Burst Pipe Repair across Vaughan

Right now, before we arrive

1. Close the main water valve, usually at the front basement wall by the meter.
2. Switch off the water heater: gas to pilot or vacation, electric at the breaker.
3. Open a low tap so the lines empty and relieve pressure.
4. If water is near receptacles or the panel, keep clear and call an electrician as well.
5. Move what you can off the wet floor and photograph the damage for insurance.

Why pipes burst in Vaughan

Cold is the main cause. Pipes in exterior walls, under bay windows, in unheated garages and in cantilevered floors over the garage freeze during cold snaps. Ice expands, pressure builds up between the ice plug and a closed faucet, and the pipe splits, often not where the ice was. Our guide to preventing frozen pipes covers the usual weak spots.

Other causes include corrosion pinholes in older copper, water hammer stressing joints, and a nail or screw driven into a line during a renovation and then slowly rusting out.

The repair

Copper is cut back past the split and rejoined with soldered couplings or press fittings. PEX is cut and joined with crimp or expansion fittings. Galvanized steel is usually replaced in that section with copper or PEX using dielectric transitions. We then pressure the line, check every joint, and look along the rest of the run. If one spot froze, its neighbours are worth checking too.

After the repair

Water in walls and under floors needs drying fast. A restoration company can set fans and dehumidifiers. If the burst was in winter, ask us about re-routing or insulating that section so it does not happen again. See also frozen pipe thawing and emergency plumbing.