When a hard freeze hits Texas, the real damage often shows up after the ice melts. A frozen pipe that bursts inside a wall or above a ceiling can soak drywall, insulation, flooring, and stored inventory within minutes.
Many commercial buildings here were never designed for long cold snaps, so pipes in exterior walls, attics and loading docks are especially exposed.
Prompt burst pipe cleanup can help limit the extent of drying, demolition, and mold remediation that may be needed. The goal is to remove standing water immediately and begin drying wet materials as quickly as possible, ideally within the first 24-48 hours. Complete structural drying may take several days or longer depending on the materials and extent of the loss. That takes more than shop vacs and open windows. It usually takes a commercial dehumidifier rental, air filtration and, in a cold building, the right kind of heat.
This guide is for facility managers, property managers and restoration crews. It covers what to do in the first hour, how the drying process works, and how to protect your insurance claim.
What to Do When a Pipe Bursts: The First Hour
The first hour sets up everything that follows. Work through these steps in order:
- Shut Off the Water: Close the main valve or the nearest isolation valve. Every facility team should know where these valves are before winter arrives.
- Cut the Power to Wet Areas: If water has reached outlets, electrical panels, wiring, or powered equipment, keep people out of the affected area. Shut off power only if the disconnect or breaker can be reached safely without entering water or contacting wet electrical equipment. Otherwise, contact a qualified electrician or emergency personnel.
- Determine How Far the Water has Spread: Water travels along framing and under flooring. Check the rooms below and beside the break, ceilings and the lower sections of nearby walls.
- Document Before You Clean: Take photos and video of the broken pipe, the standing water and every damaged item.
- Remove Standing Water: Use wet vacuums or pumps. Remove or elevate wet ceiling tiles, rugs, and boxed inventory when it can be done safely.
- Book Drying Equipment Early: After a statewide freeze, every restoration crew in Texas needs dehumidifiers at the same time. Reserve equipment as soon as you know the size of the wet area.
One Caution: If the water contains sewage, floodwater, chemicals, or other potentially hazardous contamination, don’t treat it as a routine clean-water loss. Isolate the area and bring in a qualified restoration professional with the appropriate procedures and protective equipment.
Why Water Damage Drying Has to Start Within 48 Hours
The EPA’s guide to mold remediation in schools and commercial buildings recommends drying water-damaged materials within 24 to 48 hours. Mold doesn’t automatically appear at 48 hours, but prolonged moisture creates conditions that can support microbial growth. That is why water extraction and drying should begin as quickly as possible. Growth may begin in concealed areas such as: inside wall cavities, under flooring and behind baseboards.
Commercial water damage also spreads in ways that are easy to miss. Drywall wicks water upward from the floor. Insulation holds moisture for days. Carpet pad and particleboard can swell beyond repair. Texas weather adds another problem, because if warmer or more humid conditions follow the freeze, moisture removal can become even more important because wet materials may remain damp longer.
The longer materials stay wet, the more of them you’ll have to remove them instead of drying it. That means higher repair costs and more downtime for your business.
How to Dry a Commercial Building After a Burst Pipe
Once the standing water is gone, the moisture left inside walls, floors and air is the real problem. Effective structural drying typically requires several processes working together.
1. Pull Moisture Out of the Air With LGR Dehumidifiers
Wet materials only dry when the air around them is dry enough to take in more moisture. A water damage dehumidifier keeps that process going. Low-grain refrigerant (LGR) units, such as the Dri-Eaz LGR 7000XLi, are built for restoration and structural drying and are designed to continue removing moisture effectively as humidity decreases.
Keep doors and windows closed so the units help maintain a controlled drying environment. The number and capacity of dehumidifiers depend on the volume of the affected space, moisture load, temperature, relative humidity, wet materials, outside-air infiltration, and the specific equipment rating. Square footage alone is not enough to determine the drying setup. Our guide on how to size a commercial dehumidifier explains the details.
2. Add Clean and Dry Heat to a Cold Building
Lower temperatures can slow evaporation and may reduce the performance of some refrigerant dehumidifiers, and refrigerant dehumidifiers remove much less water when a room is chilly. After a freeze, the building’s own heat may be off or damaged. Temporary heat brings the space back to a temperature where drying works.
The type of heater matters:
- Electric salamander heaters use electrical service rather than onsite combustion, so they don’t add combustion-generated moisture. Power requirements vary by model and may include higher voltage or amperage.
- Indirect-fired heaters keep combustion exhaust and combustion-generated moisture separate from the heated supply air, making them useful for larger drying spaces when properly configured.
- Direct-fired propane heaters can add combustion-generated moisture to the space, which may work against dehumidification. For structural drying, heater selection should account for moisture generation, ventilation, temperature, and the overall drying plan.
