Key takeaways
- Shut the water off at the house main shutoff first; at the meter if you can't find or turn the house valve.
- Don't dig. Water surfaces far from the break and an open hole in a flooded yard is a hazard.
- Keep people and vehicles off the wet area; saturated ground over a trench can collapse.
- Call a company that locates, excavates and repairs, so one crew can finish the job tonight.
1. Stop the water
Find the main shutoff where the service line enters the house: crawlspace, utility room, garage wall, or near a hose bib at the foundation. Turn it off. If you can't find it or it won't turn, the meter box at the street usually has a valve; on most meters a quarter turn with a wrench or meter key closes it. Some utilities prefer you not operate their valve, but in an active flood stopping the water comes first; tell them afterward. On a well, switch off the pump breaker.
2. Protect the house
If water is entering a crawlspace or basement, get valuables up and electrical devices out of the water. Don't walk into standing water near outlets or appliances. If the water has reached the electrical panel, leave it and call the utility.
3. Keep clear
Saturated ground over a pipe trench is loose and can give way. Keep kids, pets and vehicles off the wet area. Put a cone or a chair on it if it's near a driveway. If the break is near a slope or retaining wall, stay back from the downhill side.
4. Don't dig
The water is surfacing where the ground let it out, which in Kitsap till is often a long way from the break. Digging at the puddle wastes effort and opens a hole that fills with water. The crew will locate the break acoustically, even on a catastrophic failure, and dig once.
5. Call
Call a company that can locate, excavate and repair in one visit, and that answers at night. Tell them: whether the water is off, where you see water, whether it's a well or a utility, what the house is on (crawlspace, slab, basement), and whether a vehicle and a small excavator can get near the area. Photos help. A crew that arrives with pumps, lights, locating equipment and the mini excavator on the first trip can usually have your water back on before they leave.
6. Afterward
Once the repair is done, ask what the pipe looked like and whether the rest of the line is close behind. Keep the written description of the repair; many utilities will adjust a bill once for a documented leak. And do the meter test a week later to confirm everything is tight.
Written by the crew at 360 Leak Finders
We locate, excavate and repair buried water lines and exterior drains across Kitsap County, 24 hours a day. If this guide raised a question about your property, call (206) 354-9906.