A pipe burst: where to go and how to fix the leak

Running water in every apartment is no longer a luxury, and we take it for granted that this system must be in good working order. Yes, minor breakdowns occasionally occur - for example, the faucet starts to drip or the toilet flush starts to leak. But what if the problem takes on a larger scale - a pipe has seriously burst?

A water pipe break can happen not only on the street (where accidents, by the way, mostly happen underground, so only service workers can quickly detect it), but also directly in the house. In this case, the main thing is not to panic and take all necessary measures in a timely manner.

Pipe burst

What could possibly go wrong?

Accidents of this kind can have countless causes, or rather, they can have any cause. But the most common and most common of them are the following:

• improper pipe installation. If the layers worked unscrupulously or did not have sufficient experience in work of this kind, then an accident will happen sooner or later, it is only a matter of time;
• use of low-quality pipes in the sewerage system. A low-quality pipe is subject to destructive effects, and therefore a much greater risk than a high-quality one. And if the construction company wanted to save on pipes, then, unfortunately, you will probably still find out about it;
• the occurrence of rust, cracks or holes on the surface of the pipes. High pressure will do its job, and the weak point will not last long, making you a client of emergency sewer services, as in the case of water supply;
• wear of valves, gaskets, etc. Water wears away stones, and even more so the details of the sewer system. An old, worn-out part is unable to restrain the pressure, which seems to be specifically looking for weakness in order to find a way out.

Whatever the reason, what happened happened and it is necessary to deal with the consequences. Obviously, you cannot do without the help of qualified emergency sewer specialists who are ready to respond to calls around the clock. But while waiting for their arrival, you risk aggravating the consequences by your inaction, giving the sewerage complete freedom to “decorate” the floor, walls, and maybe even the ceiling in your toilet and in the toilet of your neighbors below. They definitely won’t say “thank you” to you for this, except perhaps with sarcasm. So what to do if the sewerage system in your apartment breaks and how to mitigate the consequences of this extremely unpleasant situation?

Who is responsible for the accident

It is this question - who is to blame, who should thoroughly repair communications and compensate for possible damage from a leak - that arises acutely immediately after the accident is stopped.

In private cottages, all internal communications are clearly the sphere of interests and responsibility of the owner of the house. As for pipes on and off site, those responsible for their repair and maintenance are usually specified in an agreement with the owner of the networks (for example, a city water utility or a specialized private company).

Apartment flooding

But what if a pipe burst in a city apartment?

There are two options:

1. If a pipe burst occurs on the riser or in the interval from it to the first tap in the apartment, then you need to contact the building management company. Common property is their area of ​​responsibility, and their duty will be to eliminate the breach and its consequences;
2. In other cases, the owner of the apartment bears all responsibility. Therefore, preventive maintenance of pipes must be taken seriously.

If it happens that a water pipe breaks and floods your neighbors, you will need to establish the cost of the damage caused. There are several ways to do this:

1. Together with the victims, calculate the market value of the damaged items and, by mutual agreement of the parties, pay this amount. It is imperative to draw up an act indicating the amount of damage caused or the method of determining its value. After agreeing on the figure, an annex to the deed is made, which indicates that both parties agree to this amount. If at the time of drawing up the annex to the act the entire amount has been paid, you can indicate there that the money was transferred to the victim and the parties no longer have claims against each other. Or you will have to demand a receipt from your neighbor stating that he received money as compensation;
2. Together with the party affected by the flood, you can determine the necessary materials and their quantity for independent purchase, repair, restoration and replacement of things lost and damaged during the flooding of the apartment.

If it is not possible to find a common language with neighbors, the amount of damage can be determined in one of the following ways:

• Hire an independent expert. Payment for his services will need to be negotiated with the victims: either both parties chip in, or only one of them pays. If someone disagrees with the expert's assessment, another can be hired; otherwise, you will need to go to court;
• Go to court. If neighbors cannot come to a consensus regarding the amount of damage, an opinion from an independent party is necessary. All kinds of evidence should be prepared: this could be photographs of the apartment, witness statements, a written report, other available documentation - everything that will help the court to assess losses from flooding as fully as possible.

Crack in a pipe
Expert advice

Vitaly, lawyer:

“Representatives of the operating organization must be called to draw up the report. They are required to appear. If they don’t go, you need to write a telegram in which the request form indicates where and when you need to come to draw up a report on the fact of a break in the water supply pipe (hot or cold). At the time of drawing up the act, you need to bring a couple of witnesses (representatives of the injured party can also act as such). The report should indicate the time and place of the accident, a description of the pipe and damage (ceiling paint has peeled off, wallpaper has been damaged over an area of ​​so many square meters, etc.). After replacing the pipe, the dismantled damaged section must be preserved. If your neighbors are flooded and you have to go to court, then this piece of pipe may be needed to establish the cause of the accident.”

You need to make sure that the photo/video contains the following information, if possible:

1. Correct time and date. If these are snapshots, then this data should be displayed on each of them;
2. Information about the location would be helpful. Modern devices have a geolocation function - you can use it;
3. If this is a video, then you need to turn on the microphone and comment on everything that happens in the frame;
4. You definitely need to rent the room as a whole;
5. Close-ups of specific damage are taken: wet wallpaper, swollen floors, water-filled equipment;
6. You definitely need to capture the pipe break itself close-up and along with the rest of the room.

What to do first?

If a breakthrough occurs in your apartment, then you need to act in this order:

1. If the breakthrough is small, then you should try to substitute the largest container you have in your apartment to gain some time;
2. Next, you should try to stop the leak in any possible way. This is best done with a rubber plug, which will act as a barrier, and a screw clamp, which will press the plug. If you do not have a screw clamp, then stop the leak by applying any rubber barrier, which must be wrapped on top with adhesive tape or cloth, or better yet, both. Improvise and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty, the downstairs neighbors’ new renovation is at stake!
3. Call emergency water and sewer services immediately! If trouble happened in Moscow and the Moscow region, then contact us! “Plumber Service” will help you eliminate the leak as quickly as possible! Call the number and don't delay!

