Water leak: what to do in the first ten minutes
What you do in the first ten minutes often determines the size of the bill. Four steps, in the right order.
Updated
1. Shut the water off at the source
If the leak comes from a specific fixture — toilet, basin, dishwasher — look first for the small shut-off valve just below or behind it. It is faster and it does not cut water to the rest of the house.
If you cannot find that valve, or the leak is from a pipe, go to the main shut-off. In most South Shore homes it is in the basement near the front wall on the street side: a pipe coming out of the floor or foundation, with a round handle to turn clockwise or a lever to swing 90 degrees.
The best time to locate it is today. Not during the emergency.
2. Drain the pressure
Even after the supply is closed, the pipes stay full. Open a tap at the lowest point of the house — often in the basement — so the remaining water drains where you choose rather than through the leak.
3. Make the electricity safe
If water is reaching an outlet, an extension cord, a plugged-in appliance or the electrical panel, cut power to that area before you start mopping. Do not walk into water that is in contact with live electrical equipment.
4. Document before you clean up
Take photos and a short video before moving anything. Your insurer will ask for them, and once the cleanup is done there is no going back. Note the time you noticed the problem, too.
Water damage accounts for a significant share of home insurance claims in Québec. Contact your insurer promptly: most policies specifically ask you to limit the damage, which is exactly what you did by shutting off the water.