Plumbing · Right now

Burst or frozen pipe? Here’s what to do.

Close the main shut-off now. A frozen pipe that hasn’t split yet can often be thawed safely, without a flame.

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Right now

Close the main shut-off valve. Close your home's main water shutoff valve, on the main line where it enters the house. Find and tag it before you ever need it. Source
Stay out of the water and away from switches. Never turn power on or off, or use an electric tool or appliance, while standing in water. Source
Can’t stop it? Call the city. If you cannot stop the water yourself, call the city water line after hours: Tyler (903) 597-6541; Longview 903-236-3030. Source
Frozen, not burst: open the faucet. For a frozen pipe, keep the faucet open. As the ice melts, running water helps melt the rest. Source
Thaw it gently. Warm the frozen section with an electric heating pad or towels soaked in hot water. Never use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or any open flame. Source
Can’t reach it or thaw it. Call a licensed plumber if you cannot find or reach the frozen section or cannot thaw it. Check your other faucets too. Source

Photo: Jorge Avila, Unsplash

Often urgent.

Call nowWater spraying or pouring from a broken pipe that you cannot stop, or water reaching electrical equipment.

Call nowThaw them as soon as possible. A faucet giving only a trickle is a sign of a frozen pipe.

TodayYou cannot find, reach, or thaw the frozen section.

Can waitInsulate pipes in unheated areas (attics, crawl spaces, garages, exterior walls) and drain outdoor hoses.

Before you call

Safety first

If you would have to step into standing water to reach the main power switch, call an electrician to turn it off instead. Source
If you use a portable space heater to thaw a pipe, keep it away from flammable materials. Source
Do not use an open flame to thaw pipes. Source

What to tell the plumber

Where the break or frozen section is (attic, crawl space, exterior wall, outdoor faucet, under a cabinet).
Whether the pipe is frozen only or actually split and leaking.
Whether the main is shut off and whether any faucet in the house still has water.
Pipe material if visible (copper, PEX, CPVC, galvanized) and photos.

What it costs

Your plumber quotes before starting; we don’t publish plumbers’ prices. City fees we can source: Longview temporary turn-off to winterize a property before freezing weather: $50; Longview emergency water cut-off at customer request: $50.

Asking Vora is free. The plumber pays us a referral fee.