How to Fix a Burst Pipe (Step-by-Step Emergency Guide)

Quick answer

Do this immediately:

1. Turn off the main water valve at the meter
2. Turn off the geyser at the DB board (so the element doesn't burn out)
3. Open the lowest cold tap (usually the garden tap) to drain remaining pressure
4. Open hot taps too if the leak is on a hot line
5. Catch dripping water in buckets, mop up standing water
6. Call an emergency plumber

For a small pinhole leak you can apply a temporary patch yourself. For anything bigger, get a plumber.

Where to find your main valve

Try in this order:

• Under the kitchen sink at the back
• In the garage near the geyser breaker
• In a service hatch near the front door
• At the water meter at the property boundary — lift the round concrete cover

If you've never located yours, do it now — write it on a label on the inside of a cupboard.

Drain the system

After shutting off the main:

1. Open the lowest cold tap (garden tap or downstairs basin)
2. Open all hot taps to drain the geyser-side
3. Flush a toilet to empty the cistern
4. Wait 2–3 minutes — pressure should be gone

This is what stops the leak from continuing while you wait for a plumber.

Temporary patches for small leaks

Pinhole leak on a copper pipe

• Dry the pipe thoroughly with a cloth and hairdryer
• Wrap with self-amalgamating tape (Builders, R80–R120) — stretch as you wrap
• Cover with regular duct tape for extra hold
• This will hold for 24–72 hours until a plumber arrives

Slip-joint repair clamp

• A R150 rubber-and-metal clamp at a plumbing merchant
• Fits over the leak, bolts tighten to seal
• Good temporary fix for a day or two
• NOT a permanent repair

Push-fit coupling (semi-permanent)

• For a clean break on a 15mm or 22mm pipe
• Cut out the damaged section with a pipe cutter
• Push-fit coupling clips on with no tools
• Lasts years but a plumber should still verify

What a plumber will do

For a proper repair, a plumber will:

1. Isolate the section
2. Cut out the damaged pipe
3. Solder or push-fit a new section in
4. Pressure-test (run the system at 600kPa for 30 minutes to check no other leaks)
5. Restore water

Time: 1–3 hours depending on access. Cost: R900–R2,500 in normal hours, R1,500–R3,500 after hours.

Don't forget the secondary damage

After a burst pipe:

• Lift saturated carpets within hours or they will mould
• Drill weep holes in waterlogged ceilings (with a bucket underneath) to drain them before they collapse
• Run a dehumidifier or fans in the affected room for 3–5 days
• Photograph everything for the insurance claim
• Don't switch on anything electrical in the affected area until checked

Insurance claim

Most household insurance covers burst-pipe damage. Important:

• Claim immediately (some insurers have a 30-day notification limit)
• Get the plumber's invoice with cause of leak noted
• Keep all damaged items until the assessor has seen them
• Get the plumber to issue a Certificate of Compliance afterwards if requested

How to prevent burst pipes

• Insulate exposed pipes before winter (foam lagging, R25/m at Builders)
• Drain garden taps and outside hose lines before the first frost
• Don't park heavy vehicles over shallow buried service lines
• Service the geyser pressure valve every 5 years — most "burst geysers" are actually failed valves

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