Close the valve behind the appliance or toilet. If it will not close or you cannot reach it, shut the main valve. Then call (413) 603-1274. We replace the line and dry where the water went in one visit.
The supply lines that fail most
Not every burst pipe is frozen. Some of the most expensive water damage we see starts with a small flexible hose that gave out on its own, often while nobody was home.
- Washing machine hoses. Rubber hoses crack with age and can burst at full pressure, pouring water until someone shuts the valve.
- Toilet supply lines. Plastic nuts crack and braided lines fray, especially when the shut-off valve is old and hard to turn.
- Refrigerator ice-maker lines. Thin plastic tubing kinks, cracks or pops off behind the fridge, and the leak hides under the floor.
- Dishwasher supply and drain lines. Leaks under the dishwasher soak the subfloor.
- Faucet hoses under sinks. Old compression fittings and braided hoses give out.
What to do in the next 10 minutes
- Shut the water. Appliance valve first, main valve if that fails.
- Unplug the appliance if water reached the outlet, or switch off its breaker.
- Get water off the floor. Towels, a mop or a wet vac.
- Check below. If the laundry or bathroom is upstairs, look at the ceiling underneath.
- Photograph the failed hose or fitting and keep it.
- Call us. (413) 603-1274.
One call: new line, dry house
- Replace the failed line. With a braided stainless hose or proper fitting, and a new shut-off valve if the old one is seized.
- Find where the water went. Water from a burst hose travels under flooring, into walls and through ceilings. Moisture meters show where.
- Remove water and wet materials. Extraction, and carpet pad or insulation that cannot be saved.
- Dry the structure. Dehumidifiers and air movers, with readings logged until dry.
- Repair. Once dry, flooring, drywall and ceilings can be fixed.
Laundry and bathrooms upstairs
In many Chicopee two- and three-deckers the laundry hookup is in a back hall, a bathroom or an enclosed porch on an upper floor. A burst washer hose there does not stay put: it runs through the floor and shows up in the ceiling of the unit below within minutes. We check every floor the water reached. See ceiling water damage repair and who pays for upstairs water damage.
Preventing the next one
- Replace rubber washer hoses with braided stainless hoses every five years or so
- Turn the washer valves off when you leave for more than a weekend
- Replace toilet supply lines with plastic nuts when the toilet is serviced
- Exercise old shut-off valves once a year so they turn when you need them
- Consider an automatic water shut-off valve. See do automatic water shutoff valves work
How fast a failed line floods a house
A supply line to a washer, toilet or sink runs at full house pressure. When one splits, it does not drip. It can put out several gallons a minute, and it keeps going until someone closes a valve. That is why supply line failures do so much damage when nobody is home: a line that lets go at 9 in the morning can run all day. Rubber washer hoses are the most common culprit because they age from the inside, where you cannot see it. A hose can look fine and still burst.
Check these once a year
- Washer hoses: replace rubber hoses with braided stainless, and replace any hose more than five years old
- Toilet supply lines: look for bulges, rust at the nut, or plastic nuts that have cracked
- Under-sink lines: feel for dampness at the connections and at the back of the cabinet
- Fridge ice-maker line: pull the fridge out and check for kinks or a wet floor
- Dishwasher: look under the toe kick with a flashlight for water stains
- Fixture valves: turn each one off and on so they do not seize
Old fixture valves in Chicopee homes often will not close when you need them. If one sticks, have it replaced with a quarter-turn valve. See shut-off valve replacement.
Supply line leak questions
How much water can a burst washer hose release?
A burst hose runs at full house pressure until the water is shut off. Over a workday that can soak several rooms and the floors below.
Will insurance cover a burst washer hose?
Sudden damage from a burst hose is usually covered. The hose itself is not. A slow drip that went on for months may not be. See burst pipe insurance. General information only.
The floor looks dry now. Am I done?
Probably not. Water runs under vinyl, laminate and hardwood and stays in the subfloor. A meter check tells you for sure.
Supply line burst? Call now
Call (413) 603-1274 now. Locally owned in Chicopee: we replace the line and dry the house in one call. See areas we serve.