Do these first, in this order
- Turn the water off at the stopcock. In most houses it is under the kitchen sink, or wherever the mains enters — a downstairs cloakroom, a utility, sometimes under the stairs. Turn it clockwise to close.
- Open the cold taps, starting downstairs. This drains the pipework and takes the pressure off the burst.
- If the water is anywhere near electrics — coming through a ceiling, near sockets, near a consumer unit — turn the electricity off at the consumer unit. Do not touch anything electrical while standing in water.
- Turn the heating off if the leak is coming from the heating system rather than the mains.
- Contain and protect. Buckets and towels under it, and move anything that matters out of the way — particularly anything below the leak on a lower floor.
- Then call an engineer, and ring your insurer. Escape of water is one of the most common household claims and is covered by most buildings policies.
Find your stopcock before you need it
The single most useful thing in this whole guide: go and find your internal stopcock now, while nothing is wrong, and check that it actually turns. Stopcocks that have not been moved in fifteen years seize, and discovering that with water coming through the ceiling is not the moment.
If it will not turn, an engineer can replace it as a small planned job. There is usually also an external stop valve at the boundary, under a small cover in the path or pavement, which the water company can operate.
What usually causes them
- Freezing — water expands as it freezes and splits the pipe, though the leak often only appears when it thaws
- Corrosion and age, particularly on older steel or early copper runs
- Physical damage, most often a nail or screw through a pipe during other work
- Pressure or water hammer on poorly supported pipework
Make safe now, repair properly after
Be clear with whoever attends about which you need. Making it safe stops the water and limits the damage. The full repair — and any drying, replastering or reflooring — is a separate job, often one your insurer will want involved in. They are different pieces of work at different prices, and saying which you want up front avoids an awkward conversation later.
Common questions
Where is my stopcock?
Most commonly under the kitchen sink, otherwise wherever the mains pipe enters the property — a utility room, downstairs cloakroom or under the stairs. There is usually a second external one at the boundary under a small cover.
Does insurance cover a burst pipe?
Escape of water is covered by most buildings policies, and it is one of the most common claims made. Cover for the failed pipe itself versus the damage it caused varies, so ring your insurer early — they often want to appoint their own contractors for the drying and making good.
Should I wait for an engineer before turning the water off?
No. Turn it off immediately. Everything else can wait; water running for another twenty minutes cannot be undone.
Related guides
Your boiler stops every time it gets cold — here is why Blocked drains: what you can try, and when to call someone Why does my boiler keep losing pressure?
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