Shut the water off first, then call a plumber. In a Brooklyn or Queens walk-up, the main shutoff is in the basement near the water meter, under the kitchen sink, or in a utility closet near the front door. Getting to it in the first five minutes is the difference between a repair and a rebuild.
Where is the main water shutoff in a Brooklyn or Queens walk-up?
In a typical Brooklyn or Queens walk-up, the main water shutoff is in one of three places: under the kitchen sink, in the basement near the water meter, or in a utility closet behind the front door. Turn it clockwise until it stops. If it won’t move, don’t force it. Call us immediately.
How do you limit water damage while waiting for a plumber?
Towels, buckets, whatever’s on hand. Water in a ceiling or wall will start to affect the structural material within hours. Get it off the floor and out of pooled areas as fast as you can.
Why call instead of text when a pipe bursts at night?
At 2am, a text waits. The phone reaches us. Tell us what you see: where the water is coming from, what stopped it, what the extent looks like. We’ll tell you the after-hours rate before we leave the shop. Our 24/7 emergency service covers burst pipes, active leaks, and building-wide water loss.
What should you not do after a burst pipe?
Don’t try to dry out finished walls without first confirming the leak is stopped. Don’t run electrical in a wet area. Don’t wait until morning if water is still moving. Active leaks in walls and ceilings compound fast.
What does a plumber do when they arrive for a burst pipe?
We verify the source, confirm the main is off, cut out and replace the failed section, and test the line before restoring water. Most burst-pipe repairs are a same-night job. See our plumbing services for the full scope of what we repair.