Burst Pipe Water Damage in Annapolis, MD

What to do in the first minutes

• Shut off the main water valve. Know where it is before you need it. If you can't find it, a fixture's own shutoff valve may isolate a smaller leak.
• Be careful with electricity. The CDC says never to turn power on or off, or use electric tools or appliances, while standing in water. If water is near the panel or outlets, call an electrician.
• Open the lowest faucets after the main is off. This helps drain water left in the lines.
• Move belongings out of the way. Lift furniture off wet carpet and move valuables and electronics to a dry room.
• Photograph the damage. Do it before cleanup so your insurance company can see what happened.
• Call a plumber and a restoration contractor. They do different jobs, so you'll probably need both.

Frozen pipe bursts

Why freezing bursts pipes

Water expands as it freezes, and a pipe with ice in it can split. The split often doesn't show until the ice melts, when water suddenly pours from the break, so a burst pipe can be discovered hours after a cold night.

Where pipes freeze first

Pipes in unheated spaces such as attics, crawl spaces, garages and exterior walls are the most exposed. Water lines that run along outside walls or sit in an unconditioned crawl space deserve attention before a hard freeze. If a pipe freezes but hasn't burst, shut off the water, and call a plumber instead of using open flame to thaw it.

Supply line, appliance and water heater failures

Not every pipe failure is a pipe in the wall. Common sources include:

• Washing machine hoses. A failed hose can run for as long as nobody notices. Washing machine discharge is gray water, a Category 2 source.
• Toilet and sink supply lines. These are small, high-pressure lines that can let go at the connection.
• Ice maker and dishwasher lines. Slow leaks behind appliances can soak a floor for weeks before they show.
• Water heaters. A leaking or failed tank can release a large amount of water into a closet, basement or utility room.

Hidden leaks inside walls and ceilings

Signs of a hidden leak

Stains on a ceiling or wall, bubbling or peeling paint, warped flooring, a musty smell, the sound of running water when nothing is on and an unexplained jump in the water bill are all signs of a leak you can't see.

Finding it: moisture meters and thermal imaging

Restoration crews use moisture meters to confirm wet materials and often thermal imaging cameras to locate cooler, wetter areas behind surfaces. Finding the full extent matters, because drying only what you can see leaves wet framing behind, which is a common source of mold. See structural drying.

Cleanup and drying after a burst pipe

Water from a broken supply line starts as Category 1, or clean water, which is the most forgiving situation if it's handled promptly. Time still matters. Guidelines built on the S500 standard say gray water left untreated for more than 48 hours can become Category 3, drywall should be replaced if drying isn't started within 48 hours or completed within 72 hours, and wet insulation can't be adequately dried. The EPA's advice is to dry water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold. A typical job means extracting water, removing damaged materials, drying with air movers and dehumidifiers, and then rebuilding. See water removal and water damage repair.

Pipe repair is a plumbing job

A restoration crew dries the building but doesn't repair the failed pipe. That is a job for a licensed plumber, and the City of Annapolis says work on water lines needs plumbing permits. Ask the plumber who pulls the permit, and make sure the leak is fixed before the drying begins, so the structure isn't getting wet again.

Insurance and burst pipes

The Maryland Insurance Administration says water damage to floors from a burst pipe is generally covered under a homeowners policy, but the cost of repairing or replacing the pipe usually isn't. The policy's terms decide, so call your insurer early and ask what documentation it needs. Our guide to what to do after a burst pipe covers the sequence in more detail.

Burst pipe water damage in Annapolis

Annapolis has a lot of older housing, from colonial buildings in the Historic District to mid-century neighborhoods, and older homes can have older plumbing and plaster walls that dry differently from modern drywall. In Downtown and the Historic District and West Annapolis, that history matters; in newer communities such as Arnold, newer plumbing can still fail at a fitting or an appliance line. Our guide to water damage in older and historic Annapolis homes explains the differences. For the overview, see burst pipe and water damage help in Annapolis.

Questions to ask before you hire

• Has the water source been stopped and confirmed, and who is repairing the pipe?
• How will you find hidden moisture in the walls and ceilings below?
• What will you remove, and what will you dry in place?
• How often will you take moisture readings?
• Can you provide documentation for my insurance claim?
• What is your MHIC license number?