“Sweetie! The pipes burst!” Well, the dreaded day the cold won. And while you have done what you could do to prepare for this, the lingering, extreme cold temperature got the best of your pipes in the end. While older homes with unfinished cellars or basements are prone to pipe bursts, even a new home is at risk. There are a number of factors that could cause a pipe to burst.

Reasons for a Burst Pipe

• The water in a pipe can expand due to cold temperatures. Once it expands, the ice may cause the pipe to burst.
• Moving pipes are a result of insecurely placed pipes. When you turn the water on/off, you may hear a hammering or rattling noise within your walls. This is the sound of the pipes moving around. Over time, this movement causes the joints to become weak, and a perfect storm for a pipe burst is created.
• Another reason that a pipe may burst is due to water pressure. Since too much pressure can cause a pipe to burst, it is important to regulate water pressure. Use a pressure gauge to find out if the pressure is on the higher side. As a side note, the water pressure should be within the range of 30 to 50 psi, as anything above 60 may cause issues.
• In older pipes, corrosion is quite common. While pipes may last for many years, they may start to corrode over time. Corroded pipes can stop the water flow and may slow down – which may lead to a burst pipe. It can also release lead into the water, which may be dangerous to the health of your family.

How to Prevent a Pipe Burst?

• Allow a water trickle to run in your sink
• Allow the heat to reach pipes by opening the sink cabinets
• Use a pipe sleeve or pool noodles to insulate pipes at threat

So, in case your pipes burst, what do you do? Scanprobe has a few tips for you to ease the panic of a burst pipe.

Don’t panic: While the initial reaction is obviously this, try to remain calm and follow the pipe back to the shutoff valve of the water.

Shut off the water: Once you find the shutoff valve of the pipe, shut it off immediately. If you face issues in finding the individual valve, shutting off the main valve is what you can do. Either way, stopping the flow of water is the initial step to remedy the situation.

Evaluate the damage: Try to locate the exact point of the pipe burst, and search for other leaks, holes, and cracks. Use something as simple as an electric tape to fix a pinhole crack. Something a little more harmful such as a hairline fracture can be repaired with pipe sealant. A patch kit should be used to patch larger fractures. However, this kit requires a certain working knowledge of pipes, so you’ll need the know-how and tools to sand your pipes.

Call Scanprobe

When a pipe bursts, the staff at Scanprobe provides emergency pipeline patching, lining, and general maintenance services. Rest assured, we’ll do everything in our capacity to repair and prevent the next occurrence. Besides this, Scanprobe also offers CCTV drain camera for rent and mina survey in England, so don’t forget to check out those services as well.

Don’t let the stress of a burst pipe faze you. Call us now!