If the breakthrough happened in the basement of your apartment building, then it is worth adding that after calling the emergency sewer service, you must urgently go around the neighbors, telling them not to flush the toilet or pour anything into the sinks, thereby increasing the scale of the problem . And remember: it is always easier to prevent a problem than to later become a client of an emergency sewer service.

What to do and where to call if a water pipe breaks

So, if there is a water pipe break, in this case it means damage to the pipe and not the tap, then you need to call the management organization.

Since it is the management organization or the housing office that is responsible for the water supply riser and for the section of horizontal distribution up to the first riser.

You can recruit one or the other organization, they are the ones who should be responsible for the consequences that arise as a result of the emergency.

Attention! Don't forget to remind them of this at the very beginning of your phone conversation.

Call to the Housing Office

If an emergency situation overtakes you at night or during the holidays, then there is no point in calling the housing office or the management organization, since on these days they are unlikely to help you, and even no one will answer the phone call - there is usually no one in the office.

In this case, you need to call the local water utility hotline and request a visit from the emergency team.

The same applies to those cases when a sewer pipe breaks - call the housing office or management organization, on weekends and holidays - call the local water utility.

Prevention is always better!

Such situations do not occur immediately; this, as a rule, is the fruit of a long, gradual destruction of the pipe, so the emergency sewer can be repaired in time. Such situations can always be avoided by promptly inspecting the sewer and water pipes of your apartment for:

• cracks;
• even minor leaks;
• suspicious spots;
• rust.

If during the routine inspection you find anything else that raises your suspicions, no matter what it is, call a plumber immediately. After all, it is much easier to prevent trouble than to eliminate its consequences by calling an emergency sewer at two in the morning.

Repairing a damaged section of pipe by a professional plumber will cost much less than restoring the sewer system, cleaning and disinfecting the apartment, and paying for the neighbor’s repairs. Do you need all this?

If you live in Moscow, or the Moscow region, then, having discovered a potentially dangerous section of pipe, so as not to ask yourself the question “my sewer has burst, who should I call?”, do not wait and immediately call the “Plumbers Service” by phone +7 (495) 066-06-67. Remember that time is working against you. After all, by delaying repairs, you increase the chances that you will soon have to perform emergency sewer repairs, which, whatever one may say, will cost much more.

Reasons for the breakthrough

Knowing the main causes of sewerage breakthroughs is necessary for competent implementation of preventive measures and prompt elimination of emergency situations. The faster the apartment owners manage to stop the drain flow, the less damage will be caused to the property.

There are three main categories of reasons due to which sewerage breaks:

1. Unsatisfactory condition of pipes and other elements of the drainage network, arising due to a temporary factor, natural wear, damage due to the influence of external factors (mechanical, climatic).
2. Careless operation of the sewer network. Residents of apartment buildings like to flush unacceptable items into the drain system: large items, construction waste and other items that cause blockages.
3. Use of low-quality material, poorly developed design documentation, violation of installation technology.

If we name specific reasons for a breakthrough, the most common situations are when defects occur in places where corrosion forms, on the walls of the line and at points of wear of sealing gaskets. If the problem area cannot be visually detected, you should pay special attention to the rustiest pipes and the areas of joints of individual elements.

In most cases, a leak in the sewer system is the result of prolonged exposure to external negative factors. The small gap gradually becomes larger and wider, and at some point a breakthrough occurs. But there are situations when, in serviceable plastic pipes, a rupture unexpectedly occurs at the junction of two elements due to a sharp change in load. This is one of the cases that is difficult and often impossible to prevent.

Seek help from specialists right away!

Any delay in calling a specialist in such a situation means worsening it through inaction. Regardless of whether the trouble has already happened or you are just afraid that it will happen - in any case, calling a specialist is the most correct decision.

Don’t delay and call us, our qualified specialists will eliminate a breakthrough of any complexity! We have experience in eliminating such problems, and therefore we can easily cope with yours! Call us at +7, “Plumber Service” will cope with even the most difficult situation!

Search for the culprits

The management company is responsible for the break of the sewer riser.
Victims of a sewer break need to know exactly who is to blame for such a situation. The management company and the housing department are responsible only for those sections of the pipeline that are located outside the apartments.

The owner of the property is responsible for the entire internal water supply and drainage system. He will pay for the problems that arise with the neighbors.

If the sewer line breaks in the basement or in a common riser, responsibility for these networks lies with the management company and housing department. A collective complaint is required. When flooded by neighbors, each victim writes his own appeal or amicably negotiates with those responsible for the accident about repairs at their expense.

Elements of the external sewer system

Every person living in modern cities and towns equipped with a central sewer system should have at least the slightest idea of ​​what a sewer map is, at least in order to know where the sewage flows.

In order to understand the structure of the system, you should get acquainted with its components:

Main types of sewer networks

Depending on the territory in which the wastewater collection system is organized, various schemes for its arrangement are selected, such as:

• Zone or belt . In this case, the system involves pumping wastewater from the lower zone to the upper one;
• Crossed . This scheme is applicable for areas where the fall to the river is weak. In this case, the pool collectors are connected to the main collector running along the reservoir;
• Radial. In this case, the basin collectors are located in a radial direction from the central point of the settlement to its peripheral areas;

The photo shows a radial diagram

• Perpendicular. In this case, the collectors of different basins diverge perpendicular to the flow of the reservoir.

Note! The perpendicular scheme is used to organize storm sewer systems.