Quick answer
For a burst pipe, close the main water valve yourself first, then call a water damage restoration company to extract and dry the house and a plumber to repair the pipe. With the water off, the drying is the part with a deadline, so the restoration company usually comes first and the plumber the same day or next morning. If you cannot stop the water, call the water utility or an emergency plumber first. Call your insurer the same day, once the water is off and photographed. Call (888) 217-6781 to reach a plumbing company taking calls in your ZIP.
Follow the short menu, then your 5-digit ZIP. The line goes quiet for a few seconds while it connects; stay on. If it does not connect, call once more: companies taking calls change minute to minute.
Written & reviewed by Marcus ReedIICRC WRT
Reviewed July 16, 2026· Next review Jan 2027
For a burst pipe, you are the first call: close the main water valve yourself, because no phone call stops water. Then you need two different trades. A plumber repairs the pipe, and a water damage restoration company dries the house around it. Once the water is off and photographed, call your insurer the same day. Most people call only the plumber and find out weeks later that the pipe was the small half of the job.
Before You Call Anyone: Shut the Water Off
Find the main shut-off and turn it clockwise until it stops. It is usually where the supply line comes into the house: a basement or garage wall facing the street, a utility closet, next to the water heater, or in a meter box near the curb. Our emergency shut-off guide shows where to look by type of house.
If the valve will not turn or you cannot find it, call your water utility. A burst pipe is an emergency for them too, and they can close the curb stop at the street. While you wait, open the lowest faucet in the house so the water already in the pipes drains there instead of out through the break.
If water is near outlets, a light fixture or the electrical panel, turn off the breaker for that area before you walk in. If the panel itself is wet, stay out and call the electric utility.
Plumber or Restoration Company for a Burst Pipe?
Both, because they do different jobs and neither one does the other's.
| Plumber | Restoration company | |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs or replaces the burst pipe | Yes | No |
| Pumps out and extracts standing water | No | Yes |
| Measures moisture inside walls, floors and ceilings | No | Yes |
| Removes wet drywall, insulation and carpet pad | No | Yes |
| Dries the structure with dehumidifiers and air movers | No | Yes |
| Records moisture readings the insurer will ask for | Rarely | Yes |
A plumber fixes the pipe, turns the water back on and leaves. What is left is water inside the wall cavity, under the flooring and on top of the ceiling below. That water does not dry by itself behind drywall. The EPA advises drying wet building materials within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold, and the IICRC S500 standard puts mold germination on wet material at about 24 hours. So the drying is the part with the deadline.
Who to Call for a Burst Pipe, in Order
For most burst pipes, once the main is closed, the order is:
- 1Shut the water off at the main. You do this yourself, before any call.
- 2Call a restoration company to dry the house. Extraction and drying is the part with a deadline.
- 3Call a plumber to repair the pipe. Same day or next morning, with the water still off.
- 4Call your insurer the same day. After the water is stopped and photographed, not before extraction starts.
That order changes in one case: when you cannot stop the water.
| Your situation | First call | Second call | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main is closed, water spread past the pipe | Restoration company | Plumber, same day or next morning | Insurer, same day |
| Main will not close or you cannot find it | Water utility, or an emergency plumber | Restoration company | Insurer, same day |
| Small leak caught in minutes, only a hard floor wet, towels got it all | Plumber | Probably no one | Insurer only if something was damaged |
| Water came through a ceiling, or into a finished basement | Restoration company | Plumber | Insurer, same day |
With the main closed, the pipe is no longer getting worse, so the plumber can wait a few hours. The house is still getting worse, which is why the restoration company comes first. With the water still running, stopping it is the only thing that matters, and the utility or a plumber is the call.
The two trades often need each other anyway. A pipe inside a wall has to be opened to repair. If the restoration company is there first, the wet drywall they remove can be the same opening the plumber uses, and nobody cuts the wall twice. If two people are home, make both calls at once. If the water came from a washer or dishwasher hose rather than a pipe in the wall, the order is similar but the cleanup can differ: see washing machine flooded: what to do.
Need a plumber? This is the call.
The line reaches a plumbing company covering your ZIP.
Call (888) 217-6781Follow the short menu, then your 5-digit ZIP. The line goes quiet for about half a minute while it connects — that is normal, stay on. If it does not connect, call once more: companies taking calls change minute to minute.
Talk to a plumber about this
One call reaches a plumbing company taking calls in your ZIP.
Who to Call for Frozen Pipes That Burst
The order is the same, with one difference. A frozen pipe that has split often leaks very little until it thaws, then lets go all at once. If you find a frozen pipe, close the main before you or anyone else warms it, and keep it closed until a plumber has looked at it. Do not thaw a pipe with an open flame. When a split pipe does run, the water is often inside an exterior wall, an attic or a crawl space, which is where the restoration company's meters matter most. The frozen pipe burst page covers thawing safely, and why pipes burst when frozen explains why the split is often not where the ice was.
Burst Pipe in the House: When to Call Your Insurer
Call the insurer the same day, after the water is off and you have photographed everything. Do not wait for an adjuster before extraction starts. Homeowners policies require you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, and drying is that step. Waiting on approval while the house stays wet can itself be used against the claim.
