Burst Pipe Emergency in St. Louis
Frozen pipes in St. Louis? We stop the water fast.
Burst Pipe & Frozen Plumbing Emergency Services
St. Louis winters are notoriously unpredictable. We can go from 50 degrees one day to 5 below zero the next. This rapid freeze is brutal on plumbing. A burst pipe isn’t a “drip”, it is a full-pressure geyser inside your wall, capable of dumping hundreds of gallons of water into your home in minutes.
If you are reading this while hearing rushing water, shut off your main water valve immediately. Then call us.
We are local St. Louisans. We know exactly which neighborhoods (like Soulard and Lafayette Square) are prone to freezing due to old brick construction and poor insulation. We get there fast to minimize the ruin.
Why Pipes Burst in St. Louis: The Physics of Freezing
When water freezes, it expands by about 9%. That doesn’t sound like much, but inside a copper or CPVC pipe, that expansion creates thousands of pounds of pressure per square inch.
- The “Ice Blockage”: The ice itself usually forms a blockage.
- The Rupture: The pressure builds up behind the blockage (between the ice and the faucet) until the pipe literally splits open.
- The Thaw: The dangerous part is that you often don’t know it happened until the weather warms up. The ice melts, and suddenly the water flows freely through the crack.
Our Emergency Response Protocol
1. Water Extraction & Stabilization
If the water is still running, we help you locate the shut-off. Once the flow stops, we immediately begin extracting the standing water. Speed is vital here to save your floors.
2. Assessing Hidden Damage
A burst pipe often happens inside a wall cavity or ceiling. Water sprays onto the insulation and runs down the studs, often pooling in places you can’t see. We use thermal imaging to trace the path of the water down the wall and across the ceiling to ensure we catch as much as possible.
3. Accessing the Pipe
We work with you (or your plumber) to open up the wall carefully. Unlike “demolition crews,” we try to make surgical cuts to access the broken pipe and remove the wet insulation, preserving as much of your drywall and cabinetry as possible.
4. Structural Drying
We place air movers inside the wall cavities (using positive pressure systems) to dry the studs and the backside of the remaining drywall. This prevents mold from growing inside your walls later.
5. Plumber Coordination
We are restoration experts, but we work hand-in-hand with licensed plumbers. We clear the way for them to fix the pipe quickly, and once they verify the repair holds, we finish the drying process.
Things to Know About Frozen Pipes
- Know your Main Shut-off. Do not wait for an emergency. Find your main water shut-off valve (usually in the basement near the street side) today. Tag it. Make sure everyone in the house knows where it is.
- Don’t use a blowtorch. If you find a frozen pipe, never try to thaw it with an open flame. You risk setting your wall insulation on fire. Use a hair dryer or a heat gun on low setting instead.
- Leave the faucet dripping. On extremely cold nights (below 20°F), leave the faucet furthest from the water source dripping slightly. Moving water is much harder to freeze.
- Open cabinet doors. If you have pipes on an exterior wall (like a kitchen sink), open the cabinet doors to let the home’s warm air circulate around the pipes.
- Insurance usually covers this. Sudden and accidental discharge of water from a plumbing system is a standard covered peril in most homeowner policies. We can help you document the split pipe (don’t throw it away!) as proof for your adjuster.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Top Rated Emergency Response
“A pipe burst in our kitchen at 2 AM. They answered immediately and were here within the hour. Incredible service.”
We Bring the Calm
A burst pipe feels like chaos. Water is everywhere, alarms might be going off, and you’re worried about the cost. Take a deep breath. We handle this every winter. We will get the water out, get the structure dry, and help you put your home back together.
Don't Wait. Damage Gets Worse with Time.
Water and moisture can cause mold growth in as little as 24 hours. Call us now for immediate dispatch.
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Service Area:
St. Louis, Chesterfield, St. Charles, Florissant, and surrounding counties.