What to do when a pipe bursts

Straight away

Uisce Éireann’s advice for a burst pipe is:

1. Turn off the water at the stopcock.
2. Drain the system: turn on all the cold taps and flush the toilets.
3. Switch off the central heating and the immersion.
4. If water is near sockets, switches or appliances, switch off the electricity at the mains, if it’s safe to reach.
5. Check that turning off your water hasn’t cut off a neighbour’s supply.

You can hold a burst pipe for a while by wrapping it tightly with a cloth or tape. Then ring a plumber.

Find your stopcock today

It’s much easier to find the stopcock when nothing’s leaking. In most Irish houses it’s under the kitchen sink, where the water pipe comes up through the floor. Try turning it now: an old one can be stiff, and it’s better to find that out before an emergency. There may also be a valve on the pipe from the cold water tank in the attic.