Burst Pipe in Cardiff: What to Do in the First 10 Minutes

Water coming through a ceiling is frightening, but the first ten minutes matter more than anything else. Here's exactly what to do.

1. Turn off the water at the stopcock In most Cardiff terraces the internal stopcock is under the kitchen sink; in newer builds it's often in a downstairs cupboard or near the front door. Turn it clockwise. If it's seized, the outside stop tap in the pavement box is your backup.

2. Open the taps Run the cold taps to drain the system down and reduce the water still sitting in the pipework above you.

3. Kill the electrics if water is near them If water is anywhere near light fittings, sockets or the consumer unit, switch off at the main switch — from a dry position.

4. Turn the heating off Shutting down the boiler and heating prevents a system running dry and causing more damage.

5. Contain and photograph Buckets and towels first, then photos and video for your insurer before anything gets cleared away.

6. Call someone who actually answers Cardiff customers tell us the same story repeatedly: they ring five "24 hour" plumbers at midnight and nobody picks up. PHBLUE answers. We'll talk you through making it safe on the phone and get to you as quickly as we can, with the call-out rate made clear before we set off.

Emergency line: 07545 125168.