How it starts
Burst Pipe Right Now? Do These Three Things First
If water is actively escaping, do these before you do anything else. They’ll limit the damage while you wait.
- Turn the water off at the meter. Your mains tap is at the water meter, usually near the front boundary or in the front garden. Turn it clockwise until it stops. This shuts off water to the whole property and stops the flow at the source.
- Turn the power off if water is anywhere near electrical fittings. Switch off at the switchboard. Don’t touch powerpoints, light fittings or appliances that have got wet.
- Move what you can and call a licensed plumber. Get furniture, electricals and anything valuable clear of the water. Then call, the sooner a plumber is on the way, the less drying out you’ll be doing afterwards.
Don’t try to patch it while the water is still on. Pipe under pressure will find its way around a temporary repair, and a bandaged pipe that fails again overnight does far more damage than the original burst.
What to look out for
Signs You’ve Got a Hidden Leak
Not every leak announces itself. Concealed leaks under slabs, inside walls or below the yard can run for months, and the damage is usually well advanced before anyone notices. Watch for:
- A water bill that’s jumped with no change in how much water you’re using
- The sound of running water when every tap in the house is off
- Damp patches, bubbling paint or peeling plaster on walls or ceilings
- A musty smell in a room, cupboard or subfloor that won’t clear
- Warm or damp spots on the floor, which often point to a leak in a hot water line under the slab
- Green, soggy patches in the lawn during dry weather, or an area that never quite dries out
- Water pressure that’s dropped across the whole house
The water meter test settles it quickly. Turn off every tap and water-using appliance in the house, then check the meter. If the dial is still turning, water is going somewhere it shouldn’t be.
Why does it happen
Why Pipes Burst and Leak in Penrith Homes
Burst pipes in Penrith almost never come from freezing. The causes here are different, and which one you’ve got usually depends on the age of the house.
Corroded galvanised pipe in older homes
Houses built through the 1950s to early 1970s across Penrith, Kingswood, Werrington and St Marys were commonly plumbed in galvanised steel. Those pipes rust from the inside out, the walls thin over decades until they fail, often with no warning at all. If your house is that era and still on original pipework, a burst isn’t bad luck, it’s the pipe reaching the end of its life.
Ground movement in reactive clay soils
The clay through the Nepean floodplain swells in wet weather and shrinks in dry. That movement drags on pipework, stresses joints and cracks rigid pipes, particularly under slabs and driveways where the pipe can’t flex with the ground around it.
Excess water pressure
NSW plumbing regulations cap water pressure at outlets, and homes are meant to have a pressure limiting valve controlling it. Those valves have a service life and they fail quietly. When one goes, mains pressure runs unrestricted through the house, and the weakest joint or fitting is the one that gives.
Water hammer
That bang in the wall when a tap or washing machine valve shuts off is a pressure shock travelling back through the pipes. Left alone for years it works joints loose and fatigues fittings until one splits.
Tree roots and external damage
The same established gums and liquidambars that block drains in older Penrith streets also wrap and crush water lines. Add fence posts, retaining walls and landscaping done without locating the services first, and buried pipe takes a fair beating.
What We Do
How We Find and Fix It
Leak Detection Without Digging
Finding the leak is most of the job when it’s concealed. Rather than opening up walls or trenching the yard on a guess, the leak is located first, so the repair is one targeted access point instead of a series of exploratory holes.
Burst Pipe Repair
Where a section has split, that section gets cut out and replaced properly in the correct material, not patched. You’ll be told plainly whether the surrounding pipework is sound or whether the burst is the first sign of a run that’s on its way out.
Leaking Taps, Toilets and Showers
The small ones add up. A dripping tap or a toilet that runs on wastes thousands of litres a year and shows up on every bill until it’s fixed. Leaking showers usually mean failed waterproofing rather than a failed pipe, and you’ll get an honest assessment of which one you’re dealing with before anything is pulled apart.
Full Pipe Replacement
When galvanised pipework has corroded through in one place it’s rarely sound elsewhere. If replacement makes more sense than repeat repairs, you’ll be told that, with a fixed price and a clear explanation of why, not sold on it.
Rated 5 stars
Penrith Families & Businesses Have Trusted Us for 24 Years
Our continual focus on customer service, affordable pricing and quality workmanship has earned DrainPro Plumbing Services a 5 star rating across Penrith and Western Sydney.
Daniel came, checked, fixed all the while answering all my silly questions. Helped getting rid of a massive debris in the sewer pipe. Would 100% recommend.
Koichi Pham
Fixed a burst water pipe I accidentally hit while gardening. They came out straight away and got it sorted quickly and professionally. Great service and very easy to deal with.
Jade McQuillan
Daniel provided a very quick service, was very friendly and explained all the options we had before going ahead with work to make sure we were completely informed.
Monica Asimus
Our old toilet needed an emergency replacement. Daniel responded immediately and was able to have a brand new toilet replaced within 24hrs at a reasonable price.
Caitlan Read
Daniel went above and beyond to fix a cracked pipe in our front yard. After the job you couldn’t tell there was a large trench dig up it looked untouched.
Jessica Toth
Daniel arrived on time, delivered high-quality work, and was very professional throughout the entire process. He exceeded expectations and I couldn’t be happier!
Jasmine Dilworth
Our Process
What Happens When You Call Drain Pro
- You call, and you speak to a plumber
Describe what’s happening and you’ll get an honest read on how urgent it is and what it’s likely to cost, before anyone leaves the depot. If it’s serious you’ll be talked through shutting the water off while you’re on the phone. - We arrive same day
With the van stocked to do the repair on the spot wherever possible. - You get a fixed price before work starts
No hourly rate ticking over while the problem gets diagnosed. - The repair is tested and the area left clean
You’ll see the pipe holding pressure before anyone packs up.
Fast Same-Day Service
Areas We Service
Based in Werrington Downs, we cover Penrith, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and the surrounding corridor.
Penrith
- Penrith
- Cranebrook
- Werrington
- Werrington Downs
- St Marys
- Kingswood
- Cambridge Park
- Claremont Meadows
- Caddens
- Jordan Springs
- Glenmore Park
- Emu Plains
- Leonay
- Orchard Hills
Blue Mountains
- Glenbrook
- Blaxland
- Warrimoo
- Mt Riverview
Hawkesbury
- Windsor
- South Windsor
- Bligh Park
- McGraths Hill
- Riverstone
- Schofields
- Marsden Park
- Erskine Park
FAQs