Imagine this: It’s a classic Edmonton winter night. The temperature has plunged to that bone-chilling range that only YEG knows, and you’re cozy inside, binge-watching something forgettable. Then, the silence is shattered by a sound you’ll never forget: a sudden, violent WHOOSH followed by the panicked realization that you’ve created a new, unintentional indoor water park.
A burst pipe in Edmonton is more than a mild inconvenience; it’s a structural threat and a financial headache wrapped in a watery disaster movie. Our deep freeze climate is a notorious enemy of home plumbing, turning a small crack into a major flood faster than you can say, “I should have read that Frozen Pipes article earlier!” (Don’t worry, we’ll link it for you later.)
When the unthinkable happens—and if you own a home in this city, it’s a matter of when, not if—panic is natural. But panic doesn’t stop water. Action does.
As your trusted Edmonton plumber and gasfitting experts, we at EVCO have seen it all. We’ve compiled the only guide you need for the critical first 15 minutes of a plumbing emergency.
Here is your fun-yet-deadly-serious 6-Step Emergency Plumbing Guide to save your home (and your sanity) when a pipe decides to quit on you.
The Critical First 15 Minutes: Your 6-Step Battle Plan
The goal of this sequence is simple: Stop the water, minimize the damage, and get professional help on the way. Every second you save in this phase can translate to thousands of dollars saved in water damage restoration.
Step 1: Locate and Shut Off the Water Main (The Nuclear Option)
This is the single most important action you can take. If water is gushing, you need to kill the main supply immediately. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
- Where is it? In most Edmonton residential plumbing systems, your main shut-off valve is located in the basement or utility room, usually near your water meter, on the wall facing the street. It’s the first valve on the pipe that comes into your house.
- What does it look like? It’s typically a ball valve (a lever handle that is a quarter-turn) or a gate valve (a round handle you must turn many times).
- Ball Valve: Turn the handle
so it is perpendicular (at a right angle) to the pipe. Quick and easy.
- Gate Valve: Turn the wheel-like handle clockwise until it is tight. This takes a lot longer, so don’t stop turning!
- Ball Valve: Turn the handle
- A Crucial Tip: If you’ve never done this, take a minute right now (after you finish reading this post) to locate and test this valve. It will save you precious, frantic minutes when the water is running.
Here is a photo of one we recently installed.
Fun Fact/Not-So-Fun-Fact: If you can’t get your home’s main valve to turn, you may need to call EPCOR to shut the water off at the Curb Cock (CC) valve, which is located underground near your property line (usually in the driveway or front lawn). This is an absolute last resort, as it takes time and they usually charge for the service. Knowing how your home’s interior valve works is your first line of defence!
Step 2: Shut Off the Power (Avoid a Shocking Sequel)
Water and electricity are a truly terrifying combination. If the burst pipe is near any electrical appliances, outlets, or your electrical panel (breaker box), you need to shut off the power to the affected area before wading in.
- Safety First: Do not touch the breaker box if you are standing in water. Your life is not worth saving a
ceiling fixture.
- How to Do It: Find your main electrical panel. If the flood is localized (e.g., a burst pipe under the kitchen sink), shut off the breaker for that specific area. If the flooding is extensive in the basement, shut off the main power breaker for the entire house.
Step 3: Assess and Relieve Water Pressure (The Slow-Mo Fix)
Once the main valve is off, the water flow should stop or dramatically slow down, but there’s still residual water pressure in the lines. To help drain the system and prevent more weeping, you need to open taps.
- Open the Lowest Tap: Go to the lowest point in your home which usually a basement utility sink or perhaps an outdoor tap (but maybe not in January!) and turn on the cold water faucet to drain the system.
- Open the Highest Tap: Go to an upper-level sink and open the cold water faucet. This lets air into the system, helping the remaining water drain faster and relieving any trapped pressure.
Step 4: Document the Disaster and Start Containment (Bucket Brigade Time)
With the flow stopped or contained, your next job is damage control. You need to start clean-up, but also think like an insurance adjuster.
