Burst Pipe in La Vernia or San Antonio: What to Do First

Your first ten minutes, in this order

1. Stop the supply. An open main keeps feeding the break and soaking drywall, insulation and flooring.
2. On a well, kill the pump. A split in the yard line or the pump house keeps leaking until the pump's breaker is off.
3. Drain what's left. Open the lowest faucet, like a tub spout, and one at the far end of the house, so the pipes empty through the faucets instead of at the crack.
4. Turn off the water heater: the breaker for an electric unit, the Pilot or Off setting for gas or propane.
5. Cut power to wet rooms only if the panel is dry and reachable from a dry floor; otherwise stay out and call an electrician. Keep clear of a sagging ceiling.
6. Photograph everything before cleanup, then call us.

Where to close the water: meter box, house valve or well

At the meter

Homes on a public system usually have a meter in a ground-level box near the street. SAWS asks customers with a significant leak to shut the water off there, and leaks on the line from its meter to your house are yours to repair. Lift the lid slowly, since spiders and ants like those boxes, and close the valve at the meter: the house-side valve if your box has one, otherwise the meter valve, which may need a meter key or wrench. If another supplier serves you, ask which valve you may use.

At the house

Look where the line rises beside the house, or in the garage or by the water heater on newer slab homes. A lever is closed when it sits crosswise to the pipe.

On a private well

Out on acreage in Wilson and Guadalupe counties, water often comes from a private well. Switch the pump off at its breaker, then close the valve on the house side of the pressure tank so the tank's stored water can't keep feeding a break inside the house. An open faucet then drains the house lines. Pump and pressure switch repairs go to a well service company, and we handle the piping from the tank into the house.

Photos and paperwork for your insurance company

The Texas Department of Insurance says coverage for sudden, accidental water damage pays for burst pipes, but freeze damage might not be paid if you didn't protect the pipes, for example by keeping the heat on. Flood insurance doesn't cover burst pipes. Your policy decides, so call your insurer early and follow the department's tips for protecting your property:

• Take photos and video of the damage.
• Make temporary fixes that stop more damage, but no permanent repairs until the adjuster has seen it.
• Save receipts, and keep damaged items until the adjuster says they can go.

Tell your insurer the broken pipe is being repaired so the water can go back on, and keep the cut-out piece for the adjuster.

Where freeze bursts happen around La Vernia and San Antonio

San Antonio's first freeze usually comes around the end of November, and some winters bring only a handful of freezing days, so pipes here are often left without insulation or other freeze protection. During Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, SAWS said none of its own lines broke, and it asked customers to find and shut off leaks on their own property to help restore water pressure. Watch these spots:

• Attics. Lines near the eaves get coldest; a break shows as a brown spot or a bulging ceiling.
• Exterior walls. Lines on an outside wall, especially a north-facing one, can freeze inside a closed sink cabinet.
• Well houses. The riser and tank fittings in a thin-walled shed can split unnoticed until the pump cycles nonstop.
• Exposed lines on acreage. Pipe rising at a barn, stock tank, RV hookup or yard hydrant takes the full wind.
• Hose bibs. A connected garden hose holds water in the faucet, which can split inside the wall and leak there the next time it's opened.

To thaw an intact frozen pipe or prepare for the next cold snap, see frozen pipes and our freeze prep checklist.

What our plumber does at your house

• Confirms the water and any well pump are off, then checks for other breaks, since one cold night often cracks pipe in several places.
• Opens only as much drywall or ceiling as the repair needs.
• Replaces the split length with PEX, copper or CPVC and proper transition fittings.
• Repairs a broken buried line from the meter or well house (see water line repair).
• Restores water slowly and watches the repair under pressure, turning a well pump back on only once the new section holds.
• Brings in leak detection if a damp spot returns, and flags lines worth repiping.

New customers get $50 off, and there's a $0 dispatch fee with a repair; the coupons page lists the terms.

Questions after a pipe bursts

Call us next, at any hour

Once the supply is closed, or if you can't close it, call (830) 475-2604. Our shop is on US-87 in La Vernia, and we answer burst pipe calls from La Vernia, Floresville, Converse and Universal City, east San Antonio and the rest of our service areas.