A sudden burst is the standard example of a covered loss. What is usually not covered is the repair of the pipe itself, or damage from a leak that had been dripping for months. Photographs taken before cleanup, the plumber's invoice saying what failed, and the restoration company's moisture readings are what the claim rests on. Keep the failed section of pipe too. The claim checklist and does insurance cover burst pipes cover the rest. You can choose your own restoration company; the insurer's preferred-vendor list is optional.
If you rent, send your landlord a written notice with photos straight away. The landlord hires the restoration company for the building.
What Happens When You Call
(888) 217-6781 is a referral line. This is what the call sounds like, so you do not hang up halfway through:
- A short automated menu answers. Follow the short menu.
- Enter the 5-digit ZIP of the house with the burst pipe, not where you are standing.
- The line goes quiet for about half a minute while it connects you to a plumbing company taking calls in that ZIP. That is normal. Stay on.
- When someone answers, say what burst, whether the water is off, and what is wet.
Have four things ready:
- The property address, including the ZIP
- When the water started, as near as you know
- What is wet now: rooms, floors, ceilings, and whether it is still running
- Whether you have opened an insurance claim yet
The company gives you an arrival window for your address on the call. What they do, and what it costs, is between you and them. Ask whether they are IICRC certified and whether they bill your insurer directly.
What to Do While You Wait
- 1Photograph and video everything before you move anything: each wet room, how deep the water is, and the broken pipe.
- 2Move what you can to a dry room: rugs, electronics, papers, and anything sitting on wet carpet.
- 3Mop or towel standing water if it is clean water and the power is off in that area.
- 4Do not tear out drywall or run a household vacuum on water. Leave the removal to the company that will measure what is wet and write it down.
If you are still standing in the water and not sure what comes next, burst pipe: what to do goes through the first hour step by step, including what repairing a pipe inside a wall involves.
Reading to confirm what you already suspect?
Confirm it in two minutes instead — the pro on this line answers questions about YOUR situation all day: what it is, what it should cost, whether you even need service. If you want, they'll set the appointment on the same call.
No obligation to book
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I call for a burst pipe?
Two trades, after you close the main water valve yourself. A plumber repairs the pipe; a water damage restoration company extracts the water and dries the walls, floors and ceilings around it. Neither does the other's job.
With the water off, call the restoration company first, because wet materials start growing mold in 24 to 48 hours, and book the plumber for the same day or next morning. Then call your homeowners insurer the same day.
Should I call a plumber or a restoration company first for a burst pipe?
It dependsOn whether the water is stopped. If you closed the main, the pipe is no longer getting worse but the house is, so the restoration company comes first and the plumber can follow within hours.
If the main will not close or you cannot find it, stopping the water is the only priority: call your water utility to shut the curb stop, or an emergency plumber. If two people are home, make both calls at once.
Who do I call for a burst water pipe in the house?
Start with yourself: close the main shut-off, usually where the supply line enters the house, and cut power at the breaker to any wet room. Then call a restoration company for extraction and drying, a plumber for the repair, and your insurer to open a claim.
If you rent, notify your landlord in writing with photos; the landlord hires the restoration company. A plumber alone leaves the water that is already inside the walls and floor.
Who do I call for frozen pipes that burst?
The same trades, with one precaution. A split frozen pipe often leaks little until it thaws, then runs hard, so close the main before anyone warms it and keep it closed until a plumber repairs the split.
Never thaw a pipe with an open flame. Frozen pipes usually sit in exterior walls, attics and crawl spaces, where water spreads out of sight, so a restoration company should measure and dry those cavities once the water is off.
Can a restoration company fix the burst pipe?
Usually notRestoration companies extract water, remove wet materials and dry the structure, and in most states plumbing repair requires a licensed plumber.
Many restoration companies work alongside plumbers and can suggest one. The two jobs fit together: when a pipe is inside a wall, the wet drywall the restoration company removes can be the opening the plumber uses to reach the pipe, so the wall is only opened once.
When should I call my insurance company about a burst pipe?
The same day, once the water is off and you have photographed every wet room and the broken pipe. Do not wait for an adjuster before extraction starts. Policies require you to prevent further damage, and drying is how you do that.
A sudden burst is generally a covered loss, though the pipe repair itself usually is not. You can choose your own restoration company rather than the insurer's preferred vendor.
What if I cannot find the main water shut-off?
Check where the supply line enters the house: a basement or garage wall facing the street, a utility closet, beside the water heater, or a meter box near the curb.
If it is missing or will not turn, call your water utility and say a pipe has burst; they can close the curb stop. Meanwhile, open the lowest faucet in the house so the water left in the pipes drains there instead of through the break.
Do I need a restoration company if the plumber already fixed the pipe?
If water soaked into drywall, carpet, insulation or a ceiling below, yes. Behind drywall and under flooring, water does not evaporate on its own, and the room can look dry while the cavity stays wet for weeks.
A restoration company measures moisture with meters and thermal cameras, removes what cannot be dried and records the readings your insurer will ask for. If only a sealed hard floor got wet and towels got all of it, you may not.
Sources
- IICRC S500 -- Water Damage Restoration Standard(retrieved 2026-07-16)
- Insurance Information Institute -- Water Damage and Freezing(retrieved 2026-07-16)
Methodology: How we source and verify data · Report an error
Disclaimer: HearthDry is an independent educational resource. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional, legal, or insurance advice. Consult licensed professionals before making decisions about your property or insurance claims.