--- title: Burst Pipes & Water Damage Initial Steps description: Burst pipe and water leak? Need some initial steps? Read on. Want some helpful information to guide you through your water damage journey? We've got you. image: https://blog.pccmemphis.com/hubfs/burst%20pipe%201.png --- [![Principle Construction LLC LOGO](https://blog.pccmemphis.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Principle%20Construction%20LLC%20LOGO.jpg?width=4510&height=1961&name=Principle%20Construction%20LLC%20LOGO.jpg "Principle Construction LLC LOGO")](https://blog.pccmemphis.com/) Office: (901) 221-1232 24/7 Emergency Services: (901) 515-7527  5099 Old Summer Rd., Suite C, Memphis, TN 38122 - [Home](https://www.pccmemphis.com) - [About](https://www.pccmemphis.com/about) - [Reviews](https://www.pccmemphis.com/reviews) - [Contact Us](https://www.pccmemphis.com/contact) - [- Contact Us](https://www.pccmemphis.com/contact) - [- Customer Review Form](https://www.pccmemphis.com/customer-review-form) ![](https://blog.pccmemphis.com/hubfs/burst%20pipe%201.png) # Burst Pipes & Water Damage Initial Steps Published by [Amber H.](https://blog.pccmemphis.com/principleblog/author/amber-h) on Jan 26, 2022 8:55:33 PM It usually takes between 48-72 hours of freezing weather for pipes to begin bursting. I imagine you aren't here to joy-read the science behind why they burst so let's move on. ;) **Symptoms** of a burst pipe are water within a wall, your ceiling, flooring, or coming up from the slab. Essentially, inside/above/outside/under/... more sources than we'd like to consider. The leak will be consistent and there will be a lot of water. A burst pipe incident can create minor or major damage depending on where the water is coming from. You could have a slow leak that takes time to produce highly visible damage or just the opposite.                      ![burst pipe 1](https://blog.pccmemphis.com/hs-fs/hubfs/burst%20pipe%201.png?width=200&name=burst%20pipe%201.png)  ![flooded floor](https://blog.pccmemphis.com/hs-fs/hubfs/flooded%20floor.png?width=200&name=flooded%20floor.png) I know. You need a much more specific answer but without seeing the damage and the source of that damage, we can't give a definitive answer. You need a contractor to assess the damage. We would be a wise and safe choice! Just sayin :) What should you do? Turn the water completely off to your home. If you live in the city, you're more likely to cut the water off at the street. If you're in the country, turn the water off at the well. Newer homes may have a shut-off within the property. Call a [plumber](https://www.pccmemphis.com/home-owners-0-0-0-0), a mitigation company, and a contractor. The plumber will repair/replace the pipe and restore water to your home. The mitigation company will extract the water and remove affected materials that can't or shouldn't be dried. The contractor puts your home back together. \*The mitigation company will not begin work if the leak is not stopped so get a plumber out there first. If you file a claim and the damage is covered, the insurance company should pay much of these costs. According to your homeowners policy, you have accepted the responsibility of doing what you can to prevent secondary damage such as mold. Insurance companies don't usually cover mold and when you mention that word in the midst of or even as you are filing a claim, it sends up a red flag. My suggestion is that you have a professional determine that it is mold before you bring it up to your insurance company. Talk with your local insurance agent, contractor, mitigation company, and/or a mold expert first. Take photos of the damage for your insurance company as they may be requested. When the damaged part of the pipe is found, take photos and keep the part of the pipe that is damaged. Your adjuster may request this also.   Does homeowners insurance cover water damage as a result of a burst pipe? If the damage is a result of an incident that is sudden and/or accidental, there's a high likelihood that the damage will be covered by insurance. I strongly suggest you reach out to your local agent for coverage questions related to your homeowners policy. See my other water damage blogs for the why behind this and for additional next steps.   Needed repairs will be determined by the materials that are affected. Think insulation, sheetrock, flooring, subfloor, baseboards, ceiling, cabinetry, ...-  Helpful Info  - [Click here](https://www.scfbins.com/articles/how-pipes-freeze-and-burst) to check out this Farm Bureau web page for more info on burst pipes. [Click here](https://www.pccmemphis.com/services) for the Principle Construction Services Page  [Click here](https://www.pccmemphis.com/reviews) to check out some of our reviews [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/pccmemphis) to visit our Facebook page [Click here](https://www.pccmemphis.com/contact) for our Contact Us web page [Click here](https://www.pccmemphis.com/principle-insights-blog) to check out our other blogs # - OR -  Complete the below form to have a member of our team reach out to you as quickly as possible. This blog absolutely doesn't cover every aspect of this topic but I believe it can be a good start. Hope all goes well for you! Don't hesitate to give me a call if I can be of any assistance. Amber (901) 864-1155 The Principle Construction Team is Always Happy to Help! 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