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24/7 emergency restoration

Burst and frozen pipe water damage

A split supply line can release a great deal of water before anyone notices, and it runs downhill through ceilings and walls. We find where it went, not just where it shows.

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One team, emergency to rebuild

Callback about burst or frozen pipe

Leave a name and number and a person calls you back. For an active emergency, phone us instead.

Before we arrive

Do this now

1Shut the main water valve. It is usually where the water line enters the basement.
2Open cold taps to drain the lines and relieve pressure.
3Turn off power to affected rooms if water is near outlets, fixtures or the panel.
4Catch drips with buckets and poke a small hole in a bulging ceiling to release water in a controlled way, only if it is safe to reach.
5Call a plumber to repair the pipe. We handle the water damage.

If anyone is in danger, or you smell gas or see sparking, leave the building and call 911 first.

Callback about burst or frozen pipe

Leave a name and number and a person calls you back. For an active emergency, phone us instead.

Why a burst pipe does so much damage

A household supply line is under constant pressure. When it splits, it does not drip. It delivers water at the same rate as a fully open tap, or faster, for as long as the main stays on. A break that goes unnoticed overnight or while a family is away can release thousands of litres.

The location of the break shapes the loss. A pipe on an upper floor sends water down through the ceiling, the wall cavities and every floor below. A pipe inside an exterior wall soaks the insulation and may not show indoors until the water finds a way through. A break in a finished basement ceiling can saturate insulation and drywall across the whole room.

In Ontario, freezing is the classic cause. Water expands as it turns to ice, pressure builds between the blockage and a closed tap, and the pipe gives way at its weakest point. The leak often starts only when the temperature rises and the ice plug melts, which is why burst pipes are discovered during a thaw.

What to expect on the first visit

By the time we arrive the water should be off at the main and, ideally, a plumber is on the way or has been. The first task is to trace where the water went. A break upstairs can wet ceilings, walls and floors on every level below, and much of it will not be visible. Thermal imaging and moisture meters are used to map it.

Standing water is extracted, and sagging or saturated ceilings are opened so that trapped water drains and the cavity above can dry. Wet insulation is pulled out. Air movers and dehumidifiers are set, sometimes with air directed into wall cavities through small openings behind the baseboard. You are told which rooms are affected, including the ones that look fine.

What we do, in order

01
Trace the water path
Moisture meters and thermal imaging show which walls, ceilings and floors are wet, including ones that look fine.
02
Extract and open up
Water is extracted and wet ceilings or wall sections are opened to release trapped water.
03
Dry cavities and structure
Air is directed into wall and ceiling cavities, with dehumidification, until readings are normal.
04
Repair
Insulation, drywall, flooring, trim and paint are reinstated.

What makes pipes fail

Freezing: Pipes in exterior walls, over garages, in crawlspaces and in unheated or under-heated buildings during a cold snap.
Ageing materials: Galvanized steel corrodes from the inside. Some older plastic plumbing systems installed in past decades are known for premature failure.
Failed fittings and connectors: Compression fittings, flexible connectors and push-fit joints are more likely to fail than the pipe itself.
High water pressure: Pressure above the normal residential range shortens the life of hoses, valves and joints.
Physical damage: A nail or screw through a pipe during renovation can hold for months before it starts to leak.
Vacant properties: A furnace failure in an empty house during winter can freeze the whole plumbing system at once.

What is usually affected

Ceilings below the break	Sagging or saturated drywall is removed. Dry sections around it can often stay.
Wall cavities	Opened where insulation is wet so the cavity can dry.
Flooring	Assessed room by room. Water often runs under flooring well beyond the visible wet area.
Electrical fixtures and outlets	Any that took in water are checked before the circuit is re-energised.
Kitchen and bathroom cabinets	Water collects in the toe-kick space. Cabinet bases made of particleboard often need replacing.
Contents	Usually recoverable when the water is clean and removal is prompt.

How long it takes

Several days of drying is typical. Multi-storey losses where water travelled through floors take longer.

Insurance

A sudden pipe burst is the kind of loss many home policies cover. Insurers can question a freeze claim if the home was left unheated or unattended for an extended period in winter, so check the conditions in your policy. The plumbing repair itself and the water damage are often handled differently.

This is general information, not advice on your policy. How restoration claims work.

Mistakes to avoid

Not knowing where the shut-off is. Every minute spent looking is more water in the structure. Find and test your main valve before you need it.
Thawing with an open flame. Torches start fires inside wall cavities. Use a hair dryer or warm towels.
Repairing the pipe and stopping there. The plumber fixes the leak. The water already in the walls and floors still has to be found and dried.
Lowering the heat when away in winter. Keep the house warm enough for pipes in exterior walls, and have someone check it regularly. Insurers may ask.

Questions worth asking any contractor

Whoever you hire, including us, should be able to answer these plainly.

How far did the water travel, and how did you confirm that?
Which ceilings and walls need opening, and can any be dried without opening them?
Are any electrical circuits affected, and should an electrician look at them?
What caused the pipe to fail, and are other pipes in the house at the same risk?
Is the plumbing repair part of the insurance claim or separate?

Preventing burst and frozen pipes

Keep the house heated in winter, including when you are away, and have someone check it regularly.
Insulate pipes in garages, crawlspaces and exterior walls, and seal the air leaks that let cold air reach them.
Shut off and drain outdoor taps before the first hard frost.
In extreme cold, open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls and let a vulnerable tap drip.
Consider an automatic leak shut-off valve, especially for a cottage or a home that is often empty.

IICRC Certified FirmRegistered with the restoration industry's standards body
IICRC-certified techniciansTrained to the published standards for water, fire and mold work
Ontario asbestos abatement worker training for Type 3 operationsThe approved training for the highest-risk class of asbestos work
Liability insurance$5 million coverage with Intact Insurance
WSIB coverageClearance certificate on request
24/7 responseEvery day of the year

Burst Pipe Water Damage: common questions

A pipe is frozen but has not burst. What should I do?

Shut off the water to that line if you can, open the tap, and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or warm towels starting at the tap end. Never use an open flame. Pipes often split when they thaw, so watch closely and know where your main valve is.

The water went through the ceiling. Does the ceiling need replacing?

Often part of it. Wet drywall sags and loses strength, and insulation above it holds water. We remove what is saturated, dry the joist space, and patch or replace the section.

Do you fix the pipe?

Pipe repair is a plumber's job and is usually the first call after shutting off the water. We handle extraction, drying and rebuilding what the water damaged.

How much water comes out of a burst pipe?

A fully ruptured 1.3 centimetre supply line can release many litres every minute. Left for a day, that is enough to flood several rooms and travel through multiple floors.

Why did the pipe burst somewhere other than where it froze?

Ice forms a plug. The pressure that splits the pipe builds in the water trapped between the plug and a closed tap, so the rupture is often downstream of the frozen section.

Will the ceiling collapse?

It can. Drywall loses strength when saturated and the insulation above it becomes very heavy. Keep people out from under a sagging ceiling until the water has been released and the damaged section removed.

How can I prevent frozen pipes?

Keep the heat on, open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls in extreme cold, insulate vulnerable pipes, shut off and drain outdoor taps in the fall, and consider a leak detector with automatic shut-off if the home is often empty.

Does it matter that the house was empty when it happened?

It can. Many policies have conditions about heating and regular checks for homes left unoccupied in winter. Read the wording or ask your broker before a long absence.

Burst Pipe Water Damage by city

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