If a pipe has burst in your Rosemount home, find the main shutoff and close it right now. Our line is answered 24/7, including nights and weekends, and the first call can happen while you are still mopping. Closing the main is the single action that matters most.
This page walks through the first five minutes, what to do with a frozen pipe that has not split yet, how a plumber decides between a repair and a replacement, and how to document drywall damage for an insurance claim. It also explains which city office handles the public side of the water system.
The First Five Minutes After a Pipe Bursts
Speed matters more than neatness. Work through these steps in order and call as soon as the water is stopped.
- Find and close the main shutoff.Look near the water meter, the water heater or where the line enters the basement wall. Turn a round handle clockwise until it stops. A lever valve closes with a quarter turn.
- Open taps to drain the lines.Open the lowest faucet in the house and a few upstairs taps, cold and hot. Opening them relieves pressure and lets the pipes empty so less water leaks out of the break.
- Think about power before you step in water.If water is near outlets, appliances or the electrical panel, do not wade into it. Turn off power from a dry spot, or stay out and call the electric utility or a licensed electrician.
- Turn off the water heater.Shut off the gas control or the electric breaker so the tank does not heat while it drains. Do not touch gas controls if you smell gas. Leave the house and call from outside.
- Call us and start photos.Tell us where the water is coming from and what you shut off. Then take photos and video of the damage before you move anything.
We handle after-hours calls through the same line, and a same-day visit is possible when the schedule allows.
Frozen Pipe Thaw: What to Do and What Never to Try
A frozen pipe has not always split yet. Thawing it carefully can save the pipe, but only if you do it the safe way.
Safe thawing.
- Open the faucet nearest the frozen pipe so melting water has somewhere to go.
- Warm the pipe with a hair dryer, starting near the faucet and working back toward the frozen section.
- Wrap the pipe in towels soaked in warm water, or use a heating pad if the pipe is reachable.
- Keep the area dry and keep the dryer's cord away from any water.
- Leave the faucet open until the flow is steady.
Never do this.
- Never use a torch, a lighter or any open flame. It can ignite framing and overheat the pipe.
- Never thaw toward the freeze. Starting at the middle traps steam and pressure that can split the pipe.
- Never ignore a pipe that is already bulging, cracked or dripping. Shut off the main and call.
- Never leave a heat source running unattended in a wall or crawl space.
- Never pour boiling water on a pipe near fixtures. Heat can crack them.
If water stays off after the pipe thaws, or you hear a hiss behind the wall, the pipe has probably split. Frozen ice often plugs the crack until it melts, so the leak may begin only when the pipe warms.
Water Still Running?
Close the main, open the taps and call. We answer around the clock and schedule same-day visits when we can.
Why Minnesota Winters Split Pipes
The Minnesota DNR Twin Cities normals for 1991 to 2020 put January average lows at about 9 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit. That is the Twin Cities airport station, not Rosemount itself, but it tells you what a typical January night is like across the metro.
Pipes in outside walls, garages, crawl spaces and uninsulated rim joists feel those nights first. Know where those runs are in your house, keep cabinet doors open on cold nights, and let a faucet drip when a hard freeze is forecast.
A split pipe repair is plumbing work under the Minnesota Plumbing Code, Minnesota Rules chapter 4714. The state says altered parts of existing plumbing must be inspected and tested, so ask the plumber whether your repair needs an inspection and who arranges it.
Source: Minnesota DNR Twin Cities Climate Calendar, January 1991 to 2020 normals, Twin Cities station.
Who Handles What on the Public Side
A burst on your side of the meter is a plumbing job. A main break in the street is the city's job. If you see water running down the street or a sinkhole, do not call a plumber first.
The city says after-hours water emergencies on the public side, such as a main break, go through 911. The Dakota Communications Center dispatcher alerts the proper Public Works staff. The city also says Public Works can shut off service if a plumber advises it is necessary.
If your own shutoff valve will not close, tell us. A plumber can confirm that the main valve is stuck and advise on whether a street shutoff is needed, which Public Works handles.
Repair or Replace the Damaged Section
Most bursts are fixed by replacing a short section. Whether to go further depends on what the rest of the pipe looks like.
| Situation | Usual approach | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Single split in good pipe | Cut out the section and replace it with new pipe and fittings | The rest of the line is sound, so a short repair is enough. |
| Several splits or pinholes | Replace a longer run | Repeat failures show the pipe is aging or was frozen along its length. |
| Corroded or crusted pipe | Replace the run and discuss repiping | Weak pipe tends to fail again nearby. |
| Split at a fitting or valve | Replace the fitting and test nearby joints | Joint failures can come from movement or poor soldering. |
| Frozen but not split | Thaw, insulate and monitor | No damage means no repair, only prevention. |
We tell you what we see in the pipe before recommending a larger repair.
If a leak is slow and hard to find, the process on our leak detection page explains how plumbers trace it without opening walls.
Drywall, Flooring and Insurance Documentation
Water damage claims go better with records. Collect these before cleanup starts.
- Photos and video.Capture each wet room, the broken pipe, stained ceilings and damaged belongings from several angles, with dates.
- A list of damaged items.Write down what was affected, where it was, and roughly when you bought it.
- Keep damaged materials.Keep a piece of wet drywall, trim or flooring until your insurance contact says you can discard it.
- Plumber's findings.Ask for a written note of where the pipe failed, what the cause appeared to be, and what was repaired.
- Receipts.Save receipts for emergency repairs, fans, dehumidifiers and temporary housing.
Wet drywall that stays damp can grow mold, so drying matters. Remove standing water quickly, run fans, and ask whether affected drywall needs to be cut out. We repair the plumbing. A drywall or restoration contractor handles the rest.
What Changes the Price of a Burst Pipe Repair
You hear a clear price before work starts. These factors move it up or down.
Some homeowner policies cover sudden pipe bursts but treat gradual leaks differently. Your insurer decides coverage, so ask them early and keep your plumber's notes handy.
Burst Pipe Questions
Yes. The line is answered 24/7. Close the main shutoff first, open the lowest tap to drain the lines, and call. Same-day visits are available when the schedule allows.
It is usually near the water meter or water heater, or where the line enters the basement wall. Find it before you need it and test it once a year.
Only from a dry spot and only if you can reach the panel without stepping in water. If you cannot, stay out and call a licensed electrician or the electric utility.
Yes, if it has not split. Open the faucet, warm the pipe with a hair dryer starting near the faucet, and never use open flame.
Per the city, after-hours public side emergencies such as a main break go through 911, and the Dakota Communications Center alerts Public Works.
Usually only the damaged section. Several failures in one run, or badly corroded pipe, can justify a longer replacement.
We repair the plumbing. Drywall and flooring repair is handled by another contractor, and we provide notes on where the pipe failed.