Ignite Plumbing & Heating
How to Stop a Burst Pipe Flooding Your Norwich Home
Quick action in the first few minutes limits damage dramatically. Our engineers explain the steps that matter most.
The first 60 seconds count
Every second that a burst pipe flows unchecked adds to the damage. Water finds its way into floor joists, wall cavities, and electrical circuits with alarming speed. Your priority is isolation, not investigation.
Where is your stopcock?
If you don't know right now, find out today — before you need it. Common locations: under the kitchen sink, in a downstairs bathroom, in a utility cupboard, or where the supply pipe enters from outside. Label it and test it turns freely.
What if the stopcock is seized?
Don't force it with excessive effort — you can snap the spindle. Call us immediately and we'll talk you through using the external stopcock in the pavement box (you need an Anglian Water key, but a flat-blade screwdriver sometimes works). We can also freeze the pipe on arrival to buy time.
Containing the water
While waiting for the engineer, use towels, buckets, and bowls to contain flow and protect flooring. Document the damage with photos for your insurance claim before clearing up.
Our Ipswich 2-hour guarantee
We confirm the current response estimate before dispatch. For a qualifying Ipswich emergency where the 2-hour guarantee is accepted, the applicable callout fee is waived if we arrive outside that period, subject to the published terms.