What To Do If A Pipe Bursts

A burst pipe can put hundreds of gallons of water into a house in a short time, and every minute before the water is shut off makes the damage worse. On the Coast it most often happens during a rare hard freeze, but a failed fitting, a worn supply line or a nail through a pipe can do it any day of the year. Know the steps now, and keep (228) 206-8769 handy so our team can take over the moment the water is off.

Step by step instructions to limit the damage

1. Close the main water shut-off. Inside, it is often in a utility room, garage or near the water heater. Outside, it is at the meter box near the street, or where the supply pipe comes up from the ground on a raised home.
2. If water is near outlets, appliances or the electrical panel, switch off power to that area at the breaker, but only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
3. Open the lowest cold tap in the house to drain the lines, and turn off the water heater's power or gas.
4. Move furniture, rugs and valuables out of the water, and mop or vacuum what you can.
5. Take photos for your insurance claim.
6. Call (228) 206-8769 today and let our team know the pipe has burst. Our plumbers will ensure the repair is handled by professionals and completed properly.

Why pipes burst in Gulfport

Most Gulfport burst pipes come from cold. Hard freezes are rare here, which is exactly why homes are not built for them: pipes run through exterior walls, attics and garages, and Gulfport required homes rebuilt after Katrina to sit higher, so many are raised with supply lines exposed to the wind underneath. Our team knows how that plays out: in January 2025, when Gulfport-Biloxi International hit 7 degrees, local plumbers reported that raised homes with exposed plumbing were at the greatest risk, and one homeowner's insulated laundry-room pipe still froze and split at a fitting. The rest of the year, bursts come from worn supply hoses, old fittings and physical damage.

Before the next freeze

• Insulate pipes in exterior walls, attics, garages and under raised floors, and wrap outdoor lines.
• Disconnect garden hoses and cover outdoor hose bibs.
• On freeze nights, a local plumber's advice is to let hot and cold run together in a thin stream about the size of a pencil, since running water rarely freezes.
• Open cabinet doors on exterior walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
• Find and test your main shut-off now, so you are not searching for it in the dark.

For help finding the valve, read how to find your water shut-off.