Emergency leaks, burst pipes and frozen pipes

Close the main water shut-off first. Then tell us what happened, with the timeframe set to as soon as possible, and a local plumber who covers your town gets back to you.

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In a plumbing emergency, the first few minutes are yours. Find the main water shut-off — usually in the basement where the water line comes through the foundation wall, near the meter — and close it. On a private well, switch the pump off at its breaker. Then open a tap on the lowest floor to let the pressure out of the lines.

If water is near electrical outlets, the panel or appliances, stay out of the area and call your electricity utility or 911. If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility or 911 from outside. Do not walk into a flooded basement until you know the power to it is off.

Frozen pipes are the classic winter emergency from Barrie to Blue Mountain, where lake-effect snow and long cold snaps are a fact of life, and in chalets and seasonal homes left empty between visits. Pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and garages, and outdoor taps with a hose still attached, are the usual places. Thaw slowly with warm air — never an open flame — and if a pipe has already split, make sure the water is off before it thaws.

Once the water is off, fill in the form with the town, what happened and 'As soon as possible' as the timeframe. Your request goes to one independent local plumber covering your town. When they get in touch is their decision, so if water damage is spreading, call your home insurer as well — many have a claims line for exactly this.

York Simcoe Plumbing is a free referral service: your request goes to one independent local plumber who covers your town, and they quote and do the work.

Before You Fill In the Form

Close the main water shut-off, or switch off the well pump.
Turn off the water heater (gas to off or pilot, electric at the breaker) if the leak is near it or the water will be off for long.
Keep clear of water near anything electrical.
Take photos of the damage for your insurer.
Note where the leak started, if you can tell.

Send the short form

Emergency leaks and burst pipes: Questions, Answered

In most houses here it is in the basement, on the wall where the water line comes in from the street, close to the water meter. In some older homes it is in a crawl space or under the stairs. On a well, there is usually a valve near the pressure tank, and the pump has its own breaker. Find yours before you need it.

Either keep the heat on at a safe minimum and protect the vulnerable pipes, or have the system properly drained down for the season. Disconnect hoses and shut off outdoor taps from inside. Some owners add an automatic leak shut-off valve or a temperature alarm. A plumber can tell you which approach suits your property.

That is up to the plumber. We pass your request to one independent local plumber who covers your town, and they decide when they can attend and what they charge, including for after-hours work. If water is still coming in, shut it off at the main and call your insurer.

A sudden burst often is, while damage from a slow leak, or from pipes left to freeze in an unheated home, may not be. Policies differ, so call your insurer, and take photos before you clean up.

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York Simcoe Plumbing is a free referral service: your request goes to one independent local plumber, who quotes and does the work. We may receive compensation when you are connected with a plumber; there is no charge to you.