Burst Pipe Repair Services in Sterling & Alexandria

Cardinal Plumbing, Heating & Air Inc. also serves Reston & all of Northern Virginia. Find reliable burst pipe repair when you call us at 703-721-8888 today. Minimize the damage and stop the water flow fast with our expert service. Plumbing emergencies like burst pipes are not to be taken lightly, so take action as soon as you notice a problem. A burst pipe has a way of stopping you dead in your tracks and making you completely forget about whatever it is you were doing. As the water gushes into your living space, your adrenaline will be pumping away and you’ll be scrambling around trying to find a plumber to come and help. The key is to take the right steps and get the situation controlled quickly, so you can minimize the water damage to your home. There are a few reasons a burst pipe happens. Getting to the root cause of a flooding bathroom, kitchen or laundry room may not feel like priority number one, but it definitely needs to be part of the process. Once the water is turned off and the major leak is stopped, a plumber in Sterling or Alexandria can get in there and investigate. What causes pipe leaks or flooding in your home? Pipe bursts may be caused by temperature swings (pipes expanding and contracting too fast), infiltrating tree roots, a buildup of hard water or good ole’ old age. With any of these, you need a seriously qualified plumber to take care of the issue. Water damage adds up fast and can cause a ton of related costs. Don’t take a hit: take care of the main problem and make the right investment in plumbing that works.

We get that all of this is a pain and that’s why you hire the pros! At Cardinal, every team member we have is hired, trained, skilled and completely equipped to do the job. We are your burst pipe repair specialists, serving Sterling and Alexandria homeowners with care. No need to panic-Google “plumber near me”: we’ve got your back.

What Should I Do First?

Once you realize that a pipe has burst in your home or at your workplace, the first thing you should do is try to stop the flow of water. This isn’t always possible, but most of the time if you shut off the main water valve, you can limit the damage to what’s already been done. Next, get on the phone to a plumber that offers burst pipe services and let them take charge of the situation.

Finding a Good Plumber for Emergencies

When you’re looking for a good plumber to take care of your burst pipe, you might find that you’ve wasted valuable time that could have been spent making repairs and cleaning up. One way to remedy this is to search for the plumber when you don’t actually have an emergency. If you keep the number handy, you’ll know exactly which number to dial if you have a burst pipe, and you won’t have to scramble around trying to figure it out.

How a Burst Pipe Can Ruin Your Health

If you try to repair and clean up your burst pipe mess on your own, you run the risk of attracting mold and bacteria, especially if there is standing water inside the house. Well-intentioned homeowners can end up creating a toxic environment, and the longer the situation goes unresolved, the higher the likelihood that a potentially harmful environment is created. There’s really no time to waste when you have a burst pipe in your home or business. The longer you wait to call for help, the worse it’s going to get, so fast action is critical. Call Cardinal Plumbing, Heating & Air Inc. at 703-721-8888 and we will send someone over from our Sterling or Alexandria headquarters right away.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to repair a burst pipe?

If you have a burst pipe, you need an emergency plumbing repair. Typically, a burst pipe takes two or three hours to repair. The timeline depends on several factors, including the extent of the damage, the location of the damage, and the skill of the plumber. If you have a burst pipe in an area that’s difficult to access, the repair could take longer. For example, a burst sewer line could require digging a trench to access the pipe. In this case, you might need more than a few hours for the repair to take place.
It’s also worth noting that you may need to take other measures to address water damage from the burst pipe. If you don’t dry up all the water, you could develop mold. Because mold is hazardous to your health and costly to eliminate, you should do your best to completely dry the area and to repair any structural damage that occurred.

What causes a pipe to burst?

There are several common causes of burst pipes. By far, the most discussed reason for this is freezing. If you don’t run your water and there’s a cold snap, the frozen water in your plumbing could lead to a break. However, this isn’t the only reason you might have a burst pipe. Other causes of bursting pipes include tree roots, clogs, corrosion, and shifting soil. Sadly, some of these issues are beyond your control. Although you can take measures to prevent clogs, there’s only so much you can do to keep soil from shifting or to keep tree roots away.
One of the best ways to prevent a burst pipe is to receive plumbing maintenance. If you have a plumber who inspects your plumbing system, you can trust that they’ll find any issues. They might catch tree roots just as they penetrate the pipe or spot and remove a blockage before it leads to a burst pipe.

At what temperature will pipes burst?

Everyone knows that water freezes at 32 degrees. But that doesn’t mean that your pipes will burst at the same temperature. The temperature of the air isn’t the same temperature as the interior of your plumbing. For instance, it might be 32 degrees outside but 60 degrees in an insulated pipe.
As a general rule, pipes are in danger when the temperature drops to 20 degrees or less. However, this isn’t a hard and fast rule. If you insulate your pipes and are running water, then you might not need to worry about burst pipes at 20 degrees. On the other hand, of might be 30 degrees outside, and your plumbing could be in danger if no one is home or if you have no insulation. The best way to keep your pipes from freezing isn’t to monitor the temperature. Instead, you should do things like insulating your pipes and keeping your home at a warm temperature.