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Water running from a pipe outlet onto the ground
Water running where it should not.

Home service

Aisle 5 · Emergencies

Burst pipes, cut out and rejoined

When a pipe splits, the clock is the water meter. Close the main, then call. We will handle the cutting and soldering.

  • We start at the shut-off valve and the open wall
  • On the van: moisture meter and thermal camera
  • You see the broken part before you hear a number
  • Every fixture on the run tested before we leave
Call nowTalk to a plumber(365) 990-1521
  • Licensed and insured (details on the call)
  • Price agreed before work starts
  • North York and next door

Do this right now

  1. Head for the main valve, which in most houses hangs next to the water meter, basement level, facing the road.
  2. Crank it right until it bottoms out. If it is stuck, tell us when you call.
  3. Open the lowest cold tap so the line drains down.
  4. Turn off breakers to any wet area if you can do it from a dry spot.
  5. Move belongings and take photos.

What splits pipes in these houses

Frozen pipe in an exterior wall is the top reason in a Toronto winter. Copper and PEX lines run in outside walls of bungalow kitchens, or under bay windows, freeze when the temperature drops and the cabinet doors stay shut. The split often happens a few feet away from the ice plug, where pressure builds. Pinhole leaks in old copper and failed fittings on washing machine hoses are the other common causes.

Frozen pipe in an exterior wall is the top reason in a Toronto winter. Copper and PEX lines run in outside walls of bungalow kitchens, or under bay windows, freeze when the temperature drops and the cabinet doors stay shut.

From the counter

How we repair it

The plumber opens enough drywall or ceiling to see the damage. We cut back to sound pipe on both sides, then join in a new section using soldered copper, push-fit fittings or PEX crimps, depending on the pipe and access. If the pipe froze, we check the rest of that run for bulges and other splits before restoring water.

  • Split copper replaced with new type L copper
  • Failed fittings and old compression joints rebuilt
  • Line rerouted away from the cold wall where practical
  • Pipe insulation added in vulnerable runs
Insurance note: keep the cut-out piece of pipe. Adjusters sometimes want to see it.

After the leak

Water in a wall cavity needs to dry. Wet insulation and drywall should be removed. We point out what got wet so your restoration company or insurer knows where to look.

Questions

The main valve is frozen solid. Now what?

Leave the cheater bar in the garage; the stem can break off. Toronto Water can close the curb stop out front in an emergency through 311.

Can a burst pipe be temporarily patched?

A bolted repair clamp buys a little time. We prefer a permanent repair the same visit wherever possible.

How the job runs

  1. You callDescribe what is dripping, backing up or cold, and the cross streets.
  2. We ask questionsAge of the building, pipe type if you know it, where the shut-off is.
  3. We open it upTrap off, clean-out open or wall cut: find the actual fault before quoting the fix.
  4. We test itOpen each tap on that run, watch the joints dry and show you what came out.