Plumbing Emergency Tips

A plumbing emergency usually means water, sewage, or gas leaking into your home. It is essential to shut the supply lines off as quickly as possible when this happens. When water is leaking, it can cause massive damage to your property if left unfixed. Gas leaks pose a higher risk for safety either because of poisoning or issues of flammable ignition. Sewage can cause significant problems in your home or business, from health concerns to costly restoration expenses.

Emergency kits for the home and business owners

We always recommend that you have tools that will allow you to stop the problem until a professional can come to replace and repair your broken pipes. Below is a list of items you can get at any hardware store if you still need them on your property.

• A 5-gallon bucket – This can be used to store your tools when not in use and to collect water as it leaks before your water has been shut off.
• Allen keys and wrenches – Often, you will need to tighten or adjust a nut, bolt, or joint. You will need to use hand tools to apply the necessary torque adequately.
• Duct or waterproof tape – In a pinch, you can use duct tape or waterproof tape to repair a leak until a professional can replace the pipe. Ensure you have correctly dried the pipe before applying tape to ensure that the tape has adequately adhered to the pipe.
• Heavy-duty paper towels or beach towels – It is highly recommended that you have towels ready to go in case of a leak. Heavy-duty paper towels can be used for minor messes and beach towels can be used to sop up more significant leaks.

Steps to take if you are facing an emergency plumbing situation

Unless you have above-average knowledge of plumbing or handyperson experience, it is always best to call an emergency plumbing company should you be faced with an uncontrollable leak. Below are some quick things you can do to stop the damage from escalating.

1. Shut off your water valve – If you notice a leak has sprung and cannot find a shut-off valve on the pipe or appliance, it is best to turn off your main water supply valve.
2. Call a plumber right away – After you have prevented the leak from continuing, we recommend you call a pipe repair plumber immediately. The sooner you call, the sooner a professional can go. Depending on the company and their busyness, you can usually get a plumber out the same day. In general, calling early in the morning will put you higher on their dispatch list than people calling in the later afternoon.
3. Turn off your water heater – After you have shut the main water valve in your home or business, you will also want to shut off your water heater if the emergency is large enough. Doing so will help avoid damage to your water heater caused by the unit overheating or swelling up and bursting. If you have a gas water heater, you want to shut off the gas and pilot.
4. Locate your isolation valves – If the leak is only happening in one area, you can shut off the isolation valve to that area or appliance. Doing this will turn off the water service to that unit and allow you to turn the water back on for the rest of your home while the leak is being repaired.
5. Relieve pressure and move water away from your property – If the leak happens outside of the winter months, you can turn on your faucets outside to get water out of the pipes once the water has been shut off. You can also run a tap at the lowest point, usually a bathroom or sink in the basement. Turn on the water in the bathtub to remove any water trapped in your pipes to relieve pressure and reduce the risk of water leaking while you wait for the plumber to arrive.