Split supply lines and wet walls in the Roswell area
Burst Pipe Water Damage in Roswell, GA
Did a pipe split behind the wall, or did a line under the sink let go? Water from a burst pipe in a Roswell-area house runs into cabinets, flooring and the wall cavity, often out of sight. Call (678) 679-2562 once the water is stopped, and give the room, the pipe and the age of the house.

Roswell-area notes
- UGA Extension says only the top 2 inches of soil freeze in most of Georgia, so buried sprinkler pipes usually come through a cold snap. It is the exposed pipes that are at risk: outdoor lines, valves, ground-level backflow valves and sprinkler heads. Taping or wrapping them is the advice.
- Who answers for the water line depends on the address. Roswell Water Utility: (770) 641-3707 on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., then (770) 640-4100 through police dispatch. Fulton County customers in Roswell, Johns Creek and Milton: 770-640-3040. Sandy Springs gets water from the City of Atlanta, and the city's page lists 404-658-6500.
Back away and get help if
Water spraying near outlets, a panel or a light fixture:
stay out of the room and away from switches. Sparking or a burning smell means 911 or the power company.
A pipe spraying with no way to reach the shutoff:
leave the room and call your water supplier from outside, using the numbers listed below.
Water pooling above you, or a ceiling that has begun to bulge:
keep everyone out from under it. The Red Cross calls a wet ceiling heavy and dangerous, so call 911 if it comes down on someone.
A gas smell by a wet water heater or furnace:
walk out and flip no switch. From the street, the gas company's emergency number is 877.427.4321 (Atlanta Gas Light), or dial 911.
Four slips after a pipe lets go
Running the taps to see if it still leaks
The meter test is cleaner: read the meter with everything off, wait two hours, read again.
Mopping and moving on
Water that ran inside a wall or under a cabinet does not stay on the floor, and EPA says to dry everything completely once the leak is dealt with.
Tossing the soaked liner, flooring or trim before it is photographed
FEMA's checklist asks for pictures of the damage and a list of damaged items.
Treating it as one job
A plumber repairs the pipe. What the water reached afterward is a separate question for a restoration contractor.
Looks from dry ground
Keep to looks from dry ground that feel comfortable. Anything that needs a ladder, a wet floor or a panel cover belongs to the contractor or an electrician.
- Find the main water shutoff before you need it. UGA Extension says to know where it is in case a pipe bursts.
- Run the meter test with every tap and appliance off: read the meter, wait two hours and read it again. EPA says a changed number likely means a leak.
- Look along the nearest wall and inside the cabinet under the sink for a stain, a soft spot or a musty smell. Look and photograph; do not cut anything open.
- Set this month's water bill beside the same month last year. EPA says a much higher bill can point to a leak nobody has found yet.
When a leak will not hold for the weekend
A line that is still running needs the shutoff first, and nothing here replaces that. After the supply is off, call (678) 679-2562 if the floor is still wet, if a stain has shown up on the ceiling below, or if the cabinet base has begun to swell.
A single drip that stopped on its own and left a dry cabinet is a different case: photograph it, keep an eye on it, and call if it comes back.
If the pipe itself is being replaced
Johns Creek's online permit guide says a trade permit is required to install, repair, remove or replace plumbing, gas, mechanical and electrical systems. Whether a given pipe repair counts is a question for the desk. The paperwork page has the numbers.
Pages behind these facts
- University of Georgia Extension, Winterize pipes soon to avoid springtime troubles (Nov 2004, modified Aug 2025)
- EPA WaterSense, Home Maintenance (updated 16 Jun 2026)
- CDC, Safety Guidelines: Reentering Your Flooded Home (last reviewed 24 Aug 2026)
- American Red Cross, Checking Your Home: Structural Elements
- Atlanta Gas Light, Emergency information
- City of Roswell, Water Utility
- Fulton County Government, Emergency Repairs (Water Services)
- City of Sandy Springs, Utilities
- City of Johns Creek, Guide for the Online Permit Portal
Checked 1 Nov 2026