The first ten minutes
Shut off the main
Turn the main valve clockwise until it stops. Open a low faucet to drain the lines.
Cut power if water is near electricity
Switch off the breakers for wet rooms only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
Get people and pets out of the water
Standing water near outlets and appliances is a shock risk.
Call a plumber and take photos
Photograph and film before you move anything.
If you cannot turn the main valve, the meter box may have a curb stop that takes a special key. Tell your plumber on the phone and they can guide you. Our burst pipe repair page explains what we do on arrival.
Where the main shutoff usually is
| Home type | Common location | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Postwar tract home | Front of the house near the hose bib, or the garage wall | A round wheel or a lever on a pipe entering the house |
| Slab home | Near the water heater or on an exterior wall | A valve where the line enters |
| Hillside home | At the street or lower level | May be farther from the house |
| Condo | Inside the unit or at a building valve | Ask the building manager |
Test the valve once a year. A valve that has not been turned in a decade may be stuck, and you want to know that before the emergency.
What causes a burst in our climate
Winter freezing is rare here, so bursts are usually from corrosion, high pressure, failed fittings or damage during other work. Old galvanized steel thins inside, then fails at a weak spot. A pressure regulator that has failed lets street pressure push on your pipes. Our repiping page explains when widespread corrosion calls for a larger fix.
Protecting your insurance claim
- Photograph and film the damage before cleanup.
- Keep damaged items until the adjuster has seen them.
- Save receipts for emergency repairs and drying.
- Write down times: when you found it, when you shut off the water and when you called.
- Ask your insurer what documentation they want.
Policies often cover sudden water damage but not the pipe itself. Ask your insurer promptly, since policies set different deadlines.
Drying out
Wet drywall, insulation and carpet can grow mold within a couple of days. A restoration company handles extraction, drying and monitoring. We handle the plumbing, and we tell you what we see so your restoration crew knows where moisture is likely.
After the repair
Ask why it failed
A one-off failure and a worn system need different responses.
Check the pressure
A regulator that is failing will cause more bursts.
Inspect nearby pipes
Similar pipe from the same era may be near the end of life.
Know your shutoffs
Tag them so anyone in the house can find them.
Build a shutoff plan before you need one
- Find the main valve and turn it once to confirm it moves.
- Find the shutoff under each sink and behind each toilet.
- Find the shutoff on the water heater's cold supply line.
- Label them with a tag, and tell everyone in the house where they are.
- Keep a flashlight, towels and the 24/7 number in one place.
A fifteen minute walk-through once a year is cheap insurance. Families who have done it can usually stop a burst in under a minute, which is often the difference between a wet floor and a wet floor with ruined drywall.
Standards for the repair that follows
Once the water is off, the repair uses pipe and fittings approved for drinking water under the California Plumbing Code, which is based on the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC). A repair should be pressure tested before any wall is closed, and the plumber should tell you the test result.
If your insurer asks, the invoice and the test note are the documents that show the repair met the standard.
Pleasant Hill: your provider and the line
Contra Costa Water District serves part of Pleasant Hill, and other providers serve other addresses. Your bill names yours. The pipe from your meter to the house is generally the owner's responsibility, while the utility maintains its side of the meter. If water is flowing before the meter, call your provider.
If the burst is at a fixture or in the house, call a plumber. If the water is coming from the street, call the provider.
For neighbors, see the Concord page and the Martinez page.
Local questions
Commonly near the water meter, on the front of the house or in the garage. Locate it before an emergency.
Call a plumber and tell them. The meter box may have a curb stop that needs a special key.
Only if you can reach the panel safely without standing in water.
Policies often cover resulting water damage. Call your insurer and document everything.
Within a day or two to limit mold growth.
Still have a question about your situation? Call (855) 575-2890 any hour and describe what you are seeing.