When water's coming through the ceiling, panic is the enemy. A few quick actions in the first few minutes can be the difference between a mopping-up job and thousands of pounds of damage. Here's what to do, in order.
And then call us. We run an out-of-hours emergency line across the North East, and we'll talk you through it while an engineer is on the way.
Find your internal stopcock and turn it clockwise to shut off the water supply. It's usually under the kitchen sink, in an airing cupboard or where the mains pipe enters the house. Knowing where yours is before an emergency is one of the most useful things you can do as a homeowner. If you can't stop it internally, there's an external stop valve, usually near the boundary of your property.
If the leak is from the heating system or hot water, switch off the boiler to stop it pulling more water through and to prevent it running dry. For a leak from a hot tank, turning off the boiler and the water supply is the priority.
Water and electricity are a dangerous mix. If water is anywhere near electrical fittings, sockets or your consumer unit, keep clear and switch off the electrics at the consumer unit if it's safe to reach. If in any doubt, stay back and tell us when you call.
Catch what you can in buckets, move furniture and valuables clear, and lift anything off wet carpets. If water is pooling on a ceiling and bulging, a small hole in the bulge (with a bucket underneath) can release it in a controlled way rather than letting the whole ceiling come down, but only if it's safe to reach.
Once it's made safe, call us on 0191 369 2405. Our emergency line covers out of hours, we'll talk you through anything else while we're on the way, and we'll explain the likely cost up front before we proceed.
Every job gets a site-specific risk assessment and method statement. Download a sample for this type of work, and our health and safety policy. All documents →
Turn off the water at your internal stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink or in an airing cupboard) by turning it clockwise. If you can't, use the external stop valve near your boundary.
If water is near electrical fittings or your consumer unit, keep clear and switch off the electrics if it's safe to reach. If in doubt, stay back.
Yes, our emergency line covers out of hours, and we dispatch an engineer rather than logging a job for later.
Yes, we explain the likely cost up front and confirm it before we proceed, even out of hours.
Burst pipes, major leaks, no heating or hot water, and anything causing damage to your home. If unsure, ring us and we'll advise.
Whatever the brief, the route in is the same: ring us, we'll visit, we'll come back with a fixed price in plain English. Free site visits across the whole North East.
Or email enquiries@atkinsonsgroup.co.uk
No call-out charge for quotes. Fixed prices, in writing.
