How to Deal With A Plumbing Emergency

A plumbing emergency can strike any home, often at the most inconvenient of times. It could be a clogged toilet, or worse, burst pipes that threaten to flood your place and do a lot of damage.

While getting the services of an emergency plumber is basically the only thing to do if and when a plumbing emergency strikes, keep in mind that the skilled and experienced professional plumber you are asking for help from will not be there instantly to fix the damage. Unless the plumber lives right next door to you, you should know how to deal with a plumbing emergency while waiting for the emergency plumber to arrive.

Here are some tips on how to deal with a plumbing emergency while waiting for the emergency plumber to arrive.

Shut off the Main Water Valve

Whatever the nature of your plumbing emergency, one of the first things you must do is cut off the water supply. That way, you will be able to prevent further flooding and effectively spare your home from water damage.

In this regard, it’s important to know the exact location not only of your main water valve, but the shutoff for individual fixtures or appliances in your home as well. If you’re sure which fixture is causing the plumbing emergency, shut it off first, then proceed to the main water valve to make sure no more water will come flooding your house for the time being.

Turn off the Water Heater

If the plumbing emergency involves your water heater, turn it off immediately after shutting the main water valve. It is important to do this right away because if the water supply is cut off but the unit is still on, heat and pressure could build up and eventually cause more problems. If you have a gas water heater, locate the turn-off valve for the gas and turn it 90 degrees to cut the gas off. If you have an electric heater, simply walk over to the circuit breaker and switch the power off.

Use a Plunger

When you have a clogged toilet or a stopped-up drain, a plunger could come in handy. You can also choose to unclog drains using liquid drain cleaners, but you need to keep in mind that they are made of harsh chemicals that could cause harm to yourself and the environment.

Stop up any Leaks

Even after you have shut off the main water valve, there will always be some residual leaking that might still flood your kitchen floor or your basement. To stop these residual leaks, plumber’s epoxy or even a length of Teflon tape will be able to temporarily block water leaking from a loose joint or other fixtures.

Use a Hair Dryer for Frozen Pipes

If it’s the dead of winter and you find your pipes frozen, you can try gently thawing the pipes using a hairdryer or a space heater.

To be perfectly honest, the preceding tips on how to deal with a plumbing emergency are basically just Band-aids to stop the plumbing emergency from getting any worse. Amid all this, you need to stay calm and wait until the emergency plumber arrives. We at Beez Neez will be more than happy to offer you our emergency plumbing services. Call us when a plumbing emergency strikes, and we’ll be there for you no matter what day of the week and time of the day it is.