Burst Pipe Repair in Athens, GA, and Cleanup of the Damage

The First Ten Minutes

• Close the main valve. Athens-Clarke County says it may be in your basement or under a metal cover near the street.
• If you can't close it, call Public Utilities for help at the meter; they have an after-hours line. The county asks residents not to call 911 for this.
• In an apartment, call your management company.
• Turn off power to any wet area if you can do it safely.

Why Athens Pipes Burst

Freezes. January lows average around 34°F under NOAA's normals for a nearby station, and real cold snaps go well below that. The county's advice to keep the heat at 55°F or higher and close up crawl spaces exists for a reason.

Age. About four in ten Athens homes were built before 1980, per Census estimates. Older galvanized lines, worn fittings and aging water heater connections fail on their own, cold or not.

Hidden runs. Many houses here have plumbing in crawl spaces and exterior walls, where a leak can go unnoticed until the floor softens.

The Repair, Step by Step

1. Extract standing water, including from the crawl space.
2. Map where the water traveled, using moisture meters and a thermal camera.
3. Open wet drywall or plaster and lift flooring where water is trapped.
4. Dry with dehumidifiers and air movers; crawl spaces may need extra containment.
5. Rebuild walls, ceilings and floors once readings are normal.

Keep It From Happening Again

Insulate exposed pipes, close crawl space vents in severe cold, disconnect garden hoses and know where your shutoff is.

If the problem is wastewater rather than clean water, see our sewage cleanup page. For everything else, head to our Athens water damage page.