Frozen or Burst Pipe in Garland? What to Do in the First Hour

If a pipe bursts in your Garland home, shut off the main valve at the meter box, open a low faucet to drain the lines, turn off power to wet rooms, catch ceiling water, take photos, and call both a plumber and a water damage crew. The first hour decides how big the damage gets.

North Texas does not get many hard freezes, which is exactly why they hurt. Many Garland homes run water lines through attics, garage ceilings, and exterior walls. When temperatures stay below freezing overnight, those lines can freeze and split. The leak often starts when the ice thaws.

Step 1: Shut off the main water valve

Most Garland homes have the main shut-off inside the meter box near the street or alley. Lift the lid and look for a valve on the house side of the meter. A meter key or a large wrench turns it a quarter turn to close. Some homes also have a shut-off in the garage, near the water heater, or on the outside wall where the line enters.

If you cannot find or turn it, call the City of Garland water utility's emergency line. They can shut water off at the meter.

Step 2: Drain the lines

Open the lowest faucet in the house, like a bathtub or an outdoor faucet, to drain water out of the pipes. This lowers the amount that keeps leaking from the break.

Turn off the water heater. For a gas unit, set it to pilot. For an electric unit, turn off its breaker so the elements do not burn out in an empty tank.

Step 3: Make it safe

• Turn off breakers for rooms where water is near outlets, lights, or cords.
• Stay out from under a sagging ceiling.
• If a ceiling is bulging with water, put a bucket under it and poke a small hole in the lowest point to drain it in a controlled way.

Step 4: Protect what you can

Move electronics, rugs, papers, and photos out of wet rooms. Put furniture legs on foil or plastic. Pull up area rugs. Open cabinet doors under sinks so trapped water can drain.

Step 5: Take photos and video

Before anything is cleaned or moved, record the broken pipe, the water on floors, and stains on walls and ceilings. Your insurance adjuster will want to see the damage as you found it. Keep the broken pipe section if the plumber removes it.

Step 6: Call a plumber and a water damage crew

A plumber repairs the pipe; a water damage crew removes the water and dries the house. Call both right away. During a citywide freeze, plumbers get booked fast, but extraction and drying can start even before the pipe is fixed, as long as the water is shut off.

A crew trained in burst pipe water damage in Garland will find where the water traveled with moisture meters and a thermal camera, open wet ceilings, pull soaked insulation, and set drying equipment.

What not to do

• Do not turn the water back on to "test" the pipe before it is fixed.
• Do not use an open flame or torch to thaw a frozen pipe.
• Do not leave a space heater running unattended near wet areas.
• Do not wait for the plumber before starting cleanup.

How to prevent the next frozen pipe

Before a hard freeze, disconnect hoses, cover outdoor faucets, open sink cabinets on outside walls, let a faucet drip, and keep the heat on, even if you leave town. Insulating attic and garage pipes prevents most bursts.

• Disconnect garden hoses and use foam faucet covers.
• Keep the thermostat at 55°F or higher when away.
• Open the garage door less during freezes; garage ceilings hold water lines.
• Add foam sleeves to exposed pipes in the attic and garage.
• Learn where your shut-off is now, not during the emergency.

Insurance after a burst pipe

A sudden burst pipe is usually covered by Texas homeowners insurance. Coverage can be denied if the home was left unheated or vacant. Read more in our Texas homeowners insurance water damage guide, and see how long a dry-out takes.

Need help with this now? See burst pipe water damage in Garland, or read texas homeowners insurance water damage guide.