Burst Pipe? What to Do in the First Hour (Delta & Montrose Homeowners)

Burst pipe in Delta or Montrose? First-hour steps: shut off the water, stay safe, document for insurance and know when to call. 24/7: (970) 964-4437.

# Burst Pipe? What to Do in the First Hour (Delta & Montrose Homeowners)

November is when the Uncompahgre Valley starts testing our plumbing. Days can still feel mild in Delta and Montrose, but nights drop below freezing, and the first real cold snap often catches homes that haven't been winterized yet. A hose left on a spigot, a supply line inside an exterior wall or a pipe in a crawl space or unheated garage can freeze, split and then flood once it thaws.

When a pipe bursts, what you do in the first hour matters. Here's a plain step-by-step for homeowners in Delta, Montrose and the surrounding area.

Step 1: Shut Off the Water

Stop the flow first. Everything else can wait a few minutes.

• Main shut-off valve. In many homes in our area it's in the basement or crawl space where the water line enters, in a utility room near the water heater, or in the garage. Some homes have it near the water meter. Turn a round handle clockwise until it stops. A lever handle is closed when it sits crosswise to the pipe.
• Fixture shut-offs. If the leak is clearly at one fixture, such as a toilet supply line or the line under a sink, the small valve right there may be enough. If you're not sure, close the main.
• Can't find it or can't turn it? Call your water provider. In an emergency they can usually shut water off at the curb or meter.

Once the water is off, open a faucet on the lowest level of the house to drain pressure from the lines.

Do this now, before anything happens: find your main shut-off, make sure it turns and show everyone in the house where it is.

Step 2: Make It Safe

Water and electricity are a dangerous combination.

• Don't walk into standing water if outlets, cords or appliances could be under it, or if water is near the electrical panel.
• If you can reach the breaker panel safely from a dry spot, turn off power to the wet areas. If you can't, stay out and call an electrician or the power company.
• Watch for sagging ceilings. A ceiling holding water can come down. Keep people and pets out from under it.
• If the water came from a sewer line or backup, treat it as contaminated. Keep kids and pets away and don't try to clean it up with household supplies.

Step 3: Document Everything for Insurance

Before you move furniture or start mopping, take a few minutes to record what happened. Your insurance adjuster will want to see it.

• Photos and video of the water, the burst pipe if you can see it, and every affected room. Walk through slowly and narrate.
• Damaged belongings. Photograph items before you move them, including brand and model labels on electronics and appliances.
• Time and date. Write down when you found the leak and when you shut the water off.
• Keep receipts for anything you buy or pay for because of the leak: towels, fans, a plumber, a hotel night.
• Don't throw out damaged items until your adjuster says you can, or until they're well documented.

Then call your insurance company or agent to start a claim. Ask whether your policy requires you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. Most do, and prompt professional drying is usually part of that. For more on working with your carrier, see our guide on how to work with your insurance company when disaster strikes.

Step 4: Limit the Damage You Can Safely Reach

If the area is safe:

• Move rugs, furniture, electronics and boxes out of wet areas, or lift furniture onto blocks or aluminum foil.
• Mop or towel up standing water you can reach.
• Open cabinet doors and closets so air can circulate.
• Hang wet curtains and move books and papers somewhere dry.

Don't use a household vacuum on water, and don't turn on a central forced-air system if the ductwork may have gotten wet.

Step 5: Call a Plumber and a Restoration Company

The plumber fixes the pipe. A restoration company deals with the water that already escaped. These are separate jobs, and the second one is easy to underestimate.

Water doesn't stay where you can see it. It wicks into drywall, runs under flooring and baseboards, soaks insulation and pools in crawl spaces and subfloors. Fans and a mop can make a floor *look* dry while the wall cavity behind it stays wet. Materials that stay wet can start growing mold within 24 to 48 hours, according to the EPA.

A professional water restoration crew will:

• Extract standing water with truck-mounted or portable extractors.
• Use moisture meters and thermal imaging to find hidden water in walls, floors and ceilings.
• Set up air movers and dehumidifiers sized to the space, and monitor the readings until materials reach a dry standard.
• Remove materials that can't be saved, such as soaked carpet pad or saturated drywall, and document what was removed for your claim.

Valley Restoration's technicians are trained to IICRC S500 standards for water damage restoration. Learn more about our water damage restoration services.

When to Call Right Away

Call a restoration company immediately if:

• Water has soaked into carpet, hardwood, drywall or a ceiling.
• Water reached a crawl space, basement or the space under a floor.
• The leak ran for more than a few minutes, or you don't know how long it ran.
• The water came from a sewer line, toilet overflow or anything that might be contaminated.
• You notice a musty smell, or you're dealing with a leak that happened a day or more ago.

Preventing the Next One

Once the emergency is handled, a few habits go a long way through a Delta or Montrose winter:

• Disconnect hoses and drain outdoor spigots before the first hard freeze.
• Insulate pipes in crawl spaces, garages and exterior walls.
• On the coldest nights, open sink cabinets on exterior walls and let a faucet drip.
• Keep the thermostat at 55°F or higher when you're away.

Our guide to preventing frozen pipes and ice dams has more winter tips.

24/7 Burst Pipe Help in Delta and Montrose

Valley Restoration & Construction is based in Olathe, right between Delta and Montrose, and we answer the phone 24 hours a day. If a pipe has burst, shut off the water, stay safe and call (970) 964-4437. We serve Delta, Montrose, Ouray, Ridgway and Gunnison. You can also contact us online.

Contact Valley Restoration or call (970) 964-4437 for help.