Burst pipe repair in Potomac, MD
Water where it shouldn’t be? Close the main valve, then call. We’ll connect you with an independent local plumber who handles burst pipes.
We’re a referral service. The plumber you’re connected with does the repair and sets the price.
Do this first
- Close the main water valve. Usually near the water heater or where the line enters the house.
- Open the lowest tap to drain what’s left in the pipes.
- Stay away from wet outlets and the electrical panel.
- Move valuables and take photos for insurance.
- Call (301) 746-0647.
- Independent Potomac-area plumbers do the work
- No charge from us for the connection
- Residential and commercial calls
- Clear steps while you wait
The first few minutes of a burst pipe
A burst pipe repair in Potomac usually means a licensed plumber finds the failed section, isolates it, replaces it and tests the line. Before they arrive, what you do in the first few minutes decides how much damage there is to repair.
- Shut off the main water valve. It’s typically where the water line enters the house: near the water heater, in a basement or utility room, or in a crawl space. Turn a wheel handle clockwise. Turn a lever so it sits across the pipe. If you can’t find it, or it won’t move, say so when you call. Do not force it.
- Drain the lines. Open the lowest tap in the house, such as a basement sink or an outdoor spigot, so the pipes empty and pressure drops. Flush a toilet or two.
- Think about electricity before you step into water. If water is dripping onto outlets, light fixtures, appliances or the electrical panel, don’t touch them and don’t wade through standing water near them. Switch off power at the breaker only if the panel is dry and you can reach it without stepping in water. If you see sparks, hear buzzing or smell burning, get out and call 911.
- Turn off the water heater. If the main is closed for a long time, the heater shouldn’t keep heating a tank that isn’t being refilled.
- Limit the damage. Move rugs, electronics and furniture out of the wet area. Mop or use towels on hard floors. A wet-dry vacuum is fine for water on the floor, but not for water that is near outlets.
- Take photos and video of the leak and everything it touched before you clean up. Your insurer will ask.
Is it the street, not your house? If water is bubbling up in the street or near the meter, or the whole neighborhood has lost water, call WSSC Water’s emergency line at 301-206-4002. They are responsible for the main and the connection up to your property line.
What happens when you call
We run a referral service, and we try to be plain about how it works so you know what you’re getting.
- You call (301) 746-0647. We ask where you are, what’s happening and whether the water is off.
- We connect you with an independent local plumber. It might be one company or another, depending on who’s available at that moment. They’re separate from us.
- The plumber takes it from there. They confirm whether they can get to your address, give you an arrival estimate, and explain what they’ll do and what it will cost.
- You decide. You’re not obliged to accept anything. If the quote or the timing doesn’t suit you, you can say no.
The plumber does the work, under their own license and insurance, and they set the price. We may receive a fee from the plumbing company when a call is connected. It doesn’t add to what you pay. You can read more on our about page or see the contact page.
Burst pipe services we can connect you with
A burst pipe can mean a lot of different things. A split under the kitchen sink, a frozen line behind a wall, a leak coming through a ceiling, a break in the line from the street, or a pipe in an office. Each calls for a slightly different kind of repair, so we’ve written a page for each. If your pipes froze, start with frozen pipe repair. If water is coming through a ceiling, go to ceiling pipe leak repair. If it’s a business, see commercial burst pipe repair.
Emergency Burst Pipe Repair
A split pipe or blown joint with water actively escaping.
Frozen Pipe Repair
Thawing frozen lines and fixing the splits ice leaves behind.
Main Water Line Repair
The line that carries water from the street into your house.
Wall Pipe Leak Repair
Hidden leaks inside walls: damp drywall, stains, sound of running water.
Ceiling Pipe Leak Repair
Water coming through a ceiling from a pipe above.
Pipe Replacement / Repiping
Replacing worn-out or failing pipe, in part or the whole house.
Commercial Burst Pipe Repair
Offices, retail units and multi-tenant buildings with a burst line.
Which service fits your situation?
| What you’re seeing | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Pipe split or spraying, water out of control | Emergency burst pipe repair |
| No water or a trickle after a hard freeze | Frozen pipe repair |
| Low pressure everywhere, wet patch in the yard, climbing water bill | Main water line repair |
| Damp or stained wall, sound of water, mildew smell | Wall pipe leak repair |
| Water dripping or staining through a ceiling | Ceiling pipe leak repair |
| Repeated leaks, rusty water, old galvanized or polybutylene pipe | Pipe replacement and repiping |
| Office, shop or multi-tenant building | Commercial burst pipe repair |
Why pipes burst in Potomac homes
There’s rarely a single cause, but a few come up again and again.
- Freezing. Maryland winters can drop well below freezing, and pipes in exterior walls, garages and crawl spaces are the first to go. Water expands as it freezes, and the pipe often cracks at the ice plug, then leaks when it thaws.
