What to Do With a Burst Water Pipe in Your Boston Home

There are just too many details that deserve attention when you own a home in Massachusetts. Small expenses for minor problems, decorating as well as sprucing can all add up. In many cases it is easy to just do some research online and find some window to take on these jobs by yourself.  

When the house needs a fresh coat of paint, new curtains or when the yard is begging for a bit of maintenance, it’s quite all right to do a little exercise or put your creativity to work for your own living space. 

However, here’s one of the most important facts that people often disregard: regular maintenance and check-ups for our pipes and plumbing system is a MUST. 

Plumbing is not an area where you would want to overestimate your DIY plumbing skills. A mistake here could cause an emergency situation and you might end up losing a lot more money than you bargained for.

You need to attend to emergency plumbing situations as soon as they happen because of the complications that might result from neglect.

Did you know that potential water loss from your home’s broken pipe can be as much as 400 liters an HOUR?  That’s 9,600 liters of water wasted if you’re gone the entire day!

Causes – Some causes of a burst pipe are water hammer, freezing or intense heat condition, unprotected piping and age, misuse or damage to the pipe. In my case, it was the unprotected pipes.

Signs – Loss of water pressure, unusual noises, electrical faults

Consequences If Left Unattended – Electrical shock, mold damage, waste contamination, damage to property and documents, accidents due to trips and falls

Now, before you attempt to do things yourself and apply all the plumbing skills you’ve watched on YouTube, here are a few things that could happen to you if you’re not careful.

Eye Injury – The eyes could get injured when using a drill, working under a sink while looking up or hammering. It is possible that small objects could fall or fly into your eye unexpectedly.

Injury to the Head – When doing plumbing projects, the hands will come in contact with chemicals and many different materials. Using a drain machine and snake in the wrong way could injure your hands.

Harm to Lungs – Inhaling dust particles could harm the lungs. Burst pipes made from asbestos or lead could scatter these poisonous substances into the air. You don’t want to breathe them in.

Using Power Tools – You need to keep both hands on power tools and stay focused while working. Soldering or using heat on pipes, especially near any insulation or in the wall, needs extra care. Accidents could happen in these situations.

Need For a Helper – For some plumbing jobs like running a drain machine, a helper is necessary. The job will be completed easier and faster this way.

Working with Chemicals – Often you will use strong chemicals or machines when doing a plumbing job. You need to have the time to read warning labels and instructions on products and equipment so you know what to do in case of an emergency.

Injury From Sharp or Pointed Tools – Having a sharp tool in your pocket may cause an injury. If you are not used to handling such tools, they could be an accident waiting to happen.

Injury Due to Misuse of Tools/Equipment – You need to make sure power tools and equipment are in good condition before using them in order to prevent injury.

Getting qualified people for your plumbing job is key because it will save you big bucks, time and effort and even lives. You may think a job is small but getting into the guessing game in plumbing could turn out to be a losing game.

What to Do

1. When this happens, the first thing to do is to turn the water off to the property.
2. It may be wise to turn the electricity off in case some sockets or appliances have been wet.
3. Do NOT attempt to fix this yourself. Instead, call our network of local technicians from Plumbers 911 Boston at (855) 550-9911 for service today!