How to Handle Water Damage from a Burst Pipe: A Real-Life Case Study

The winter season can wreak havoc on pipes. The water within them can freeze and expand in frigid temperatures, causing them to burst. The pressure generated by this expansion can often result in property damage, a misery for property owners. A burst pipe can create water damage of sizable proportions.

Ensuring pipes remain at reasonable temperatures or are insulated in cold weather can help avert a frozen fiasco and the costly repairs that come along with them. Monitoring indoor temperatures and installing sensors around your home that detect a water leak can help you avoid a disaster.

However, if you’re confronted with an issue caused by a burst pipe, contact a professional for assistance.

A Water Washout

In early January, our office received a call requesting our services to remediate a Bothell, Washington, home. The client and their family returned from their vacation to discover a deluge of water had infiltrated their home due to a burst pipe.

The broken pipe set off the sprinkler system, causing 24,000 gallons of water to flow through their house and enter the basement and crawl space. Typically, a sprinkler system is accompanied by an alarm, which the fire department can disable when activated. Our client was upset to see that their home was in total disarray.

Additionally, we realized that the sitting water caused mold to set in. Mold can appear in damp areas within 24 to 48 hours, so the water proved to be a much bigger problem than we had anticipated. Our skilled technicians devised a multi-step restoration and demolition plan to remedy the situation.

We obtained moisture readings of all affected areas and then created a plan tailored to the specific needs of each affected area in the home. Then, our crew went to work to remove the saturated materials and demolish the appropriate surfaces.

When we removed the demolished materials, we used our state-of-the-art PuroClean equipment to dry the premises. Our advanced dehumidifiers and air movers expedite the drying process, hastening the water damage remediation.

Then, we conducted mold remediation to eliminate the fungus in the home. Our experienced technicians used cleaning agents to remove the mold and coated contaminated areas with a sealant. After a final, thorough inspection, the remediation was complete.

We appreciate our resourceful and professional technicians for their work on the job. We also want to acknowledge Tanner Schossow for his incredible work on this project. His communication with the client, the insurance adjuster, and our office ensured things went seamlessly, all while having a positive attitude. Thank you, Tanner!

Call PuroClean Professional Restoration for Your Water Damage Restoration Needs

Time is essential when addressing water damage. The longer the water sits, the more damage it can cause to flooring, walls, furniture, and other materials. PuroClean Professional Restoration is available 24/7 to respond to your call.

We’ll arrive on the scene and get to work immediately, using professional-grade equipment to remediate your property with minimal interruption to your schedule. Please visit our website or give us a call (425) 595-3443 at to schedule an appointment.