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A pipe has burst

Close the main shutoff first, then make the power safe, photograph everything, and report it to your insurer. Triple-I says burst pipes are typically covered by homeowners and renters policies.1 Aim to have it dry within 24 to 48 hours.2

Last reviewed October 24, 202610 sources, numbered in the textSee sources

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Free service. Call now and we'll connect you with a local restoration company. How it works

In order

Do these top to bottom

  1. 01
    First

    Shut the water off at the main

    Knowing where the main water shutoff is lets you stop a failing hose or pipe quickly.1 In a Boise house on a crawl space it is often where the water service comes in through the foundation, the same spot the Red Cross names as a likely place for a pipe to freeze.4

  2. 02
    Before you walk in

    Check the electricity

    If there is standing water and you can reach the main power switch from a dry spot, turn it off. If you would have to enter the water, call an electrician, and have the system checked before the power goes back on.5 If you smell gas, leave right away and call the gas company or the fire department.5

  3. 03
    Before you clean

    Document it

    Idaho's Department of Insurance tells homeowners to take photos or videos of the damaged areas and personal property.6 Do not throw out damaged items until the adjuster has visited, and keep every receipt.7

  4. 04
    Today

    Report it to your insurer

    Report the claim as soon as you know about the damage, and make temporary repairs to stop it getting worse. Do not have permanent repairs made before your insurer inspects: the company may not pay for repairs it did not authorize.6

  5. 05
    Hours 1 to 48

    Get air moving

    Open windows and doors when the weather allows and use fans and dehumidifiers, with the fans blowing air out.5 The EPA wants wet areas and items dry within 24 to 48 hours.2 If the furnace or ducts may have got wet, have them inspected before you turn the heat back on.5

  6. 06
    Any time

    Know where DIY ends

    Sewage or other contaminated water calls for a professional with experience in it.2 A flooded home may also be contaminated with sewage.5

Please don't

  • Thaw a pipe with a blowtorch, a kerosene or propane heater, a charcoal stove or any open flame.4
  • Assume one frozen pipe is the only one. If one freezes, others may too, so check every faucet.4
  • Run a gas-powered generator or pump in a basement, garage or crawl space.5
  • Step into moving flood water near the river. The National Weather Service warns that fast water only 6 inches deep can knock an adult down.8
  • Make permanent repairs before the insurer has looked.6

Before you sign anything

Check whoever shows up

  1. Their Idaho contractor registration number. Idaho requires registration for most construction work over $2,000, and registered contractors must show the number on advertising, contracts and permits.9 Look it up with the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses.
  2. Which registration covers the work they propose. The state's FAQ does not say whether water mitigation alone falls under registration, so ask them and confirm with the Division.9
  3. What water category they assigned, and what they found that led to it.10
  4. A written, line-item estimate before work begins.7
  5. That permanent repairs wait until your insurer has inspected.6

Look up a license: Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (contractor registration)

How this works

What happens when you call

It is free to call, and calling commits you to nothing.

  1. A man on the phone by a snowy window, towels lined up along a wet wall behind him.
    1

    You call

    Tell them what happened and where. Have the address ready.

  2. 2

    We connect you

    A call network puts you through to an independent local restoration company that serves Boise and is taking calls.

  3. A technician wearing a headlamp lies in a crawl space, checking a dripping pipe with torn insulation.
    3

    They assess and quote

    If you want a visit, they look at the damage and quote their own price. Ask for it in writing.

We are a free referral service, not a contractor. The company that answers sets its own prices. How this service works

A couple holding their toddler smile in the kitchen as a fan dries the wood floor, snow outside.

Want a local company to look at it?

Free to call. An independent restoration company that serves Boise answers, and you decide what happens next.

Call (208) 994-8334

Boise Water Damage Advice is a free referral and information service, not a contractor. Calls are answered by independent local restoration companies through a pay-per-call network, and we may be paid when a call qualifies. We do not do the work and do not set prices or availability. How it works

Sources

Each numbered note on this page points here. We read every page on October 24, 2026. Where sources disagree we say so; where we could not find a source we left the claim out. We are not affiliated with any of these organizations.

  1. Triple-I (Insurance Information Institute), How to protect your home from water damage. No date shown (page copyright 2026). www.iii.org/article/how-to-protect-your-home-from-water-damage
  2. U.S. EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home. Page updated February 18, 2026. www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home
  3. Triple-I (Insurance Information Institute), Facts + Statistics: Homeowners and renters insurance. Figures for 2019-2023 (citing ISO). www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-homeowners-and-renters-insurance
  4. American Red Cross, Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes. Copyright 2026. www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/winter-storm…
  5. CDC, Safety Guidelines: Reentering Your Flooded Home. Page updated August 24, 2026. www.cdc.gov/floods/safety/reentering-your-flooded-home-safety.html
  6. Idaho Department of Insurance, Post-Disaster Claims Guide. PDF last modified July 26, 2022. doi.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/publication-post-disaster-claims-guide.pdf
  7. Triple-I (Insurance Information Institute), Settling insurance claims after a disaster. No date shown (page copyright 2026). www.iii.org/article/settling-insurance-claims-after-a-disaster
  8. National Weather Service (NOAA), Turn Around Don't Drown. Undated page, read October 24, 2026. www.weather.gov/safety/flood-turn-around-dont-drown
  9. Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, Contractor registration FAQ. No date shown. dopl.idaho.gov/con/con-faq/
  10. IICRC, ANSI/IICRC S500 Consensus Body Issues Position Statement on Category of Water Damage and Weather-Related Events (press release). March 16, 2026. iicrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weather-Related-Water-Damage-Position-PR_March-2026.p…
Call (208) 994-8334Free service. We'll connect you with a local restoration company. How it works