Shut the water off. If a pipe has burst in your Elmwood Park home, that one action does more than anything else, and our 24/7 line is here the moment the flow has stopped. Keep children and pets out of the wet area. Do not touch anything electrical while standing in water, and do not hunt for a breaker if the panel sits in a flooded room.
Burst pipe repair means cutting out the split section, joining in new pipe and pressure-testing the line before anything is closed up. The method depends on what the pipe is made of, where it ran and how much of it has been damaged.
Stopping the water: shut-off steps in order
Do these in this order
- Close the main valve. Turn a round wheel handle clockwise until it stops. A lever handle closes with a quarter turn, when the handle sits across the pipe.
- Do not force a stuck valve. Old valves can seize or snap. If it will not move, close the shut-off at the water meter, and call us so we can bring a replacement.
- Drain the lines. Open the lowest faucet in the house, then a top-floor faucet, and flush toilets once to empty the pipes and relieve pressure.
- Turn the water heater to its off or pilot setting. An electric tank can burn out its elements if it runs dry. Leave the panel alone unless you can reach it dry.
- Catch and photograph. Towels, buckets and a wet vacuum limit the spread. Take photos before moving anything.
Electrical safety before you wade in
Water and electricity are a bad mix. If water reaches outlets, an appliance that is plugged in or the panel, stay out of the room. Switch off the breaker only if the panel is in a dry spot and you can reach it without stepping in water. If not, call us and your electric utility, and wait outside the wet area.
Finding the shut-off valves in an older house
The median home here was built in 1955, and about 29 percent went up before 1940. Valves from that period are often old gate valves that have not turned in decades. The main usually sits on the basement or utility room wall nearest the street, beside the water meter, where the service pipe enters.
If you cannot find it, check the garage, a crawl space, a closet under the stairs and the mechanical room. The Village meters the water, so a second shut-off often sits near the meter. A curb stop in the street box takes a special key, so ask the Village about it rather than digging.
Once the water is stopped, tag the valve with a bright piece of tape. It saves the next emergency a few minutes.
Why January breaks pipes in this area
Pipes burst when water freezes inside them and expands. The risk is highest in pipes along exterior walls, in unheated garages and in crawl spaces.
January 30, 2019
O'Hare fell to minus 23 degrees Fahrenheit, the coldest reading there in 34 years.
December 23, 2022
A low of minus 8 degrees at O'Hare, cold enough to test any pipe on an exterior wall.
A known local hazard
The Cook County hazard mitigation plan notes frozen pipes in extreme cold, so the problem is one the county plans for.
Thawing a frozen pipe: safe moves and the ones that cause fires
Safe moves
- Open the nearest faucet so melting water has somewhere to go.
- Warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or a heating pad.
- Work from the faucet back toward the frozen spot.
- Watch for drips as it thaws, because it may already be split.
Moves to avoid
- An open flame or torch, which can ignite framing and melt solder.
- A kerosene or propane heater in a closed space.
- Leaving a frozen pipe untouched, hoping it clears itself.
- Pouring boiling water on a plastic pipe.
If the frozen run is inside a wall or under a slab, stop and call. We thaw and repair it, and check the rest of the line for split sections. Frozen pipe repair is part of this service.
Water off, but the pipe is still split?
Call the 24/7 line. Our plumbers will tell you what to leave alone and book the repair.
How the repair differs by pipe material
The same break needs a different fix depending on the pipe.
| Pipe | What a repair looks like | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | Cut out the split, join in new copper with soldered or press fittings | A freeze split can run a foot or more, so we check beyond the visible tear |
| Galvanized steel | Replace the section with new pipe and transition fittings | Corrosion inside leaves nearby pipe thin. If a patch fails, consider repiping |
| PEX | Cut out the damage and join with crimp or expansion fittings | Kinks, sun damage and fittings that were not fully seated |
| PVC or CPVC | Cut and fit a new section with solvent cement, and let it cure before pressure | Brittle old CPVC can crack elsewhere when disturbed |
| Cast iron drain | Replace the cracked piece using no-hub couplings | Rust scale, and a stack that holds weight above it |
What our plumbers do when they arrive
Confirm the water is off
We verify the shut-off, then check the supply side for pressure and the rest of the pipe run.
Open only what is needed
A moisture meter and a thermal camera show where water traveled, so we cut one access opening and not three.
Make the repair
Damaged pipe comes out and new pipe goes in, joined with fittings suited to the material. For a slow hidden leak instead, see leak detection.
Test before closing up
We bring pressure back slowly, watch the joints and check for drips before drywall or insulation goes back.
Water damage in the first day: protecting your claim and your house
After the repair, the water in your walls and floors still needs attention.
Photograph first
Take wide and close photos or a video of the burst, the water line on the walls and each damaged item. Your insurer will want them.
Dry quickly
Fans and a dehumidifier help, and wet insulation or carpet padding should come out. Mold can start within a couple of days.
Keep the evidence
Save the split pipe section if you can, and keep damaged items until the adjuster has looked.
Read your policy
Sudden bursts and slow leaks are often treated differently, so ask your insurer how this one will be handled.
What shapes the cost of a burst pipe repair
Price follows how hard the pipe is to reach, the material and size, how many breaks there are, whether drywall or floor must be opened and whether the repair needs a permit. Whether a permit applies depends on the job, and the Village building department can answer that. You get a clear price before work starts.
Burst pipe questions from Elmwood Park households
Yes. A pipe does not split on a schedule, so our 24/7 line takes these calls at any hour. We will walk you through the shut-off and tell you whether a same-day appointment is open.
Close the main valve, then open the lowest faucet to drain the lines. If the main will not turn, close the meter shut-off. The steps above walk through it.
Yes. We find where the water is escaping, open the smallest access we can and repair the pipe. A line buried in the yard is covered under water line repair.
That depends on your policy. Take photos before you clean up, keep damaged items and call your insurer early. We can describe the repair we made, and the insurer decides coverage.
Many survive a slow thaw, and some split where ice formed. Open a faucet before thawing and watch for leaks as the ice melts.
Water expands as it freezes, and a pipe in an exterior wall, an unheated garage or a crawl space can freeze fast. Older pipes with thin walls fail first.
Do not force it. Close the valve at the meter instead and call us. A seized main valve usually needs replacing, which we can do during the repair.
Standards and sources: Work in Illinois follows the Illinois Plumbing Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 890), and the Village of Elmwood Park building department applies those minimum standards locally. Cold-weather facts come from the National Weather Service Chicago office, which recorded minus 23 F at O'Hare on January 30, 2019.