually clean at first. It does not stay that way if it sits in a crawl space or soaks into old insulation, which is one reason to start the drying quickly.
After the water is off
- Note where the leak was and roughly how long it ran.
- Photograph the pipe, the wet areas and anything damaged before it is moved.
- Keep the plumber's invoice; it shows what failed and when.
- Don't use space heaters near wet floors or open cords.
- Check ceilings below the leak for sagging before standing under them.
Questions
Burst and frozen pipes: common questions
Who fixes the pipe?
A licensed plumber. Restoration contractors focus on the water damage; some work alongside plumbers, but the pipe repair is a separate trade.
The pipe that froze is outside the house. Is it mine?
In the City of Atlanta, the water department is responsible for the line from the main to the meter and the owner from the meter to the house. If the break is between the street and the meter, call the department.
Related problems
- Water damage restorationLeaks, overflows and storm water: extraction, drying and the rebuild afterwards.
- Water extraction and dryingPumping out standing water, then drying the structure with measured readings.
- Flooded basement or crawl spaceWater in a basement or crawl space after heavy rain or a plumbing failure.
Water where it should not be?
Get an Atlanta restoration contractor on the line
The sooner wet materials start drying, the less there usually is to tear out. One call puts you through to an independent contractor who can look at the damage, explain the work and give you their own price.
Speak with a restoration contractor
Your call is routed to an independent water, fire and mold restoration contractor that takes jobs in metro Atlanta. Describe the damage and ask what they would do first.
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