Start here
When a burst pipe is an emergency and when it can wait one more day
Treat it as an emergency if water is spraying, pooling faster than you can catch it, coming through a ceiling, or reaching outlets and appliances. Also treat it as urgent if the pipe is cracked but dripping and you cannot shut off the water to that section.
A pinhole weep on an accessible copper pipe under a sink, with the shutoff closed and a bucket catching the drip, is a lower urgency situation. It still needs repair soon, since pinholes tend to widen, but it can usually wait for a booked visit.
The rule of thumb is simple. If you cannot stop the water with a valve you can reach, call the night line now.
What to do if a pipe has burst right now
Do these in order. Each step limits damage before the plumber arrives.
Before the plumber arrives
- Close the main water valve.Turn it clockwise on the pipe where water enters the house, near the meter or in the basement or utility room.
- Switch off power near the water.If water is near outlets, lights or the panel, turn off those breakers only if you can reach the panel on dry ground. Otherwise stay out and call.
- Open faucets to drain the lines.Start with the lowest tap, then the highest. This empties the pipes and drops the flow from the break.
- Turn off the water heater.Shut off the supply to the heater and the gas or power to it, so it does not run dry or overheat.
- Move belongings and soak up water.Lift rugs and electronics, use towels and a wet vac, and photograph the damage for your insurer.
If you smell gas, leave the building and call Nicor Gas at 800-942-9727 or 911 from outside. Never thaw a frozen pipe with a torch or open flame.
Which kind of break is it
The cause and the pipe material shape the repair. These are the situations that come up most often.
Frozen and split
Hard cold can freeze water in pipes on exterior walls, in garages and in unheated crawlspaces, and the split may not show until the ice melts. Cook County's hazard plan lists extreme cold events in 2019, 2021 and 2022.
Cracked joint or fitting
Elbows, couplings and valves crack from stress, age or a bad connection. The pipe may be sound and only the fitting needs replacing.
Corroded section
Older copper and galvanized steel can thin from the inside. A pinhole in one spot often means the nearby pipe is worn too, so the plumber checks the run around it.
Failed supply connector
Braided hoses to toilets, sinks and washers can burst when the line is old. Shutting the small stop valve beneath the fixture is usually enough to hold the water until repair.
Water still running?
Call (847) 281-8626 at any hour and a dispatcher will arrange a plumber for the break.
How a burst pipe repair goes
The order matters. Rushing to patch before the water is controlled makes the job harder.
Stop the water
The plumber confirms the main or branch valve is closed and checks that the line is drained.
Find the full extent
They trace the break and inspect the pipe on either side, since damage often extends beyond the visible split.
Cut out and replace
The damaged section is cut away and replaced with new pipe and fittings that suit the material and the code.
Pressure test
The line is refilled and checked for pressure, so a second leak does not show up after the walls are closed.
Dry out and close up
Wet insulation and drywall are removed and the area is dried. Patching and paint are separate from the plumbing repair.
Spot repair or a longer replacement
Many breaks are a patch. Some point to a pipe that is wearing out all over.
A section repair makes sense when
- The pipe is otherwise in good shape
- The break came from a single event such as a freeze or an impact
- The fitting, not the pipe, failed
- Access is easy and the run is short
Look at replacing more when
- Several pinholes or leaks have appeared in the same run
- The pipe looks flaky, rusty or thin
- Water has discolored or the pressure has dropped
- The pipe is galvanized steel or other aging material
If your pipes keep failing, the larger answer may be a repiping project planned in advance, rather than another emergency.
Related
Copper, PVC and drain pipe breaks
Copper cracks and pinholes are among the most common calls, and the repair is typically a cut-out with soldered or push-fit couplings. Plastic pipe such as PVC and PEX has different fittings and expansion rules, so the plumber matches the repair to the material.
A cracked drain or waste pipe needs a different approach. Water leaves through a break instead of spraying, so the clue is dampness, a sagging ceiling or a sewer smell. If wastewater is involved, see sewer line repair and avoid contact with it.
When you cannot tell where the water comes from, leak detection finds the source before any cutting.
What affects the price of a burst pipe repair
A burst pipe quote depends on the break and the building. You are told the price before work starts.
Standards
What this page relies on
Thaw guidance follows the American Red Cross, which advises keeping a faucet open, using gentle heat such as a hair dryer or heating pad, and never using open flame. Gas safety wording follows Nicor Gas guidance.
The Village of Buffalo Grove requires a permit for plumbing work other than maintenance, servicing or repairs, so a simple section repair is different from replacing a whole line. Work follows the Illinois Plumbing Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 890), and plumbers are licensed through the Illinois Department of Public Health.
You can check a plumber's license in IDPH's online verification tool before work starts.
Questions we hear from homeowners
Yes. Call (847) 281-8626 and the line is answered around the clock. Shut off the main valve first, then describe where the water is coming from so the right plumber is sent.
It is usually where the water line enters the house, often near the meter, in the basement, a utility room or a crawlspace. Find it before an emergency and make sure it turns.
You can, carefully. Keep the faucet open, apply gentle heat with a hair dryer or heating pad, and continue until the flow returns. Never use a torch or open flame. If you cannot find or thaw the frozen spot, call a plumber.
The price depends on the pipe material, access, length of damage and timing. A plumber explains the price before work starts, and water damage cleanup is separate from the plumbing.
Coverage for sudden water damage varies by policy. Photograph everything, keep receipts, and ask your insurer before you start major cleanup.
Not always. If the shutoff holds and the drip is slow, it can often wait for a visit soon. If it grows, sprays or you cannot isolate it, treat it as urgent.
A repair is generally treated differently from new plumbing work, since the village requires permits for plumbing other than maintenance, servicing or repairs. Your plumber can confirm what applies.