Burst Pipe in Metro Atlanta: The First 10 Minutes

What do you do in the first minute?

Close the main water valve. Everything else on this page matters less than that one step, because every minute the valve stays open sends more water into flooring, drywall and the crawl space. Do not stop to mop or move furniture first.

Gwinnett County Water Resources lists the usual spots for the main shutoff in a Georgia house: where the line enters the home, near the front hose connection, in the basement near the water heater, in the garage, or in a utility closet. In a crawl space house it is often just inside the foundation wall facing the street. A round handle closes clockwise; a lever is closed when it sits crosswise to the pipe. Old valves can be stiff, so use steady force and avoid cranking hard with a wrench.

What if the house valve will not close?

The fallback is the meter. In most metro Atlanta water systems the meter sits in a box near the street, and DeKalb County notes its meters are typically in a pit outside the property. Some meter boxes have a curb valve that needs a special key, and the meter itself belongs to the utility, so the safest move is to call:

• City of Atlanta: ATL 311, 404-546-0311, which Watershed Management lists for water emergencies including after hours.
• Cobb County Water System: 770-419-6201, its emergency-only line for a broken line that is gushing.
• Clayton County Water Authority: 770-960-5200, also its after-hours emergency number.
• Other systems: the number is on your water bill. Gwinnett, DeKalb, Fulton and many cities run their own dispatch lines.

While you wait, open a faucet on the lowest floor, such as a basement utility sink or a downstairs tub, so the water left in the lines drains there rather than out of the break.

Is it safe to be near the water?

Electricity is the biggest hazard in a burst pipe. The CDC says that if wiring or equipment is wet or near water, turn off power at the main breaker, but do not walk through standing water to reach the panel. If you cannot get there dry, call an electrician. Do not flip switches or unplug appliances while standing in water, and keep the power off until wet equipment has been checked and dried.

Gas is the other concern. If water has reached a gas furnace or water heater and you smell gas, leave the house right away and warn everyone inside. Atlanta Gas Light says not to touch light switches, phones or anything that could spark until you are well away. From a safe distance, call 911 and then the gas utility. For most of the metro that is Atlanta Gas Light at 877.427.4321, but some cities run their own gas systems, so check which pipe company is printed on your gas bill. Georgia's market is deregulated: the marketer you pay for gas does not respond to leaks. The gas smell safety steps go into more detail.

Should the water heater be turned off?

Usually, yes. With the main closed, the tank is not refilling, and if the break is on the hot side it can drain. Switch off the breaker to an electric heater, or set a gas unit to pilot or vacation. Restart it only after water is restored and the tank is full again. If the leak is coming from the heater itself, read up on whether to fix the water heater or plan a replacement.

A ten-minute timeline

Is the break yours or the utility's?

Across metro Atlanta, the meter is the boundary. Atlanta Watershed Management, Cobb County, DeKalb County, Gwinnett County, Fulton County and the Clayton County Water Authority each say they handle the line from the main to the meter and the property owner handles the line from the meter to the house. Cobb's page adds that the underground section on your property is yours too. So a split pipe under the house or a leak in the yard between the meter and the foundation is a private repair. Water bubbling up in the street or at the meter box is a utility call.

A yard leak on your side generally means a buried service line repair, which may involve digging through red clay. For anything inside, an emergency plumber in Atlanta is the call; homeowners elsewhere can look up coverage, such as an urgent call in Lawrenceville or a burst pipe in Decatur.

What should you tell the plumber?

A clear description saves time. Say where the water is coming from (crawl space, wall, ceiling, attic, garage, yard), whether the main is holding, and what the pipe looks like: copper, white or gray plastic, red and blue flexible tubing, or gray galvanized steel. A failed washer hose, toilet supply line or ice maker line is a quick swap, so mention it if that is the source. If the break happened during a freeze, say so, because the plumber will want to check other exposed runs before the water goes back on.

How do you protect your insurance claim?

Georgia's Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner says standard homeowners and renters policies typically cover burst pipes, though some winter damage may not be covered, so confirm with your agent. Its advice after a break: shut off the water, photograph the initial damage, hire a plumber or contractor for repairs and cleanup, and keep the broken section of pipe as evidence for the insurer. Hold on to receipts for fans, dehumidifiers and any temporary fixes.

What happens after the first ten minutes?

The plumber cuts out the damaged piece and splices in new pipe and fittings. After a freeze the water should come back on gradually while someone watches the other exposed lines. If a slow drip is all that is left and you are unsure whether it can wait, the guide on calling tonight or waiting for morning can help.

Drying is the other half. EPA says water-damaged areas and items should be dried within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold, and a moldy area larger than about 10 square feet is a bigger job worth handing to an experienced cleanup contractor. Run fans and a dehumidifier, pull up soaked carpet pad, and keep air moving in the crawl space.

How do you keep it from happening again?

Winter breaks almost always trace back to pipes in a crawl space, garage, attic or outside wall, and the Georgia frozen pipe prevention guide covers the fixes. Breaks in warm weather point to age, corrosion or a failed fitting. If the house has had more than one, ask whether a supply line repipe would cost less over time than more patches. Before the next emergency, find the main valve, label the water heater breaker, and save your water utility's emergency number in your phone.