What to Do During a Plumbing Emergency
When a pipe bursts in your walls, or your toilet springs a leak and starts flooding an entire floor of your home, it can be pretty tempting to panic. Don’t! Panicking will only make it harder to address the issue fast enough to minimize the damage it can cause.
If you keep your head and act quickly, though, you can ensure that your repair costs are as low as possible. Follow the steps below in a plumbing emergency to make sure that the issue is dealt with as quickly as possible.
Step One: Turn Off The Water!
The main threat that a lot of plumbing emergencies pose is the ability to inflict a lot of water damage in a short period of time. So, the number one thing that you should do during a plumbing emergency is turn off the water as quickly as possible. If you already have an automatic water shutoff valve installed in your home, then this step is likely taken care of for you.
If you don’t, though, then we recommend knowing ahead of time where your water shutoff valve is and how to close it. You don’t want to run around looking for it in the moment, as it will only provide more time for the issue to cause more damage. Once the water is turned off, you at least won’t have to worry about any further harm being done by the problem.
Step Two: Clean Up The Surrounding Area
Depending on where the emergency plumbing issue is located, you should take the opportunity to clean it up as best you can after the water is turned off. Mop up any water that hasn’t already sunk into the floor, and move any furniture or other items that might be damaged by water exposure. This will further mitigate how much water damage is done to the area, and makes the issue itself easier to access once your plumber arrives.
Step Three: Call an Emergency Plumber!
Unfortunately, the vast majority of plumbing emergencies are not things that can be fixed without professional training and equipment. Once you’ve done all you can to prevent further damage from being done to your home, we recommend that you call a plumber as soon as possible to permanently resolve the issue for you. Make sure that you find one that actually offers emergency repair services, as it is by no means a universal service.
Hopefully, the tips outlined above will help you to keep cool and act to control the situation in the event of a plumbing emergency. If you have a plumbing emergency on your hands that you need dealt with as soon as possible, let us handle it for you. We’ll make sure that your home is as protected as possible.
