Burst Pipe Emergency — What to Do in the First 30 Minutes

The first five minutes after a pipe bursts determine how much water enters your property. Act in this order — do not stop to clean up first.

1. Turn off water at the mains stopcock: Found under the kitchen sink, in the meter box near the street, or in the utility room. Turn it fully clockwise. For apartments, call your building manager immediately — they control the common property valve.
2. Turn off electricity if water is near power: If water has reached any power points, switches, or appliances, switch off the mains power at your meter box before entering the affected area. If the switchboard itself is in a wet area, do not touch it — call 000.
3. Photograph before you clean up: Take wide-angle photos and short video of every affected room before touching anything. These images are the foundation of your insurance claim.
4. Call the emergency line: Submit a claim through Disaster Recovery immediately. Contractor matching begins as soon as your claim is received — do not wait until morning.

Once the water is off and electricity is safe, these steps limit further damage while you wait for professional help. Every litre you contain now reduces restoration costs.

• Move contents off the floor: Lift rugs, mats, and any portable furniture out of the wet area. Place aluminium foil or plastic sheets under furniture legs to prevent staining on wet carpet.
• Use towels and mops for absorption: Blot and absorb as much surface water as possible. Do not wring towels onto the wet floor — carry them outside.
• Open windows if weather is dry: Natural ventilation helps in dry conditions. Keep windows closed if it is raining or humid outside — bringing in moist external air will worsen conditions.
• Do NOT use household fans or hairdryers: Household fans increase relative humidity and spread moisture-laden air further into the building. They are not a substitute for commercial dehumidification and can accelerate mould growth. Wait for professional drying equipment.

Lodge your insurance claim as soon as the immediate safety steps are complete. Do not wait for the full extent of damage to become apparent.

• What to say when lodging: Describe the event as "sudden water damage — burst pipe" and give the date and approximate time. Do not speculate on causes or estimated costs — describe what you observed and let the assessor determine the rest.
• Have your policy number ready: Typically found on your Certificate of Currency, the insurer's app, or your original policy documents. Take a photo of it now and store it in your phone.
• Build your damage list: Walk through the property and photograph damaged contents, waterlogged materials, and affected areas. A timestamped photos from your smartphone are sufficient — you do not need professional photos at this stage.
• Contractor arrival expectations: Your NRPG-matched contractor will contact you directly to confirm arrival. Metropolitan areas are typically faster; regional properties may involve longer lead times. Work begins on arrival without waiting for insurer approval.

Understanding what your contractor will do helps set expectations and ensures you know what documentation to expect for your insurer.

• Water extraction: Commercial truck-mounted extractors remove standing water from hard floors, carpet, and underlay — at volumes far beyond what towels and mops can achieve.
• Wall cavity moisture mapping: Thermal imaging cameras and pin meters identify hidden moisture behind walls, under floors, and inside cabinetry that is invisible to the naked eye. This mapping guides where drying equipment is placed.
• Commercial drying setup: Industrial air movers and dehumidifiers are deployed based on the moisture map. Sizing is calculated for the volume and severity of the affected area — not guessed.
• Daily monitoring and drying log: Moisture readings are taken and recorded at every monitoring point on each visit. The resulting drying log is a dated record of drying progress — this is what your insurer requires to validate the professional drying claim.

We bill you directly so emergency restoration begins immediately. Your contractor provides a full documentation pack — photos, moisture maps, drying logs, and scope of works — to support your insurance reimbursement.