- Document Everything: Take videos and photos of the burst pipe, the flood area, and any damaged items before you start the full cleanup. This is crucial for your insurance claim.
- Containment: Get every bucket, pot, and giant soup container you own. Soak up water with towels. Use a wet/dry vacuum if you have one. The less water sits on your drywall, floors, and furniture, the less secondary damage (like mold) you’ll face.
- Ventilation: If it’s safe and warm to do so, open windows to let moisture out. If it’s
-40º outside, just get some fans running to circulate air.
Step 5: Call Your Emergency Plumber in Edmonton (That’s Us!)
Now that you’ve done the heroic work of stopping the flood, it’s time to call the professionals who are equipped to handle the pipe repair and restoration. This is where we come in.
- What to Tell Us: When you call, be ready with the key details:
- “The water is off.” (Best news we can get!)
- Where the pipe burst (e.g., “Basement ceiling near the furnace,” “Wall behind the washing machine”).
- If the pipe was visibly frozen (a major cause of a burst pipe in Edmonton).
- Why EVCO? As licensed Edmonton plumbers, we arrive with the tools to properly diagnose the cause, cut out the damaged section, and install durable, modern piping (likely PEX or Copper) to prevent a repeat. We also specialize in the full range of residential plumbing edmonton services, meaning we can handle the initial pipe fix and any associated fixture or appliance issues.
Step 6: Keep the Heat On (A Frozen Pipe Double-Whammy)
If the burst pipe was caused by a freeze (which is common during a cold snap), you must ensure the rest of your home stays warm.
- Don’t Let it Get Worse: Keep your furnace running. If a section of the house is cold, open interior doors and cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate to any exposed plumbing.
- Check Your Neighbours: Okay, maybe not a step, but a good neighbour tip. If your home’s water main is off, your neighbour might also be at risk if the cause was regional (like an outdoor hose bib not being properly winterized). Share the knowledge!
Why Edmonton is a Burst Pipe Capital
It’s no secret: Our climate is brutal. The freeze-thaw cycle and prolonged deep cold create unique stress on plumbing.
- The Freeze: Water expands by about 9%
when it freezes. When a pipe (especially one in an uninsulated garage wall, crawlspace, or near a cold air intake) freezes solid, that expansion exerts immense pressure on the pipe material, eventually causing a rupture.
- The Thaw: The rupture often doesn’t reveal itself until the ice melts. You might have had a frozen pipe for days, only for the sun to hit the wall just right, thawing the ice and letting the pressurized water escape in a torrent.
To truly prevent this disaster, preparation is key. We highly recommend reading our post: Winter in Edmonton: 7 Steps to Prep Your Furnace for the Big Freeze. A little maintenance now are far cheaper than a flood deductible later!
The Aftermath: Repair vs. Replacement
Once we arrive and the immediate danger is neutralized, we’ll assess the damage.
- Temporary Patch: We can often use temporary methods to stop residual weeping, but a burst pipe requires a professional, permanent fix.
- The Long-Term Solution: For water pipes (especially older homes with materials like copper or even the dreaded Kytec, which we discuss in The 3 Pipes of Water Supply: Copper vs. Kytec vs. PEX), we will replace the damaged section with modern, durable materials. We also look for the root cause—poor insulation, draft, or improper pipe routing—to ensure it never happens again.
A burst pipe repair can range from a simple, isolated splice to a much larger section replacement, especially if the pipe has suffered from corrosion or age. Regardless, EVCO will provide a clear, upfront assessment.
Final Word on Emergency Plumbing in YEG
An emergency plumbing edmonton call is stressful. We get it. We are committed to showing up fast, being transparent with our process, and ensuring your home is safe and dry again. Knowing the 6 steps above gives you the power to handle the crisis. We’ll handle the fix.
Don’t wait until the next chinook to think about your pipes. Be ready.
We’re here for you, morning, noon, or at 3 AM when the temperature drops.