If the building’s heating system failed completely, see our emergency heating options for 24/7 support.
3. Clean the Air While You Dry
Drying stirs up drywall dust, debris and mold spores. True HEPA filters from our air scrubber rental fleet are commonly rated to capture at least 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns under applicable test standards, helping reduce airborne particulate levels to protect workers and building occupants during cleanup and remediation work. If you need to keep dirty air out of occupied areas, compare the options in our air scrubber vs. negative air machine guide.
4. Measure Moisture Instead of Guessing
Check drywall, wood framing and subfloors with a moisture meter every day. A surface can feel dry while moisture remains deeper within the material. Compare affected materials with appropriate dry reference areas of the same material where possible. Drying goals should be based on moisture readings and the requirements of the material rather than how the surface feels. Shutting equipment off too early is one of the most common reasons mold appears weeks later.
Burst Pipe Insurance Claim Tips for Business Owners
A well-documented cleanup can make a bust-pipe water damage claim easier to document and review. These habits help:
- Call Your Insurer Early: Most commercial policies expect you to act quickly to limit further damage, so report the loss and start drying right away.
- Photograph Everything Before It’s Removed: Capture damaged drywall, flooring and inventory before anything goes in a dumpster.
- Keep a Daily Drying Log: Record which equipment ran, where it ran, and the moisture readings each day.
- Save Every Invoice: Equipment rental, labor and replacement materials may be relevant to the claim, depending on the policy. Check your policy for what it covers.
How to Prevent the Next Frozen Pipe Burst
Once the building is dry, use what you learned to protect it before the next freeze:
- Insulate pipes in exterior walls, attics, crawl spaces and loading docks.
- Maintain adequate heat in areas containing vulnerable piping. Temporary heater rentals can provide backup heat when the building’s permanent system cannot maintain safe temperatures.
- Label shut-off valves and make sure staff on each shift know where they are.
- Check fire sprinkler lines in unheated areas, which are easy to overlook.
Our freeze plan for Texas facility managers walks through these steps in more detail.
When repairs begin, during reconstruction, drywall components, coatings, flooring systems, adhesives, and other materials may have specific temperature and humidity requirements. Temporary climate-control equipment can help maintain those conditions when used according to the product and project specifications. That’s where construction drying and curing equipment keeps the rebuild on schedule.
Get Your Building Dry Before the Damage Spreads
Burst pipe cleanup is a race against the clock. Shut off the water, document the damage, remove standing water, and start drying within 48 hours. Run dehumidifiers, appropriate temporary heat and air scrubbers together, and keep them running until moisture readings show that the drying goal has been reached.
Preferred Climate Solutions has helped Texas businesses recover from freezes and floods since 2007. Our 24/7 dispatch delivers drying, heating and air quality equipment from branches in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Oklahoma City, often within the same day.
Are you dealing with a burst pipe right now? Call 844.738.9736 or request a quote online, and share the affected area dimensions and site conditions. We’ll recommend the right equipment and get it to your site fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a burst pipe cleanup take in a commercial building?
Most clean-water drying jobs take about 3 to 5 days with the right equipment running around the clock. Large losses, hardwood floors and concrete slabs can take longer. Daily moisture readings tell you when the job is actually done.
Can I dry a building with fans alone?
No. Fans move air, but they don’t remove moisture from it. Without dehumidifiers, the humidity in the building rises and can push moisture into areas that were dry. The EPA also advises against running fans until you know the water is clean.
How many dehumidifiers do I need after a pipe burst?
It depends on the size of the wet area, the materials involved and the temperature inside the building. Send us the square footage and a few photos, and we’ll recommend the right number of units.
Does insurance cover burst pipes?
Many commercial policies cover sudden and accidental pipe bursts. Damage from a slow leak or poor maintenance often isn’t covered. Check your policy and call your agent as soon as you find the damage.
When should I call a restoration company instead of handling it in-house?
Call a restoration professional if the water is contaminated, if mold is already visible across a large area, or if the structure or electrical system is damaged. We supply drying equipment to restoration contractors across Texas and Oklahoma, too.
What equipment is needed to dry a commercial building after a pipe burst?
LGR dehumidifiers, high-velocity air movers, HEPA air scrubbers, and temporary clean heaters (electric or indirect-fired) are needed if the building is cold.
Do air scrubbers dry a wet building?
No. Air scrubbers capture dust, debris, and mold spores stirred up during cleanup, but they don’t extract moisture or dry materials.
Should I use heat to dry water damage faster?
Yes. Clean and dry heat speeds up evaporation, but use electric or indirect-fired heaters. Direct-fired fuel heaters add moisture back into the space.
How do I know when drywall and flooring are actually dry?
Test deep inside wall cavities, subfloors, and structural framing with a moisture meter until readings match undamaged and dry areas of the building.