What To Do When a Pipe Bursts: A Step-by-Step Guide

A burst pipe is one of those proper "now what?" moments

Water spraying out of a wall, pooling on the floor, dripping through the ceiling — your stomach drops a little. We've taken these calls hundreds of times across Portsmouth, Fareham and Havant, and the people who handle it best are the ones who do the same first three things every time.

This guide will walk you through exactly what to do in the first 5 minutes — before you ring anyone, before you start panic-Googling. Done in order, these steps stop most of the damage and buy you time.

We're Scott and Fraser from Blimp Plumbing — local plumbers who fix burst pipes weekly across South Hampshire. If your pipe is going right now, stop reading and follow the steps. Then ring us on 07835 761952.

Step 1 — Turn off your water at the stopcock (the most important thing you'll do)

Every house has a stopcock (sometimes called a "stop tap" or "main isolator valve"). Turning it off cuts the water supply to your whole home. This stops more water entering the leaking pipe — which usually stops the leak from getting worse.

Where to look:

• Under the kitchen sink — most common spot in modern Portsmouth homes
• Under the stairs in older properties (Victorian and Edwardian houses)
• Near the front door, in a low cupboard
• In the airing cupboard — sometimes
• In the cellar/basement — for older properties with one

To turn it off: twist the tap clockwise (righty-tighty). It might be stiff if you've never touched it. Use a cloth for grip.

If you've genuinely never used your stopcock and can't find it, our blog post on how to find your stopcock walks through every place to check.

Stopcock tip: even if you're not in an emergency right now, find your stopcock today and test it works. Five minutes now saves thousands in water damage later.

Step 2 — Turn off the heating

If hot water is leaking, you've also got to think about the boiler and heating system.

• Find your boiler (usually kitchen, airing cupboard, or utility room)
• Turn the heating off at the boiler controls or thermostat
• If the leak is on a heating pipe (rather than a tap or fresh water pipe), this stops the system pumping more water through

This isn't urgent like the stopcock — do it once water is no longer flowing.

Step 3 — Catch and contain the water

While you've still got water coming out of the burst, get whatever you can underneath:

• Buckets, washing-up bowls, saucepans — anything to catch active drips
• Towels and old sheets — soak up pooling water on the floor
• If water is coming through the ceiling — punch a small hole in the bulging plaster with a screwdriver to let it drain into a bucket. This sounds counterintuitive but it stops the whole ceiling collapsing under the weight

Move anything valuable away from the area — laptops, photos, electrical items. Do not touch electrics if they're wet.

Step 4 — Turn off electrics if water is near sockets or lights

If water is anywhere near plug sockets, light fittings or the consumer unit:

• Don't touch any switches with wet hands
• Go to your consumer unit (fuse box) and turn off the relevant circuit, or the main switch if in doubt

This is rare but matters when ceilings are leaking near downlights or upstairs leaks reach a hallway light fitting.

Step 5 — Drain down what's left in the pipes

Even with the stopcock off, there's still water sitting in the pipes above the leak. To clear it:

• Open every cold tap in the house (kitchen, bathroom, basin)
• Flush every toilet once
• Open the bath cold tap

This drains the system. The leak should slow to a stop within a few minutes.

Step 6 — Ring a plumber

Now you've stopped active damage, ring us. 07835 761952 — Fraser usually answers, and we'll either be on the way or give you a clear time we can come.

Or WhatsApp us a photo or video of where the leak is — that often saves us 5 minutes diagnosing on the phone.

For genuine burst pipe emergencies in Portsmouth, Fareham, Havant, Waterlooville and surrounding areas, we'll get there as fast as we can.

What NOT to do

A few common mistakes we see:

• Don't try to fix it with tape or sealant unless you're confident — proper repairs need a section of pipe replaced or re-jointed. Temporary fixes often make a bigger mess when they fail
• Don't call your insurance company first — call a plumber first to stop the damage. Insurance comes after
• Don't ignore a "small" leak — a pinhole leak that's been dripping behind a wall for months can cause more damage than a dramatic burst
• Don't forget to check upstairs — if water is coming through the kitchen ceiling, the source is upstairs (bathroom, radiator, leaking tank)

Why pipes burst — and how to stop it happening again

Most burst pipes in Portsmouth happen for one of three reasons:

1. Frost damage — pipes in lofts, garages and outside taps freeze in cold snaps. The water expands, splits the pipe, and the leak appears when it thaws
2. Old, brittle pipework — particularly lead pipes (still common in pre-1970s Portsmouth properties) and old galvanised steel
3. Failed joints — compression fittings or push-fit joints loosening over time, often near radiator valves or under sinks

Quick prevention checklist:

• Insulate exposed pipes in lofts, garages, outhouses and around outside taps
• If your house is older and you've still got lead pipework, get it assessed for replacement
• Service your radiators annually — bleed them and check for damp around valves

Our guide on preventing frozen pipes in winter goes into this in more detail.

When to call us vs handle it yourself

Call us straight away if:

• Water is actively spraying or you can hear it inside the wall
• Water is coming through a ceiling
• You can't find your stopcock or it won't turn
• You've turned the water off but the leak is hot (heating system)
• The leak is near electrics

You can probably handle it yourself if:

• It's a slow drip from under the sink and you can see the worn joint
• It's an outside tap dripping (not gushing)
• You're confident with basic plumbing tools

How much will the repair cost?

Most leaking pipe repairs sit in these brackets:

• Small fix (washer, compression nut, flex hose): from £75
• Standard repair (burst section, hidden leak trace, radiator valve): from £95
• Larger repair (pipe re-run, multiple joint replacement): from £150

We always confirm the price on the phone or after a quick look — no surprise bills, no hidden call-out fees.

For more on plumbing pricing across Portsmouth, see our honest plumber cost breakdown.

In summary

When a pipe bursts:

1. Stopcock off (clockwise)
2. Heating off if hot water is involved
3. Catch the water with buckets and towels
4. Electrics off if anywhere near water
5. Drain the system by opening cold taps and flushing toilets
6. Ring us — 07835 761952 or WhatsApp

Save this number in your phone now — most people don't think about a plumber until they urgently need one.

Stay dry, Scott & Fraser