Burst Pipe — What to Do (First 15 Minutes)

Burst pipe — do this now

1. Shut off the main water valve. Usually in the basement, utility room, garage, or crawlspace. Every second of flow is more damage.
2. Shut off power to any wet area at the breaker if you can safely reach it. Water near outlets is a shock hazard.
3. Call Vault at (385) 250-2825. Even before you call your insurance. We log the time on your work order.
4. Photograph everything before you move anything. Phone video is fastest.
5. Move contents and lift area rugs. Pull wet furniture outside if you can.

The faster the response, the smaller the bill. Hour 1 is a Cat-1 extract-and-dry. Hour 48 is a Cat-3 demo-and-rebuild. Call before you clean.

Minute 0-5: Stop the water

Shut off the main water valve. Takes 15 seconds and is the single most important thing you can do. Where to find it:

• Most Utah homes: basement or crawlspace, often near where the water line enters the house
• Slab-on-grade homes: in a utility room or garage
• Some older homes: outside in a meter box near the street (shutoff key may be required)

If you’ve never located yours, do it now while there’s no emergency. Make it easy to reach — don’t block it with storage.

Also shut off the water heater if the burst is on a hot-water line, especially gas models. A dry hot water heater can overheat.

Minute 5-10: Electrical safety

Shut off power to any wet area at the breaker if you can safely reach the panel without walking through water. If water has reached outlets or electrical fixtures, don’t touch anything electrical with wet hands or wet feet. Water conducts.

If the breaker panel is in a flooded basement, don’t enter. Call a professional — electricians work for exactly this reason.

Minute 10-15: Call Vault and document

Call (385) 250-2825. Not 911 (that’s for life-safety emergencies). Not your insurance (yet — do that in the next hour). Vault:

• Answers live, 24/7, by a Vault crew member — no call center.
• Logs the time of your call on the work order (important for insurance later).
• Dispatches while still on the phone.
• Arrives in 45 minutes inside Provo city limits (Mon-Sat 8-5); typically under 60 min elsewhere in Utah County.

Document everything with phone video. Walk through, narrate what you see. Capture the burst location, the water path, affected rooms, visible damage. Photos later if you have time. This documentation is the backbone of your insurance claim.

Minute 15-60: Mitigate damage

While waiting for Vault to arrive:

• Lift area rugs off the wet floor so they can dry.
• Move light contents (clothes, boxes, electronics) to a dry area.
• Move heavy furniture onto blocks or aluminum foil squares to prevent furniture stain transfer to the carpet.
• Pull wet upholstered cushions outside to dry (good weather) or to a dry room.
• Do NOT use a household vacuum on standing water — it ruins the vacuum and can shock you.
• Mop up what you can if the water is standing in a confined area and under an inch deep.
• Call your insurance company to open a claim. Say you’ve already called a restoration company for mitigation.

What NOT to do

• Don’t turn ceiling fans on wet drywall above you — a wet ceiling can collapse.
• Don’t start cutting out wet drywall yourself. Document first, demo second. Insurance adjusters need to see the damage.
• Don’t bleach wet carpet. It stains and doesn’t disinfect effectively.
• Don’t run your HVAC if the burst is near return ducts — humid air gets distributed throughout the house.
• Don’t crank the heat hoping to dry the house. Warm humid air promotes mold growth.

What Vault does on arrival

1. Verifies the water source is shut off.
2. Extracts standing water with truck-mounted extractors.
3. Sets up air movers and dehumidifiers at IICRC S500 standard (typically 1 air mover per 10-16 linear feet of wet wall).
4. Moisture-maps the affected area with Delmhorst meters to see where water has traveled.
5. Documents the loss (photos, moisture readings, Xactimate scope).
6. Sets containment if needed to prevent cross-contamination.
7. Removes unsalvageable materials (wet carpet pad, wet insulation, badly saturated drywall).
8. Returns daily for moisture checks and adjustments.

Insurance note for Utah burst pipes

Sudden-and-accidental burst (frozen or otherwise) is covered by standard Utah homeowner’s policies. Gradual leaks over months are usually not. Freeze bursts in unoccupied homes without maintained heat may be excluded. See how we handle insurance claims and winter pipe protection.

Pipe is bursting right now?

Shut off the main. Call (385) 250-2825. We’ll walk you through the rest.

Water damage timeline · Water damage services · Winter pipe protection · Insurance claims · Emergency guide

Also see: Frozen pipe — what to do · Structural drying explained

More guides: Frozen hose bib leaks · Pipe types and leaks

Related guides

• PEX Pipe and Manifold Leaks in Utah Homes
• Frozen Pipes in Barns, Workshops and Outbuildings

Inside Provo city limits we guarantee a crew within 45 minutes, Mon–Sat 8 AM–5 PM. See Provo emergency water damage.