24/7 emergency service
Water coming in right now? Call, then follow these steps.
A burst pipe can push out hundreds of gallons an hour. The faster the water stops and the extraction starts, the less of your home has to be torn out.
The first hour
What to do while help is on the way
- Stop the water. Find your main shutoff valve. It's usually in the basement where the water line comes through the foundation wall, near the water meter or water heater. Turn it clockwise until it stops. For a toilet or sink, use the small valve under the fixture.
- Make it safe. If water is near outlets, power strips or the electrical panel, or the ceiling is sagging, stay out of that area. Only switch off a breaker if you can reach the panel while standing somewhere dry.
- Save what you can. Lift rugs, electronics, papers and photos off the floor. Put aluminum foil or plastic under furniture legs so stain and rust don't transfer to wet carpet.
- Take photos and video. Before anything gets moved or thrown out, record the water, the source and the damaged items. Your insurance company will ask for it.
- Call your insurance company to open a claim, and keep receipts for anything you spend.
Don't use a household vacuum on standing water, don't turn on ceiling lights or fans if the ceiling above is wet, and don't touch water that came from a toilet or sewer drain without gloves. See sewage cleanup.
Common water emergencies we answer
Frozen and burst pipes
Central Pennsylvania winters regularly drop into the single digits. Pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces, unheated garages and under kitchen sinks on exterior walls are the usual victims. The pipe often splits while frozen and only starts leaking once it thaws, which is why so many of these calls come in on a sunny afternoon after a hard freeze.
Water heater failures
A tank water heater holds 40 to 80 gallons, and when the tank rusts through it keeps refilling until someone shuts the cold supply valve on top. Basements and first-floor utility closets take the hit.
Washing machine, dishwasher and fridge lines
Rubber washer hoses and plastic ice-maker lines crack with age. Because they're under pressure, a failed line sprays until it's shut off, and it often happens while no one is home.
Overflowing toilets and tubs
Water from an upstairs bathroom drops through the floor into the ceiling below. Clean supply water is one thing. If it came from the toilet bowl, it needs to be handled as contaminated.
Storm and roof leaks
Heavy rain, ice dams along the eaves, and wind-driven rain around old windows can all let water into attics and walls. The roof needs to be covered first, then the inside dried.
What happens when the crew arrives
The first visit is about stopping the damage from spreading. The technician confirms the water source is off, checks for electrical hazards, and measures moisture to see how far the water has traveled. Then extraction starts: standing water is pumped out, wet carpet pad is pulled, and drying equipment is set up. You'll get photos and readings from day one. More on that on our extraction and drying page.
Emergency questions
Before the crew gets there
Where is my main water shutoff?
In most central PA homes with a basement, it's on the wall where the water line enters from the street, close to the meter. Look for a round handle or a lever on a pipe about an inch across. In homes on a well, shut off the power to the well pump at the breaker and close the valve after the pressure tank.
Is it safe to stay in the house?
Usually, if the water is clean and away from electrical systems. Leave the affected area if the ceiling is sagging, water is touching outlets or the panel, or the water came from a sewer line, especially for children, older adults and anyone with breathing problems.
Should I call my insurance company or a restoration company first?
Both, as soon as you can. Getting water out quickly is part of your duty to prevent further damage, so you don't need to wait for an adjuster to visit before extraction starts. Document everything with photos first.