Burst and frozen pipes
Burst and frozen pipes in Kyle, Texas
A split supply line moves a lot of water in a short time. The first job is closing a valve, not mopping.
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Stop the water
Find the shut-off for the affected fixture. Toilets and sinks have small valves on the supply line. If you cannot find the right one, close the main valve where the line enters the house or at the meter.
Then open a faucet on the ground floor to let the remaining water drain out of the line. Do not use open flames or a torch to thaw a frozen pipe.
Frozen is not always burst
A pipe can freeze and hold. The failure often shows when the ice melts and water starts to flow through the split. Check wall and attic spaces after a freeze, not only during it.
Who to call
Call a licensed plumber for the pipe itself. Texas plumbers are licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Call the restoration line for the water already in the house.
Signs of a split pipe
Some bursts are loud. Others are quiet, and the first sign is something else in the house.
- Low water pressure or no water at one fixture after a cold night.
- A stain that spreads across a ceiling below an attic or a bathroom.
- Running water heard inside a wall or floor with every fixture off.
- A water meter dial that keeps moving with everything closed.
- A damp or bulging patch on an exterior wall, where pipes in cold walls are most exposed.
- Frost on a visible pipe in a garage, a hose bib or a utility closet.
A moving meter with all fixtures off is the plainest sign that water is leaving the system. If the meter stops after you close the main, the leak is on the house side.
What Texas winters have done here
The National Weather Service's Austin and San Antonio office describes the winter storm of 10 to 18 February 2021 as an unprecedented eight-day period of winter weather across South-Central Texas. Its summary lists burst water pipes among the impacts. Pipes in attics and outside walls are the usual victims.
The guide on winter freezes covers what to check afterward.
Sudden bursts are the type of loss most homeowner policies cover, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. Slow leaks usually are not.
What to do while you wait
After the main is closed and the lines are drained, work through the house.
Move belongings out of the wet area and photograph the split and the water before anything changes. If a plumber removes a section of pipe, ask to keep it. An adjuster may want to see how it failed.
Do not turn the water back on until a plumber has made the repair. A temporary clamp can fail under pressure and restart the flood.
What a contractor usually does
A burst supply line sends clean water, so the work is extraction and drying. Standing water is removed, ceilings and walls below the break are checked with a meter, and wet insulation is taken out.
If water ran through a ceiling, the contractor may open it to let the cavity dry. Ask what will be opened and where, so you can plan for the repair afterward.
If the break was in an attic, expect the contractor to check the ceiling in several rooms. Water follows framing and can show up away from the split.
How insurance usually treats a burst pipe
The Texas Department of Insurance describes a burst pipe as a sudden and accidental event, the type most home policies cover. It says to report promptly, protect the property and keep receipts for temporary repairs.
Whether the pipe itself is covered is a separate policy question from the damage it caused. Read the policy or ask the insurer which parts apply.
After the repair
Insulate exposed lines in garages, attics and exterior walls before the next freeze. The guide on winter freezes lists what to check.
Learn where the main shut-off is and make sure every adult in the house can find it.
Common questions
Plumber or restoration contractor first?
Close the water at a valve first. A plumber then repairs the pipe and the restoration contractor handles the wet house. The two jobs can overlap, and neither one replaces the other.
What should I keep from the repair?
Keep the section of pipe if the plumber removes it, and the invoice. The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners says an estimate or invoice should show the Responsible Master Plumber's license number.
What if the freeze also cut power or water service?
Report an outage to your electric provider, and check the City of Kyle's boil water notice steps if the water system lost pressure. Both are covered on separate pages.
Water is still moving. Call now.
One call connects you with an independent restoration contractor who serves the Kyle area. Then you decide what happens next.