What should I do before the plumber arrives?

Shut off the main water valve, turn off electricity to any affected areas if water is near outlets or panels, and move valuables away from the leak. Photograph the damage for insurance.

Is a burst pipe covered by home insurance?

Many policies cover sudden burst pipe damage, but coverage varies, especially if the cause was neglect (like an unheated vacant home). Check with your insurer and keep the plumber's invoice and photos.

Can a burst pipe be fixed without opening the wall?

Sometimes, if the burst is in an accessible spot like a basement ceiling with removable panels. If it's inside a finished wall, some cutting is usually unavoidable to reach and replace the damaged section.

Burst pipe repair now

A burst pipe can dump hundreds of litres of water into a home within minutes, so the first move is always to shut off the main water supply while calling a plumber who answers around the clock. This page is for homeowners dealing with a pipe that has already split or ruptured, usually from freeze-thaw cycles in winter, corrosion in older copper or galvanized lines, or a sudden pressure spike.

Locating the burst, which may be hidden behind drywall, under a slab, or in an unheated basement or crawlspace
Cutting out and replacing the damaged section of pipe (copper, PEX, or galvanized)
Draining and drying the affected area, and coordinating with a restoration company if drywall or flooring is soaked
Checking nearby pipe runs for similar freeze risk so the same failure does not repeat next cold snap

Plumbers responding to this call typically arrive with pipe stock, fittings, and shutoff valves on the truck so the repair can happen in one visit rather than a diagnose-then-return process.

What it costs

Cost depends on how accessible the pipe is: an exposed basement pipe is a quick fix, while a burst line inside a wall or under a slab means cutting into finished surfaces, which adds labour and patching cost. After-hours and weekend calls usually carry a premium over a scheduled daytime repair. Water damage cleanup, if needed, is billed separately from the plumbing repair itself.

Top 3 by our score

Ranked from our published scoring of public Google reviews for emergency plumbing.

1. True Service Plumbing
5.0★ · 1220 reviews

95
2. Advanced Plumbing & Drains
5.0★ · 558 reviews

95
3. Grizzly Plumbing and Heating Inc
5.0★ · 489 reviews

95

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FAQ

What should I do before the plumber arrives?: Shut off the main water valve, turn off electricity to any affected areas if water is near outlets or panels, and move valuables away from the leak. Photograph the damage for insurance.
Is a burst pipe covered by home insurance?: Many policies cover sudden burst pipe damage, but coverage varies, especially if the cause was neglect (like an unheated vacant home). Check with your insurer and keep the plumber's invoice and photos.
Can a burst pipe be fixed without opening the wall?: Sometimes, if the burst is in an accessible spot like a basement ceiling with removable panels. If it's inside a finished wall, some cutting is usually unavoidable to reach and replace the damaged section.

When you submit a quote or contact form through this site, your enquiry may be shared with partner providers who can do the work. We may receive a referral fee for these matches, but our rankings and scores are determined solely by our published scoring method and are never influenced by referral fees.