A burst pipe is a plumbing emergency from the first minute. Find the main water shutoff, turn it clockwise until it stops, and open the lowest faucet in the house to drain what is left in the lines. Then call (215) 714-6692 so a plumber can be dispatched while you deal with the water.
If water is near an outlet, a lit pilot light or a breaker panel, stay away from it and leave the power alone. Call the line from a dry spot. We will tell you what can wait until the plumber arrives and what cannot.
When a burst pipe is an emergency: your first ten minutes
Every burst is different, but the first ten minutes follow the same order in almost every Abington house.
Shut off the main
Most homes here have the main valve where the water line enters the basement wall, usually near the meter. If the valve will not turn, say so on the phone, because that changes how the plumber plans the job.
Open the lowest tap
A basement utility sink or an outdoor spigot drains the pipes faster and takes pressure off the break. Leave it open until the plumber says otherwise.
Keep power away from water
If water is dripping toward a panel, a ceiling light or a floor outlet, do not touch them. Switch off the breaker only if you can reach it without stepping through water.
Protect what you can
Lift rugs, move electronics and pull furniture off wet floors. Photograph the damage before you clean up, since your insurer will ask for it.
Turn off the water heater
If the broken pipe is on the hot side or the tank is draining, switch off the heater at the gas control or breaker so it does not run dry.
Call and stay reachable
Give the dispatcher your address, where the water is coming from and a number that will pick up. A short clear description lets the right plumber arrive with the right parts.
Why pipes fail in Abington homes
The median home in Abington Township was built in 1956, and about 61 percent of the 23,232 homes in the township predate 1960, according to Census American Community Survey estimates for 2020 to 2024. Houses that age often carry galvanized steel supply pipe, early copper with soldered joints, or a mix of both from decades of repairs. Galvanized pipe rusts from the inside, so it can look fine on the outside and still split at a threaded joint.
Winter adds a second cause. NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals put the average last spring freeze near April 4 and the first fall freeze near November 7 at the Philadelphia Northeast Airport station. Pipes in unheated garages, crawl spaces and exterior walls face roughly five months of freezing risk.
A frozen pipe does not usually burst where the ice is. It splits where pressure builds between the ice plug and a closed faucet, and the water arrives when the pipe thaws. Homes in Glenside and the older streets around Jenkintown share this housing vintage, so the same advice applies there.
If your house sits in one of the older sections, such as Roslyn, Rydal, Meadowbrook or Ardsley, ask the plumber what material is on either side of the repair. A clean fix on one section can hide a pipe of the same age that will fail next. That conversation is part of a good repiping assessment, and it is worth having before you pay for a second emergency visit.
Signs a pipe has already split
A wet spot that keeps spreading
A ceiling stain or damp patch of drywall that grows over a few hours points to a pressurized leak above it, not a one-time spill.
Water running when everything is off
If the meter dial keeps turning with every fixture closed, water is going somewhere. See the leak detection page for how to read the meter.
A sudden drop in pressure
Weak flow at every tap, or a gurgling sound after a cold night, often means a split on the supply side.
Warm spots on the floor
A warm patch under a bathroom or hallway floor can mean a hot water line is leaking under the surface.
Rust-colored or cloudy water
Discoloration after a pressure drop can mean sediment has been stirred up by a failing section of older pipe.
A hissing or dripping sound in a wall
A steady hiss behind drywall is a pressurized line. A single slow drip may be a joint, but it should still be checked quickly.
Water on the floor right now?
Shut off the main, then call. A dispatcher is on the line at any hour.
How the break gets found without opening every wall
The plumber we send will usually begin with the simplest evidence: the meter, the shutoff and the pressure at a hose bib. If the main is closed and the meter still moves, the leak is between the meter and the house. If the meter stops, the leak is inside, and the search narrows to the wet area.
From there the usual tools are a moisture meter, a thermal camera that shows temperature differences behind drywall, and a pressure test on an isolated section of line. Acoustic listening equipment helps with slab and buried lines. The goal is one small access hole in the right place rather than a wall opened at random.
Once the break is exposed, the plumber will show you the damaged section and explain the options before any cutting begins. Photos of the failed pipe are useful for your insurer and for your own records.
Repair options after a burst
The right fix depends on what failed and what the pipe around it looks like. These are the common paths.
| What the plumber finds | Usual repair | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| A single split in sound copper | Cut out the damaged section and sweat in a new piece with couplings | Fast and permanent, as long as the neighboring pipe is healthy |
| A frost split in a short run | Replace the run with new copper or PEX and insulate it | Insulation or relocation is what keeps it from happening again |
| Galvanized pipe corroded at the joint | Replace the failed section, or the whole branch | Patching one joint often leads to another failure within a short time |
| Several leaks along one line | Replace the line with a new run, see repiping | Higher cost today, fewer emergency calls later |
| Break on the line from the street | Repair or replace the customer-owned portion, see water service line repair | Ownership is split with the water utility, so the break location matters |
Permit rules vary by repair, so the plumber will confirm with Abington Township's Community Development office, which administers the plumbing ordinance.
What decides the price of a burst pipe repair
Every burst is different, so a fair price depends on a few things the plumber can only see on site. You get a clear price before work starts, and the factors below are what move it.
Most homeowner policies cover sudden, accidental water damage but not gradual leaks, so photograph everything and call your insurer early. Want your real number? Call (215) 714-6692.
Call for your priceWhat you can do yourself and what to leave to a plumber
Safe to do while you wait
- Close the main water valve
- Open the lowest faucet to drain the lines
- Move belongings out of the water
- Take photos for the insurer
- Mop standing water away from outlets
Leave to a licensed plumber
- Cutting out or replacing pipe
- Soldering or pressing new fittings
- Working on a gas-fired water heater
- Anything involving the main line from the street
- Deciding whether a line needs full replacement
Who owns the pipe from the street?
Aqua Pennsylvania supplies public water to most of Abington Township. Aqua's published guidance says the company owns the line from its main to the curb, and the customer owns and maintains the portion from the curb stop to the building. If the break is outside, finding which side of the curb stop it sits on decides who fixes it. Aqua's customer service line is 877-987-2782 for questions about its side.
Burst pipe questions from Abington homeowners
Yes. The dispatch line is open 24 hours a day, every day, including holidays. Call, describe where the water is coming from and give your address. We will tell you how to shut it off while a plumber is sent.
In most homes it is on the basement wall nearest the street, close to the water meter. Slab homes may have it in a utility closet or a crawl space. It is usually a round handwheel or a lever. Turn a handwheel clockwise or a lever a quarter turn.
Many policies cover sudden and accidental damage from a burst pipe but exclude gradual leaks and maintenance problems. Policies differ, so read yours or call your insurer. Take photos before cleanup and keep the failed section of pipe if the plumber offers it.
Arrival depends on the plumber's location and the calls ahead of you, so we do not promise a time. We can tell you when you call whether same-day service is available and keep you posted if anything changes.
Sometimes. If the pipe thawed without splitting, the plumber may only need to insulate it and reroute the cold air that reached it. If the pipe split, that section has to be replaced. A split often shows only when the ice melts.
Not always. A burst inside the house is a plumbing repair. A break on the line between the curb stop and the house is the homeowner's responsibility under Aqua Pennsylvania's guidance, while the section from the main to the curb belongs to the utility.
Permit rules vary by the kind of repair. Plumbing permit applications in the township come from a master plumber registered with the township, and the plumber can confirm with Community Development, which administers the plumbing ordinance.