A plumbing emergency is an inevitable crisis for every homeowner. You might leave the house clean and dry only to come back to a flooded house or wake up to a clogged sink just before you do your dishes. Either situation can be challenging to overcome alone. Typical emergencies include water and gas leaks, clogged drains, toilets or damaged fixtures. Once they occur, they cause inconveniences, and if not corrected on time, they can be disastrous. Know how to handle these emergencies to avoid further damages and extra costs that might arise. To achieve this, do the following:
1) Call an Expert
A plumbing emergency might be a warning sign before a major disaster strikes that might be minutes away from happening. You ought to have an emergency plumber on speed dial to call when in a similar situation. Ensure you get a plumber who operates around the clock since these mishaps do not have a timeframe on when they occur. A competent plumber will ask you to access the leak and the location and offer advice on how to reduce further damages before they get to you. The plumber might also share the solution if they consider it something you can handle on your own.
2) Turn Off the Water Supply
Most plumbing disasters lead to an overflow of water at unwanted locations. The water if left unattended, can damage the floor, equipment, walls, and even furniture. If it comes in contact with electricity, it can lead to electric short-circuiting that further damages equipment or causes a fire. You can shut off the water or gas at the closest point or shut down the whole system from the supply line if the prior option does not exist. You might be required to unplug plugs, or break the circuit or use a valve and you need to do it right to avoid further damages. Use the instruction menu or arrows provided to ensure you do this right.
3) Look For Alternatives
When struck by a plumbing problem, you need to look for an alternative option to reduce the damage it might cause before it gets fixed. You can drain the water using jars or towels or redirect it outside. Additionally, switch off the electricity to reduce consumption in water heating systems and as a precaution to avoid further damages. You can also open faucets and drains spigots in other locations to increase the drainage process in case the water affected is from a storage system. Avoid using gas and open flames when faced with a gas leak as this might lead to fires.
4) DIY
At times, when faced with a plumbing emergency, you need to take it upon yourself and fix it. This helps reduce the losses and costs you might incur if a plumber does it for you. Access the loss and assemble the necessary tools you need to fix it. You can also try simple tasks such as plunging or retrieving the blocking objects. Be vigilant when doing this as you might push the clog further down. You can also use warm water or insert a long object to remove clogs, especially in sinks and pipes.