Burst Pipe? Here's Exactly What to Do

Turn off your stopcock immediately — it's the single action that stops a burst pipe getting worse, and everything else in this guide comes second to it. The stopcock is a valve on your mains water supply, usually found under the kitchen sink, that shuts off water to the whole property when turned clockwise.

• Find the stopcock and turn it clockwise as far as it will go
• If it's stiff or you can't locate it, don't force it — move straight to containment and call us
• Open the lowest cold tap in the property afterwards to drain remaining water from the pipes
• Older Victorian and Edwardian properties across Tower Hamlets and Hackney sometimes hide the stopcock in a hallway cupboard or under the stairs rather than the kitchen

If you can't find yours at all, our guide to stopcocks and guide to turning off your water supply cover every likely hiding place and the outside stopcock option too.

Yes, if it's safe to reach the switch without standing in water — electricity and standing water are a genuine shock risk, so isolate the circuit at the consumer unit or switch off the affected room if the leak is anywhere near sockets, switches or light fittings. Never step into pooled water to reach a switch; isolate at the main consumer unit instead if there's any doubt.

If the leak is coming through a ceiling or light fitting from a flat above, treat this as more urgent, not less — water tracking through wiring or fittings is exactly the scenario where switching off first matters most.

Contain what's already out with buckets, towels, or by lifting rugs and belongings off the floor, then move anything valuable or electrical away from the affected area while you wait. This buys time and limits the damage, but it doesn't fix the pipe — the stopcock has already done the important job of stopping more water arriving.

• Mop or bucket standing water rather than letting it soak into carpets and flooring
• Move furniture, rugs, electronics and paperwork clear of the leak
• Prop up wet furniture on blocks to let air circulate underneath
• If water is coming through a ceiling, puncture a small bulge carefully into a bucket rather than letting it collapse unpredictably

Photograph everything before you start cleaning up — the pipe itself, the leak in progress, and any damage to floors, ceilings, walls or belongings — because most insurers expect to see when and how the damage happened. Keep receipts for any emergency repair work and note the date and time you discovered the burst.

Check your specific buildings and contents policy for excess amounts and what's covered, since burst pipe cover varies between insurers. Acting quickly to isolate the water and limit further damage — which is exactly what the stopcock and containment steps above do — also matters to most claims, so don't delay calling a plumber while you wait for an insurer's approval.

Here's the full sequence in order, from the moment you spot the burst to the moment a plumber takes over.

1. Turn off the stopcock. Find your stopcock — usually under the kitchen sink — and turn it clockwise as far as it will go to cut the mains water supply to the property.
2. Switch off electrics near the water. If it's safe to reach the switch without standing in water, turn off the electricity supply to any room the leak is affecting, or isolate at the consumer unit if in doubt.
3. Contain and drain the water. Put buckets or towels under the burst, open a cold tap on the lowest floor to drain remaining water from the pipework, and move furniture, rugs and electronics out of the way.
4. Photograph the damage. Take clear photos of the pipe, the leak and any water damage before you start cleaning up — you'll want this evidence if you make an insurance claim.
5. Call a plumber. Call RenoPlumb and describe what you're seeing — we'll talk you through anything else while a plumber is on the way to make the permanent repair.

Once the water's off and the damage is contained, the pipe still needs a permanent repair — patching a burst pipe with tape or a clamp is a temporary measure at best, and the section of pipe usually needs replacing properly.

A frozen pipe that hasn't split yet needs different handling to one that's already burst — don't apply direct heat to a frozen section, since rapid thawing is exactly what cracks the pipe if ice has already weakened it. Instead, turn off the stopcock as a precaution, open the affected tap slightly, and let the pipe thaw gradually at room temperature, or call us to thaw and check it safely.

Pipes freeze most often in lofts, garages and against exposed external walls — anywhere heating doesn't reach — which is common in older London terraces with unlagged pipework in the roof space. Lagging exposed pipes before winter is the cheapest prevention there is.

Call a plumber as soon as the stopcock is off and the immediate flood is contained — a burst pipe is a repair job, not a DIY fix, and delaying it risks a repeat burst or hidden damage spreading behind walls and floors. RenoPlumb is Gas Safe registered and covers burst pipe emergencies across East and Central London, including Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Islington, Newham, Southwark and Canary Wharf, 24 hours a day from our E1 base.

See our burst pipe repair page for what the permanent fix involves, or if water is actively flooding your home right now, treat it as urgent and see our emergency plumber page instead.

Call 07460 824073 now and we'll talk you through anything else while we're on the way.

Cost depends on where the burst is, how accessible the pipe is, and whether flooring, plaster or a ceiling below has also been damaged, so we don't put a figure on it without seeing the job first. We give free, no-obligation quotes for most jobs; for emergency call-outs, a fixed call-out fee applies and you'll know about it upfront. See our pricing page for more on how we work out costs.

Need this fixed by someone local? See our page for a plumber in Islington for borough-specific coverage and response times.