What to do when a pipe bursts in your San Jose home

1. Close the main shutoff

Everything else waits until the water stops. In most San Jose homes the main shutoff is near the water meter at the front of the property, or where the supply line enters the house, often near a front hose bib or in the garage. Turn it clockwise until it stops. On older homes it may be a stiff gate valve that takes several turns.

If it will not move, the curb stop inside the meter box can be closed with a meter key. If you cannot close either, call and we will talk you through it while a plumber is on the way.

2. Make the area safe

Water and electricity do not mix. If water has reached outlets, light fixtures, a ceiling with a light in it, or appliances, switch off those circuits at the panel before walking into the wet area. If a ceiling is bulging with water, keep people out from under it; a small hole at the lowest point, with a bucket beneath, releases the water in a controlled way.

If the burst is near a gas water heater and you smell gas, leave the house and call from outside.

3. Drain the pressure and protect the water heater

With the main closed, open a faucet at the lowest point in the house, often a tub or an outside hose bib, to drain water left in the pipes. That reduces how much escapes from the break. If the water will be off for a while, set a gas water heater to pilot or vacation and switch an electric one off at its breaker, so it does not heat without water flowing.

4. Limit the damage

Move furniture, electronics, rugs and papers out of the water. Mop or towel up standing water where it is safe to do so. Open cabinet doors and move stored items away from wet walls. In a crawl space house, water may be collecting under the floor where you cannot see it, which is another reason to stop the flow quickly.

5. Document it

Take photos and video of the break, the water, and anything damaged, before cleanup where possible. Note the time. Insurers ask for this first, and it is easy to forget in the moment. When the plumber arrives, ask for the removed pipe section to be kept or photographed as well.

6. What the plumber will do

The first job is to confirm the water is off and the area is safe, then find the failed section and cut back to sound pipe. The section is replaced with new copper or PEX, the line is pressure tested, and the water is turned back on. If the burst is inside a finished wall or under a floor, the damaged branch may be isolated so the rest of the house has water while the full repair is finished.

In San Jose, bursts rarely come from freezing. They come from age: galvanized steel rusting through, copper thinning to a pinhole, or a supply hose splitting. A good plumber will look at the pipe that comes out and tell you honestly whether it points to more failures nearby.