Have you ever experienced an emergency plumbing situation? Well, they can be very terrible. Unfortunately, this is something that every homeowner is bound to experience at one point. Luckily, if you have a few pointers, you can know how to respond during such occasions. That said, here is a guide on what to do during an emergency plumbing situation:
Cut off the Water Supply
When you notice a plumbing emergency, the first step is shutting off the water. In this case, you should know where the main valve is situated. Oftentimes, you will find it outside the house. Or just locate your water meter along the boundary line and you’ll find this valve next to it.
However, cutting the water supply is a temporary solution. It’s meant to prevent flooding in your house. Furthermore, you don’t have to cut the water supply from the main valve. At times the issue may arise from a specific section of the house, e.g. the toilet. In this case, locate the valve that controls water supply to this feature and shut it.
Get Your Plunger
Everyone needs a plunger at home because they can be a resourceful tool in various circumstances. Luckily, it’s a cheap item that you can get from the store. Plungers help unclog blocked drainage pipes. However, if the plunger doesn’t solve the situation, contact the plumber.
Some blockages are deep in the drain where the pressure from the plunger cannot apply. And that’s why hiring professionals is great. They have effective pieces of equipment that can reach such places and unclog your drainage system.
Fix the Leak
Even leakages along the plumbing system qualify as an emergency plumbing situation. Regardless of how fast or slow the leakage is, it can generate massive losses. Besides higher water bills, the leaks can significantly damage part of the property where they’re occurring. Therefore, if you can’t handle the leakage, reach out to a plumber instantly.
Avoid Chemicals
Chemicals often seem like a fast solution to plumbing issues, especially drainage clogs. However, don’t be too quick to use them during an emergency plumbing situation. Those chemicals may end up in your living area or bathroom.
Therefore, call a 24/7 plumbing service to come over and examine the situation. Chemicals sometimes end up corroding the drainage pipe leading to greater damage. Also, not knowing the cause of the clog is another reason why you shouldn’t use chemicals.
Damage Assessment
Assess the situation after minimizing the damage. This will be helpful when you’re calling a plumber to come over. Like any other emergency response, they would want to know the situation at the scene. And with that information, they can prepare adequately in terms of the equipment they may need to resolve the issue. Therefore look around and master what the scene looks like before calling the plumber.
Call
Lastly, get in touch with the plumber and tell them what the plumbing emergency is all about. As mentioned earlier, you need to have the contact details of a 24/7 plumbing company. Also, they must have an emergency package that you can leverage during such situations.
What Qualifies as an emergency plumbing situation?
- Frozen pipes
- Clogs
- Sump pump not working
- Overflowing toilet
- Gas leaks
- The water main is broken
- Burst supply pipes
- Leaky pipes
Final Take
With the above tips, you can contain the situation and reduce the damage. Meanwhile, reach out to your plumber. If the situation qualifies as an emergency, ensure you mention that when booking their services. At Flamingo Plumbing and Backflow, Florida residents can benefit from emergency response.
