A pipe has burst inside a wall — water pouring out, or drywall starting to bulge
- Find the main shutoff — usually where the line enters the house, or at the water meter — and close it fully.
- If there is a shutoff just for that fixture (under a sink, behind a toilet) and it is easier to reach, close that instead.
- Leave the wall alone. Bulging or wet drywall can let go without warning — do not push on it or try to open it up yourself.
If the water is anywhere near an outlet or a plugged-in appliance, stay clear of it. The shutoff buys time, not a repair; a burst pipe does not fix itself.
A drain is backing up, or a toilet is overflowing
- Stop using every drain and toilet in the house until it is looked at — one blocked line can push into another fixture.
- If a toilet is overflowing, close the shutoff valve at its base (it turns by hand, usually behind or beside the bowl).
- Keep everyone, especially kids and pets, away from the water.
Once sewage is involved, that is the end of the safe list. Do not touch it or try to clear it yourself — sewage contact is a health hazard, not a cleanup job.
Sudden loss of water pressure, or part of the house with no water at all
- Check whether it is the whole house or just one fixture — one dead tap usually means that fixture’s own valve, not the main line.
- Check with a neighbour if you can. A drop on your street too means it is the city’s supply, not your line.
- If you can find the main shutoff and it is already partly closed, note that for the call — do not force it further.
A sudden pressure drop with no other cause can mean a line has already let go somewhere you cannot see — that is not a wait-and-see, it is a call now.
The hot water tank has failed — leaking, or dead with water pooling at its base
- If there is a shutoff on the cold line into the tank and it turns by hand, close it.
- Move anything nearby out of the water’s path — boxes, stored items, anything on the floor.
- Do not touch the tank’s power cord or gas connection, and do not stand in water near either.
A tank leaking from the body will not seal itself, and the power or gas connection is not a homeowner job — closing the water to it is as far as the safe list goes.