A burst pipe rarely picks a good time. It might be the sound of water hissing inside a wall, a ceiling stain that spreads while you watch, or a garden bed that suddenly turns to mud next to the house. Whatever the signs, the next few minutes matter more than anything else, because every minute the water keeps running, more of your home gets wet.
This guide walks you through what to do in order, what not to do, and how to deal with the plumber, the paperwork and the insurance side afterwards. We have written it the way we would explain it to a friend standing in a flooded hallway: calm, plain, and step by step. Print it, or save it on your phone before you ever need it.
First: stop the water
The single most useful thing you can do is shut off the water to the property. Do not start by mopping, moving furniture or hunting for the leak. Stop the flow first.
Find your main isolation tap
Most homes have a main tap that isolates the whole property. It is usually near where the water supply enters the property, often at the front of the house or close to the meter, and sometimes in a small box set into the ground or fixed to an outside wall. Turn it clockwise until it stops. If it is stiff, use both hands and steady pressure rather than a wrench or any force that might snap the spindle.
It pays to find this tap now, before anything goes wrong. Walk around the property, find it, and make sure everybody in the house knows where it is and which way it turns. A tap that has not moved for a long time can seize, so if yours is stuck, mention it to your plumber on their next visit so it can be replaced while the house is dry.
Leave the Water Corporation meter alone
There is a difference between your isolation tap and the meter and its valve. The meter belongs to the Water Corporation. If water is leaking near a power dome or any electrical equipment, stay well clear and call Western Power on 13 13 51, and do not touch the meter or its valve.
If you cannot find or close the tap
If the main tap will not turn, or you simply cannot find it, do not waste time. Open the taps at the lowest point in the house to help relieve pressure, keep people away from any water that has reached power points or appliances, and call a licensed plumber straight away. Tell them you cannot isolate the supply so they can prioritise accordingly.
Second: make the house safe
Water and electricity do not mix, and a burst pipe can put both in the same place very quickly.
- Electrics: If water is near power points, appliances, light fittings or the switchboard, do not walk through it. If you can reach the switchboard safely and dry, turn off the power to the affected area. If you cannot do that safely, leave it and call a licensed electrician or emergency services.
- Hot water system: If the burst is on the hot side, or you are not sure which side, switch off the power or gas supply to your hot water system. A system that keeps heating while the supply is closed and the tank is draining is a problem you do not want on top of everything else. Our hot water repairs and installations page explains how the common system types work if you are not sure what you have.
- Ceilings: If a ceiling is bulging or sagging with trapped water, keep out from underneath it. A bulge can release a lot of water suddenly. Place a bucket under it, stay clear, and tell your plumber about it when you call.
- Slips: Wet tiles, timber and vinyl are slippery. Mind children and older family members.
Third: drain the system and contain the water
With the main tap closed, there is still water sitting in the pipes. Open the taps in the house, starting with the highest and finishing with the lowest, and let the remaining water run out. This releases pressure on the damaged section and reduces how much comes through the break. Flush a toilet or two as well, since the cisterns hold water.
Then deal with what has already spilled:
- Move rugs, electronics, paperwork and anything precious to higher or drier ground.
- Use towels, a mop, or a wet vacuum if you have one to remove standing water, once the power situation is safe.
- Open windows and doors, and run fans if it is safe to do so, to start the drying process.
- Lift furniture legs onto foil, plastic or blocks so timber and fabric are not sitting in water.
Do not pull up carpet, cut into walls or remove ceiling lining unless a professional tells you to, or you have a clear safety reason. Insurers and restorers usually want to see the damage before it is disturbed.
Fourth: record the damage
Before you clean up too much, take photos and short videos of the burst, the water, and any damaged belongings and building materials. Note the time you noticed it and the time you closed the main tap. This helps with any home insurance claim, and it also helps your plumber understand what happened. Keep any damaged parts of the pipe or fittings that come out, because they can show why it failed.
Contact your insurer early to ask what they require. We cannot advise on what your policy covers, since that depends entirely on the policy, so read yours or ask them directly.
Why pipes burst
Knowing the likely cause can help you stop it happening again. We are not going to give you numbers or statistics here, but in our experience the common culprits are fairly predictable:
- Age and corrosion. Older metal pipes can corrode from the inside or outside until a weak spot gives way.
- Joint and fitting failure. Compression joints, flexible hoses and connectors under basins and behind washing machines can fail, especially if they are old or were fitted poorly.
- Movement. Reactive clay soils, building settlement and nearby works can shift pipes and strain joints.
- Tree roots and digging. Roots can press on buried lines, and a shovel, trencher or post hole digger can pierce a pipe in an instant.
- Pressure. Sudden surges, such as from a tap closing quickly or a fault in a pressure-limiting device, can stress weak points.
