By being well organised and following these simple steps, the damage should be able to be kept to a minimum and working quickly should hopefully prevent the water from spreading even further.

Step 1 – Turn off the water supply

Always make sure you know the location of your stop cock in case of emergency. It will normally be located below your kitchen sink, or wherever the water supply enters your home. Switching it off will prevent more water from feeding into the pipes and causing further damage. Once the water is off, turn on all of your cold taps to drain any excess water out of the system.

Step 2 – Should you turn off your electricity?

If there is any chance that the water could have leaked onto any electrics, you should turn off the electricity supply immediately at the fusebox. You may be able to just turn off the affected areas, but if in doubt just turn everything off – make sure you have a torch if it’s dark.

Electrical wiring or sockets that may have got wet can be dangerous. DO NOT touch if there is any chance they could be wet.

Step 3 – Turn off the heating system

Turn off any immersion heater and central heating system to prevent heating the system while it is empty as this could cause damage. Turn on all hot water taps to drain any excess water out of the system.

Step 4 – Check your property for damage

Check ceilings in the property for bulging caused by water pooling above. Stay clear of any ceilings which are bulging significantly in case they should collapse. For any ceilings starting to bulge, and providing it is safe to do so, you could make a small hole to allow the water to escape slowly into a container below.

Try to have another person with you whilst you move around the property for safety, and make sure that you consult a plumber and electrician before the water and electricity are turned back on. If you are unable to do any of the above steps for any reason, call a local contractor or contact your insurance company to help deal with the situation.

Burst pipes can be an expensive and disruptive event. Do what you can to prevent this from happening by reading our article on preventing frozen pipes.