It was a typical morning — you bundled up and left for work, and when you came home that afternoon, your house was flooded. When a pipe bursts, every second counts. A broken line can release hundreds of gallons of water per hour, damaging drywall, flooring, and insulation before you even know it. Whether your drain line froze overnight or your outdoor spigot cracked in the cold, knowing what to do next can mean the difference between a quick repair and a significant restoration.
In cities like Denver, where winter arrives quickly and hailstorms are standard, frozen pipes are a frequent issue. Often, the homeowner isn’t even there when it happens — and the burst pipe gushes water everywhere. If you need water damage restoration in Denver, don’t wait. The faster a professional gets there, the more of your home you can save.
In this article, we’ll discuss exactly what to do when your pipes burst, causing a water damage emergency.
Who Benefits from Knowing What to Do When a Pipe Bursts
Burst pipes tend to happen in the cold weather, and so depending on where you live, you could be at greater risk. However, burst pipes can happen anywhere at any time.
- Homeowners gain peace of mind knowing they can prevent significant structural damage.
- Renters can act fast to avoid costly repairs or loss of belongings.
- Landlords and property managers save thousands by responding before frozen drain lines overflow.
- Vacation or short-term rental owners in the mountains can prevent mid-winter disasters while away.
Knowing how to handle a burst pipe protects your home, investment, and sanity.
What Causes a Pipe to Burst?
There are several reasons a pipe may burst, and understanding the cause helps you fix the problem more quickly.
- Frozen Pipes: When water freezes inside a pipe, it expands and cracks the line. Cold, unheated areas, such as basements or crawl spaces, are the most common places for frozen pipes.
- Drain Line Damage: Drain lines carry wastewater out of your home. If they freeze, clog, or corrode, they can crack and leak behind walls or under floors, causing hidden water damage.
- Unprotected Pipes: Missing or worn insulation leaves pipes exposed to cold air and moisture. Over time, that exposure leads to corrosion or freezing—and eventually, a burst pipe.
Every winter, pipes burst in colder climates, and what you do next can mean the difference between significant damage and a minor inconvenience.
What to Do When a Frozen Pipe Bursts and Gushes Water
When a pipe bursts, chaos ensues, and every minute the water is gushing means more cleanup and damage to your home. Following these steps will help mitigate the damage and keep you safe.
Shut Off Your Main Water Supply Immediately
Most main shut-off valves are located in the basement, crawl space, or near where the main line enters your home. If you can’t easily find it, look to the street-side wall where builders usually locate it for convenience.
Turn the valve clockwise to close it completely. If you live in an apartment or rental unit, contact your building manager or maintenance team immediately so they can access the main line. Every second counts; shutting off the water quickly can prevent hundreds of gallons from soaking your drywall, floors, and insulation.
Cut the Power if Water Is Near Outlets or Appliances
Before stepping into any standing water, turn off the electricity from your home’s breaker panel to the affected areas. Water and electricity are dangerous, and even a small puddle near an outlet, light fixture, or appliance can pose a serious shock risk.
If the burst happened in a basement or near large appliances, it’s safest to shut off power to the entire house until professionals arrive. During winter storms, power outages can also trigger secondary problems — when your HVAC system stops running, indoor temperatures drop, and pipes elsewhere in the home freeze. Staying alert to water and power hazards helps keep you safe while preventing further damage.
Find the Source — Frozen Drain Lines, Outdoor Spigots, or Interior Pipes
With the water shut off, you can go in search of where the crack or break happened. Start by checking visible plumbing, under sinks, behind toilets, in basements, crawl spaces, and along exterior walls.
Many homeowners in Colorado discover that the problem begins with a frozen drain line that blocks water flow, causing sinks or tubs to overflow. Others find the culprit is an outdoor spigot left unprotected against freezing temperatures, sometimes “covered” with a towel that does little to keep cold air out.
If your HVAC system or electricity has been off, interior pipes can freeze, expand, and burst. Identifying the source helps you explain the situation clearly to restoration professionals, allowing them to target repairs more efficiently and prevent future breaks.
Start Drying and Contain the Water Quickly
After the leak is under control, remove standing water. Use towels, mops, or a wet/dry vacuum to absorb as much liquid as possible. Rugs, furniture, and other soft goods are particularly susceptible to water damage and are often difficult to dry thoroughly. Water seeks the path of least resistance and will ‘run’ across floors and up porous walls and hide in insulation. Regardless of where it’s headed, you need to stop it.
If it’s safe to do so, run fans and dehumidifiers to speed up drying and reduce the risk of mold growth, which can start within 24 to 48 hours. Even if the visible water appears minor, hidden moisture can persist in baseboards, drywall, and subfloors — so prompt cleanup facilitates the professional restoration process, making it faster and more effective.
Take Steps Now to Prevent a Burst Water Pipe
You have the water cleaned up and any subsequent damage repaired, and you definitely don’t want that to happen again. The good news is, you can prevent burst pipes. Start by insulating exposed pipes in basements, crawl spaces, and attics, and use foam covers on outdoor spigots before the next freeze.
Next, disconnect garden hoses, keep your heat set above 55°F, and open cabinet doors during cold snaps to let warm air reach under-sink plumbing. If you travel or own a seasonal property, smart leak detectors or automatic shut-off valves can give you extra peace of mind while you’re away, especially if your seasonal property is located in a state where it gets cold in the off-season.
Get Dried Out With Professional Water and Flood Mitigation Services in Denver
Burst pipes that send water spraying everywhere are at the top of the list of homeowner nightmares. Every second the water is gushing, it adds more time to the cleanup and potential cost of remediating the damage.
Advance 24/7 Restoration utilizes cutting-edge water removal and drying techniques to dry your home and prevent mold growth. If necessary, we offer reconstruction when a burst pipe results in structural damage to walls, ceilings, or floors.
If you have a water damage emergency from burst pipes, a slow leak, or storm damage, we’re here at any time of the day or night. Reach out to us online or contact us directly at (720) 722-4777. The name says it all. We’re available 24/7.
Advanced 24/7 Restoration’s mission is to provide unparalleled care and support to our valued clients. Delivering the best solutions for your property restoration needs. Our vision is to be the top-rated damage restoration company in Denver, known for our exceptional services, professionalism, and dedication to customer satisfaction. Water damage, fire damage, flood damage, and more.
