Winter weather takes a toll on everyone and can leave you needing to find the best emergency pipe burst repair in Denver, Colorado. When snow and ice form on your roof, it can cause leaks. If those leaks aren’t repaired quickly, they could flood your home. Unfortunately, these situations happen, but the professionals at Relion Restoration are ready to help you restore your house and keep your family safe.
When frozen pipes rupture, the resulting flood can destroy floors, walls, ceilings, appliances, furniture, and even electrical wiring. It’s a significant mess. And it doesn’t take long for a frozen pipe to go from leaking to bursting.
Luckily, there are things you can do to help prevent potential problems:
- Make sure that your plumbing system is properly insulated. This helps keep heat trapped within your home during cold temperatures.
- Make sure that your basement stays dry. Most basements are prone to flooding because they’re located near areas where the ground freezes and thaws.
- Check your heating systems regularly.
Ensure the thermostat is set correctly and your furnace filters are clean.
Call your local restoration company immediately if you suspect your pipes might be frozen. They can assess the situation and recommend how best to address it. Then, follow up with regular maintenance checks to ensure your plumbing system continues functioning well.
Knowing When To Call For Pipe Burst Repair in Denver, Colorado
If you notice one or more of these problems, it could mean that frozen water lines have ruptured and flooded your home. But how do you know whether the damage is minor or severe? Here are some things to look out for:
- Water Damage: Signs of flooding include standing water in rooms, wet carpets, mold growth, and damage to furniture and appliances.
- Leaks: A leaky pipe might drip slowly over several days or weeks or cause a flood within hours. Look for leaks around doors and windows, along baseboards, under sinks, and behind toilets.
- Mold Growth: Mold grows best in warm, humid conditions. Check for black discoloration on wood surfaces, including floors and ceilings.
- Noise: Listen carefully for a “whooshing” sound from faucets or toilets. This indicates air rushing into the pipes.
- Temperature Changes: Cold weather causes freezing pipes to expand, causing cracks. Warm temperatures cause an expansion in hot pipes, leading to breaks.
- Odors: Smell rotten eggs, ammonia, bleach, or paint fumes, depending on what type of water damage occurred.
DIY Pipe Burst Repair in Denver, Colorado?
You can do many things to avoid paying a restoration company to fix the problem, including taking care of minor issues yourself before they become big. Knowing what you should do and how to respond quickly can save you money in the long run regarding restoration emergencies. Here are some tips to help you deal with broken pipes and stop the damage from getting out of hand.
Turn Off The Water Supply To The Affected Area
Before doing anything else, it’s essential to shut off the main water supply to your house promptly. This is especially true if you are away and someone else is living there. You might think that turning off the water is easy enough, but if you need to figure out where the shutoff valve is located, you could end up causing damage to your property and yourself.
If you live in an apartment or another building where the water isn’t under your control, immediately contact your landlord about shutting off the water. They will likely let you know how to do this and whether or not you should turn off the water while you are out of town.
Turn Off The Power To Your House
Before heading out to check on the situation, ensure the power is turned off. If you are dealing with flooding from a burst pipe, consider cutting the power to the affected area. This could prevent potential damage to the wiring inside your walls or, even worse, cause an electric shock.
Step one is to locate the main electrical panel in the basement or attic of your house. You can look for the main electrical shutoffs on your home’s exterior. Once you’ve found the panel, turn off the breakers associated with the flooded areas. Next, call a professional electrician to take care of the problem.
Call a Reliable Restoration Company
Plumbing emergencies are common occurrences during the winter months. But even though you may be able to fix most problems yourself, there are times when a professional is needed. If you don’t want to deal with the aftermath of a damaged toilet, sink, or shower, or if you don’t feel comfortable doing the work, calling a qualified restoration company can save you both money and hassle.
Pipe Burst Repair Timeframe
Many different factors can affect how long a burst pipe repair takes. One key factor is how old the pipes are. Older pipes tend to break down faster than newer ones. Another critical factor is where the pipes are located. Buried pipes usually require digging up the ground, which can be very expensive, depending on the project size. Underground pipes also need to be dug up, but no digging is involved once you find the actual pipe.
You have to make sure you know what type of pipe you have, whether it’s copper, steel, plastic, etc., and then do some research to see if you need a permit to work on the pipe. Once you know those things, you can call a professional restoration company to come out and start working on the pipe. The process is much easier if the pipes are above the surface because you don’t have to dig anything up.
The most common types of pipes are PVC, CPVC, PEX, cast iron, galvanized steel, and lead. Each one of these pipes needs to be treated differently. For example, PVC and CPVC pipes cannot be cleaned with soap and water like regular pipes. They must be cleaned with special chemicals. Lead pipes cannot be cleaned at all. Cast iron pipes can be cleaned with warm water and soap. Galvanized steel pipes can be cleaned with soap and hot water, but it’s best to hire someone else to clean them.
Once the pipes are repaired, you want to check them every few months to ensure everything is still intact. This is especially true if you live in an area prone to earthquakes or hurricanes. Contact a restoration contractor immediately if you notice any cracks, leaks, or problems.
Document Damage
Keeping good documentation of everything that happened is essential if you’ve been flooded. This way, you can show the insurance company exactly what you had to deal with during the flood and how much damage occurred. Take pictures and videos of the affected area, and save those images for your records. Send copies of those documents to the insurer along with receipts for any repairs or replacements. You don’t want to miss anything because you forgot something.
Notify Your Homeowners Insurance
The good news is, for many homeowners insurance policies, water-related damage is covered. However, you must ensure that you know what your policy covers. For example, some homeowner policies cover flood damage, while others don’t. You should check with your insurer to determine whether your policy includes water damage coverage. If so, you’ll want to call your insurance provider immediately to report the loss and ask how to proceed.
For instance, if you notice signs of flooding, such as standing water or damaged flooring, you should take photos of the affected areas and submit those images to your insurance carrier along with a written description of the problem. They will likely require a physical inspection of the property to confirm the extent of the damage. In addition, they might request photographs of the inside of your home to verify that no mold growth occurred due to excessive moisture.
What May Not Be Covered
Most standard homeowners insurance policies don’t cover water damage because it typically occurs away from home. However, there are some exceptions. For example, flood damage caused by sewer backups or pipe failures is usually covered by homeowners insurance. But what about sewage backup itself? Or a sump pump failure? What about flooding that happens inside your house? These situations fall into “water damage,” even though they don’t occur in the home.
You might think that having separate policies or add-ons protects you better, but it doesn’t. Most people buy their home insurance from one insurer, and if you want to ensure you’re protected, you need to shop around. You can find out how much different insurers charge for similar types of coverage here.
Call Relion Restoration For Pipe Burst Repair in Denver
If there is a discolored spot on your water, it could mean a problem with your home’s main water line. In addition to being unsightly, this damage can cause serious issues such as low water pressure, leaks, and flooding. Call Relion Restoration to ensure your home remains safe and dry. We provide expert primary water line repair services throughout Denver, Colorado. When you choose us, you’ll receive fast, friendly service, plus 100% guaranteed customer satisfaction.
