How to deal with plumbing emergencies

Every homeowner will experience a plumbing emergency at one point or another. Regardless of doing many preventative measures, it can still occur. In order to protect your home, it is essential that you know how to handle such an emergency. Proper handling can make a difference so the problem won’t result in significant damage.

Here are some tips on how to face plumbing emergencies.

Don’t panic

It is only natural to panic when faced with a crisis. However, when it comes to a plumbing emergency, losing your calm can lead to more severe damage not only to your home but also to your belongings. You do not want that.
The best thing to do is to take a moment to breathe. Remind yourself that everything will be okay. Clear your mind so you can think correctly on the next step you should do. Remember, you’ll be just fine.

Turn off the water supply

Water leaks or flood are common when we talk about plumbing emergencies. This can cause extensive damage to one’s home. When these problems strike, find the closest water source and turn the switch off as fast as you can. For toilet leaking, find the valve that is usually located at the base or the back and turn it off. If the leak comes from a pipe or a feature that doesn’t have its own shut-off switch or valve, turn off the main water supply. It’s vital that you know where the main switch of your water supply and how to shut it off. Most main water switch requires you to turn it clockwise to shut it down.

Being able to act on it quickly can help reduce possible damage. If ever you do not know where that main switch is located, or you do not know how it works, call a professional plumber in Winston Hills to assist you.

Identify the problem

Before you can proceed with the resolution, you need to identify what the problem is. Is it a leaky pipe or is there a blockage that is causing the problem? You know that blockage is more likely to be the problem if your toilets, drains, tubs and showers are overflowing or not draining properly. The blockage maybe somewhere along the pipes.

If you are experiencing dripping water and damp patches, it’s possible that you have a broken pipe. If you noticed mould in any area of your home, it could be that a slow leak has been there for some time.

You need to be able to identify what the plumbing issue is so you can figure out a solution right away. If you are having a hard time finding the problem, call a plumber for help. It’s always a great help if you have contact information of your local plumber ready to speed up the process.

Tackle small plumbing issue

If you’ve identified the problem quickly, fix it as soon as you can. Small leaks can be sealed by putting some plumber’s tape. But you still need a plumber to come over to your house to check the leakage to ensure that there are no other problems occur.

For blockage, you may need to use a plunger. This tool can be used to unblock toilets and all types of drains. If using a plunger doesn’t help, then you can use a drain cleaner to resolve the blockage.

For loosen fixtures, joints and fittings, a plumber’s wrench can be used to tighten them. Corroded washers on taps and faucets can be replaced with new ones.

Be prepared

Having professional plumbers to check on your plumbing issue is always the best option. Not only does it give a quick solution to the problem, but plumbers can also check if there are other problems in your plumbing system that you are unaware of. Be prepared when they come and inform them of the plumbing issues you are currently dealing with. Plumbers may need some time to do the necessary repairs to fix the problem. Mostly, emergency plumbers will do the repairs temporarily to return the running water. They may need to come back the next day to solve the issue permanently.

In case you have a major plumbing problem, staying away from home for a day or two may be necessary so that repairs can be completed successfully and efficiently.

The best way to handle any plumbing emergency is by being prepared. The tips mentioned above can help you to have the right mindset to deal with an emergency. There are many things you can do to protect your home and avoid having issues, but there is no guarantee that you won’t experience one. When you find yourself having trouble handling an emergency, it’s always best to reach out to professional plumbing service. Plumbers always know what to do and can start the repair immediately.