- Old or corroding pipe. Copper can develop pinholes. Galvanized steel rusts inside and narrows. Polybutylene, installed widely from roughly the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, has a poor failure record.
- High water pressure. Normal household pressure is around 40 to 60 psi. Sustained pressure above 80 psi stresses everything from fittings to water heaters.
- Disturbed or aging underground lines. The line from the street can shift, corrode, or be damaged by digging.
- Failed connectors. Washing machine hoses, toilet supplies and water heater connections cause plenty of floods that people call burst pipes.
WSSC Water has also reported that water main breaks tend to rise when temperatures drop sharply, sometimes a day or two after the cold arrives, and that meters can freeze. A whole-house loss of water during a cold snap may be a utility problem and not a pipe in your house.
Whose pipe is it: yours or WSSC Water’s?
Most of Potomac gets its water from WSSC Water. Responsibility divides at your property line:
| Where the leak is | Who handles it |
|---|---|
| Main in the street, and the connection up to your property line | WSSC Water. Call 301-206-4002 |
| Line from the property line to your house | You. A plumber repairs it, see main water line repair |
| Pipes inside the house or building | You, or in a condo or rental, possibly the association or landlord |
If you aren’t sure which side a leak is on, WSSC’s emergency center can tell you. Some properties in the wider Potomac area use a private well and not public water. If yours does, tell the plumber when you call, because a well system has a pump and pressure tank to deal with too.
What a burst pipe repair costs
We don’t quote prices, because the plumbing company that comes out sets them, and they vary a lot from job to job.
What moves the price
- How easy the break is to reach. An exposed basement pipe is quicker than one behind a finished wall or ceiling.
- How much pipe has to be replaced, and what it is made of.
- Whether the work is during business hours or after hours, on a weekend or in a storm.
- Whether a permit is needed, as with water service line replacement or repiping.
- Whether drywall, flooring and paint repair are included. They often are not.
Ask the plumber for an estimate in writing before work starts, and ask what happens if the job turns out to be bigger once the wall is open. Getting a second opinion is reasonable for a big job like repiping, though in a live emergency you may not have the time.
Questions to ask before you say yes to a plumber
Maryland requires plumbing work to be done by licensed plumbers, and the State Board of Plumbing issues those licenses. In the WSSC Water service area, which includes Montgomery County, WSSC has its own licensing and plumbing code, and certain jobs, including water service line repairs and interior repiping, must be performed by a WSSC-licensed plumber. Whoever you’re connected with, it’s fair to ask:
- Are you licensed, and what’s your license number?
- Are you licensed with WSSC Water for this type of work?
- Are you insured?
- When can you be here, and can you give me an arrival window?
- What will it cost, in writing, and what could change the price?
- Does the repair come with a warranty on the work?
- If a permit is needed, who pulls it?
Licenses, ratings, years in business and similar credentials belong to the individual plumbing companies, not to us. Some of the plumbers you may be connected with have a lot of experience, but we don’t make that claim for any specific company, and you should check what matters to you directly. You can look up a Maryland plumbing license through the Maryland Department of Labor.
Water damage and insurance
The pipe repair is one part of it. Wet drywall, insulation and flooring need to dry out quickly, ideally within a day or two, because moisture left in building materials can support mold. Many homeowners policies cover sudden, accidental water damage from a burst pipe, but they often exclude gradual leaks and the cost of repairing the pipe itself. A few steps help any claim:
- Photograph and film the damage before you clean up.
- Keep the failed part if a plumber replaces it.
- Save every receipt and invoice.
- Call your insurer early and ask what they need before big work starts.
- Ask whether a water-damage restoration company should dry out the area, which is separate from the plumbing.
Neighborhoods in Potomac we take calls for
We take burst pipe calls across Potomac, Maryland. Each neighborhood below has its own page, written around the kinds of problems that tend to matter there, from irrigation lines and long water service lines to townhome shut-offs and wooded-lot storm outages. We don’t have offices in these neighborhoods, and the plumber you speak with will confirm whether they can come to your address.
Questions people ask about burst pipes in Potomac
How fast can a plumber get to my home in Potomac?
Does it cost anything to call you?
Are you a plumbing company?
What should I do before the plumber arrives?
Does homeowners insurance cover a burst pipe?
Is a burst pipe my responsibility or WSSC Water’s?
Can a burst pipe be repaired without replacing all my plumbing?
Do I need a permit for a burst pipe repair?
Do you cover my neighborhood?
Burst pipe? Call now.
Close the main valve, then call. We’ll connect you with an independent local plumber in Potomac, MD.
(301) 746-0647Calls are answered by Burst Pipe Fix Pros, a referral service. The plumbing company you’re connected with sets its own prices and does the work.