The first hour after a burst pipe, in order

A burst supply line can push out several gallons a minute. That means the first hour decides how big this loss gets. Here is what to do, in the order that matters.

1. Shut off the water

Find your main shutoff valve and close it. In most homes around Northern Virginia it is where the water line enters the house: the basement wall facing the street, a utility closet, or near the water heater. Turn it clockwise until it stops. If you cannot find it or it will not turn, call your water utility; they can shut off at the meter.

Do this before anything else. Every minute the water runs, it travels farther into walls, floors, and framing.

2. Think about electricity before you step in

If water is near outlets, cords, or appliances, or standing where you would have to walk, turn off power to those rooms at the breaker panel, but only if the panel itself is dry and you can reach it without standing in water. If you cannot do that safely, stay out of the wet area and call an electrician or your utility. No floor is worth a shock.

3. Photograph everything before you touch it

Take wide shots of each affected room, then close-ups of the source, the standing water, and anything damaged. If a claim follows, these photos are the record of what actually happened, and they cost you two minutes. Adjusters would rather see too many photos than too few.

4. Move what the water has not reached

Get rugs, electronics, documents, and anything you care about out of the water's path. Put foil or wood blocks under furniture legs you cannot move; wet carpet wicks into wood and upholstery fast. Do not spend this hour carrying furniture through standing water, though. Protect what is dry and leave the rest for the crew.

5. Call a mitigation company

Drying that starts within hours saves materials that overnight water destroys. When you call us, a trained mitigation professional answers, walks you through anything above you have not done yet, and gets a crew moving. That is what the phone number on this site is for, at any hour: (703) 372-9099.

And to be straight with you: not every water event needs professional mitigation. A small spill contained to sealed tile that you have already dried is not a job, and if you describe your situation and it does not need us, we will say so on the phone.

6. Call your insurance company

A burst pipe is the kind of sudden event homeowner policies commonly address, but coverage decisions belong to you and your carrier. Report the loss, share your photos, and keep every receipt, including emergency purchases like fans or a wet vac. Mitigation companies document the work; carriers decide coverage. Anyone who promises you otherwise on the phone is guessing with your money.

What not to do

Do not vacuum water with a regular household vacuum. Do not pull out wet drywall or flooring before it is photographed. Do not assume a dry-feeling surface is dry; water you can see is usually a fraction of the water that is there. And do not wait until morning because the leak has stopped. The leak stopping does not stop the water that already left the pipe.