Five things you can do in a plumbing emergency?

Plumbing emergencies arrive without warning. There is nothing you can do to expect a plumbing emergency beforehand, but what you can do is handle the situation like a pro. So, instead of worrying about the situation, roll up your sleeves and get to work on your plumbing emergency. Your first instinct should be to contact a plumber who provides emergency plumbing services.

Before we dive in to see what we can do in a plumbing emergency, let us take a look at the type of plumbing emergencies that may occur.

What are the plumbing emergencies?

·   Leaky toilets, faucets, water heaters, and hoses.

·   Clogged shower drains, toilets, sinks, and bathtubs.

·   Burst or frozen water pipes.

·   Damaged or broken water lines.

·   Sewer backups.

Five things you should do during a plumbing emergency:

1. Shut off the water supply:

When you encounter a plumbing emergency, the first thing you should do is to shut off the water supply to that specific area. For example, if there is an emergency regarding the toilets or kitchen sinks, turn off the valves below the sink to stop the water flow and avoid water leaking.

In case there is a water leakage issue that involves your entire house, then completely cut off the water supply to the house before you or your plumber attempt to fix the plumbing emergency. Contact a local plumber near your home to address the issue.

2. Call the emergency plumbing services:

We often forget to report the issue to an emergency service right away, in the heat of the moment. The earlier you call to report a problem, the earlier help will arrive. Ask them for some guidance on emergency plumbing repair over the phone and follow their instructions in order to avoid a significant escalation of your existing plumbing emergency.

3. Check the electrical appliances of your home:

After calling the emergency services, the next thing you should do is check out the water-based electrical appliances of your home and see whether they are intact. Then, turn the devices off to avoid any sort of damage to them. For example, turn off the water heater until the plumbing emergency in that area of the house is fixed.

Do not take the risk of turning off the appliances from the electric box of your house if there is logged water near the electric box. Instead, make a note of every plumbing issue that needs to be fixed so that you do not miss out on issues when the local plumber arrives to fix the emergency.

4. Clear the water pipes:

There is some water still left in the water pipes after you turn off the main water supply to the house. Open all the taps and hoses to drain the excess water in the water pipes. This draining will be helpful if there are any leaks on the water lines. The water will be drained to the drainages and will not be able to enter the dangerous areas of the house and cause further damage. If you are facing issues regarding water backup or clogging of shower drains, toilets, sinks, etc., try to unclog the lines by the use of gentle methods of unclogging, or wait until the plumber arrives.

5. Try to control the damage:

After following all the instructions provided by your plumbing services and doing all the things mentioned above, try to control the damage a bit by clearing the water that has logged into your house before the plumber arrives. The water can cause damage to the flooring, drywall and cause mould to develop.

Get rid of the logged water by using towels or mops, turn on the fans and open the windows to dry the flooring. Removing the water will not only minimise some amount of damage caused by the water, but it will also help the plumber to fix the issue with ease. 

Final Advices:

Do not forget to take pictures and videos of the damage caused by the water, as these pictures will work as proof if you need to claim insurance for the damage in your house. These photos can also help the plumber in fixing the issues.We sincerely hope that you do not encounter a plumbing emergency. But, if you face any sort of plumbing emergency, you can contact us for any type of emergency plumbing service. We will try to dispatch one of our skilled technicians to your location as soon as possible.