- Poor earlier repairs. A patched or badly joined repair can look fine for a while and then fail.
Perth homes are generally not subject to freezing, so the winter burst you read about in colder places is not usually our problem. Ageing materials and movement are the bigger issues here.
Who is responsible for which pipe?
It depends where the break is. Water Corporation says that for a detached house with a direct meter, a leak between the plumber’s elbow and your property is the owner’s responsibility, while a leak between the elbow and the roadside is the Water Corporation’s. If the burst is clearly on the street side of the meter, contact the Water Corporation rather than paying for a repair. If it is inside the property, it is yours to fix. We cover this split in more detail in our guide to who fixes what at the water meter and sewer.
Call a licensed plumber
Water supply plumbing work in Western Australia must be done by a licensed plumber, apart from some limited homeowner tasks, according to Building and Energy. A burst pipe is not the place for a temporary fix from a hardware store, because a bad repair behind a wall can fail again while you are out.
When you ring, have these details ready:
- Your address and the nearest cross street if you are in a newer estate.
- Where the water is coming from, as best you can tell, and whether you have been able to close the main tap.
- Whether the water is near electrics or in the ceiling.
- Whether the damaged pipe is hot, cold or unknown.
- Whether anyone is on the premises who needs priority, such as an elderly person or a baby.
If you want to see how we handle urgent jobs, our burst pipe repairs page covers what is involved. For after-hours arrangements, see our emergency plumber once it is live, and note that our hours are.
What the plumber will do
Every job differs, but a typical visit goes like this. The plumber confirms the supply is isolated, finds the actual source of the leak, which is not always where the water appears, and checks the condition of the surrounding pipe. A short section of pipe may be replaced, or if the pipe is in poor condition they may recommend replacing a longer run. They will test the repair under pressure before closing up. If walls, floors or ceilings need to be opened to reach the pipe, they will tell you first, and any making good of linings or finishes is generally a job for a builder or handyman.
Ask questions. A good plumber will explain what failed, what they fixed, and whether other parts of the system look similar. If they recommend replacing more than the burst section, it is fair to ask why.
Paperwork: notice and certificate of compliance
In Western Australia, a licensed plumbing contractor lodges a notice of intention at least 24 hours before major work, except for emergency work, and lodges a certificate of compliance within five working days of finishing. An emergency burst pipe repair is the kind of situation the emergency exception exists for. Building and Energy describes the certificate of compliance as a six-year guarantee of compliance, and owners should ask for their copy. Keep it with your house records, because it is useful for insurance and for selling the property later.
After the repair
Once the plumber has finished and the water is back on, there are some sensible follow-ups.
- Open the main tap slowly and check for drips at the repair and around the area.
- Watch the water meter. If all taps are off and the meter keeps moving, there may be another leak. Our guide to finding a hidden water leak shows how to check.
- Dry the property thoroughly. Trapped moisture in walls and under floors can lead to mould and damaged timber, so consider a professional drying service if the water went into structure.
- Ask about prevention. Replace old flexible hoses, check your isolation taps work, and ask whether the rest of the pipework is a concern.
- Ask about your water bill. A hidden leak can affect your water bill, and Water Corporation has a leak allowance with its own rules about which leaks qualify. We explain the rules in our leak allowance guide.
Quick checklist
- Close the main isolation tap.
- Stay clear of water near electrics; switch off power only if you can do it safely.
- Switch off the hot water system.
- Open taps to drain the pipes.
- Contain the water and protect belongings.
- Photograph everything.
- Call a licensed plumber and your insurer.
- Ask for your certificate of compliance.
Call us
If a pipe has burst, shut off your main tap and call us on (08) 9276 7671. You can also send the details through our contact page or use book now for non-urgent follow-up work such as checking old pipework. We are based in Dianella and hold plumbing licence PL 6567 and gas fitting licence GF 9850.
FAQ
Should I turn off the power if a pipe has burst?
Only if you can reach the switchboard safely and the area around it is dry. If water is near electrics and you cannot get to the switchboard without walking through it, stay out and call a licensed electrician or emergency services.
Can I fix a burst pipe myself?
Water supply plumbing work in Western Australia must be done by a licensed plumber, apart from limited homeowner tasks, according to Building and Energy. You can close the main tap and contain the water yourself, but the repair should be left to a licensed plumber.
Who pays if the burst is near the water meter?
For a detached house with a direct meter, Water Corporation says the section between the plumber’s elbow and your property is the owner’s responsibility, and the section between the elbow and the roadside is Water Corporation’s.
Do I get a certificate after the repair?
Yes. A licensed contractor lodges a certificate of compliance within five working days of completing the work, and owners should ask for a copy. Building and Energy describes it as a six-year guarantee of compliance.
