Radiant Plumbing offers advice on what to do if pipes burst

If your pipes burst it could be some time before a plumber can get out to fix it. Here's some advice if it's happened to you.

AUSTIN, Texas - If your pipes burst it could be some time before a plumber can get out to fix it. Radiant Plumbing has some advice if it's happened to you.

If you live in an apartment you should contact your property manager and if you own your own home and you have water you should keep faucets trickling. Experts also say if you have water you should not be drinking that water right now and should try to conserve water.

If your pipes are still frozen, try to thaw them out a hairdryer to get water flowing.

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Freezing pipes explode at Central Austin apartment complex

Many of the apartments were soaked in water and the whole complex had to turn the water off for hours. FOX 7 Austin's Amanda Ruiz has more on that and tips on how to keep pipes safe.

For hot water line bursts, turn off your water heater and for cold water bursts you should shut down your whole water system.

If you have no water, power down your water heater to prevent damage and shut off your water main.

CEO of Radiant Plumbing and Air Conditioning Brad Casebier says "this whole town is just destroyed in a plumbing sense" and there weren't enough plumbers before the winter weather hit and that it'll take a "long time to get caught back up."

Low temperatures lead to burst pipes throughout Austin

As of 6pm Austin Fire had received 685 broken water pipe calls to 911 in one day. AFD says they were only able to respond to a fraction of those calls.

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If you don't know how to shut off your home's water look for the green box outside which is most likely off the ground.

Also while looking for someone to make repairs, make sure you find an accredited plumber. Companies are required to display their license number which normally starts with an "M".