A burst supply line runs at full house pressure until someone closes a valve. In Marietta, the lines most at risk are the ones in the cold spots of the house: crawl spaces, garages, attics, and exterior walls. When a hard freeze does come, water in those pipes can freeze, the pressure builds, and the pipe splits. Often nobody knows until it thaws and the water starts moving again.
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The good news is that supply water starts clean. If extraction and drying start within the first day or so, a lot of the drywall, subfloor, and framing can be dried in place. Wait several days and the same water is treated as dirtier, which means more tear-out.
Water category:Category 1 (clean water) if it's dried quickly
Step 1
Moisture meters and a thermal camera show how far the water moved inside walls, under floors, and down into the crawl space, which is usually farther than the stain.
Step 2
Extractors remove standing water from carpet, pad, and hard floors so drying equipment isn't fighting puddles.
Step 3
Soaked insulation and swollen baseboard come out. Drywall may be cut in a straight line low on the wall to let the cavity breathe.
Step 4
Dehumidifiers and air movers are set up following IICRC S500 guidance, with readings each day until every material is back to its normal moisture level.
Step 5
Photos, moisture logs, and an itemized estimate go to you and your adjuster.
Local notes
Know which utility serves your street before a pipe lets go. Inside Marietta city limits, water comes from Marietta Power & Water (water emergencies: 770-794-5230). Most of East Cobb and the rest of unincorporated Cobb is on the Cobb County Water System (emergency dispatch: 770-419-6201). Either way, closing the main shutoff on your side of the meter is how you stop the water.
Insurance
A pipe that bursts suddenly is the standard example of a covered water loss on a typical homeowners policy. Drying, the tear-out needed to reach the leak, and the repairs are usually paid after your deductible. The broken piece of pipe usually is not, and a freeze claim can be denied if the house was left without heat and the water wasn't shut off.
Read the Georgia water damage insurance guideNo honest company can price this over the phone. These are the things the crew measures on site. Read the full cost guide.
Get a crew out to inspect it
An IICRC-certified crew measures the damage, explains the scope, and documents it for your insurer. You decide whether to go ahead.
(470) 305-6747Or estimate your drying scope firstBoth, and you can call them at the same time. The plumber fixes the pipe. The restoration company removes the water and dries the subfloor, joists, and insulation. Crawl spaces stay damp in Georgia, so drying shouldn't wait for the plumbing repair.
Cobb County Water's winter guide says to wrap pipes in crawl spaces, garages, and exterior walls, open sink cabinets so warm air reaches the pipes, let faucets drip, drain outdoor lines, and know where your main shutoff is. If you'll be away during a freeze, keep the heat on.
Often, if the water was clean and drying starts within a day or two. Drywall that hasn't swollen, crumbled, or started to smell can usually be dried in place. Wet insulation behind it is usually removed.
