How many times have you found yourself in the middle of an emergency plumbing situation? Whether it’s no water coming out of your faucet or the pipes in your bathroom bursting, every homeowner will experience a plumbing emergency at some point or another. The trick is to know how to handle these types of problems before they occur so that when they do arise, you’re ready to act. We’ve put together 8 tips on how to handle a plumbing emergency and get back on track with your regular routine as soon as possible.
Shut off your Water
After identifying that there is a plumbing emergency, turn off all water sources to prevent any further damage. Make sure to turn off all outside faucets, as well as any inside faucets connected to pipes. If you’re unsure of where your shutoff valves are located, refer back to your house’s blueprints or contact your local water company for assistance in locating them.
Stop the leak if you can
The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a plumbing emergency is to stop water from flowing. If your toilet has overflowed, shut off its water supply. If there’s something obstructing your sink drain, such as grease or hair, unclog it with drain cleaner (or some other liquid). You can also try turning off your home’s main water supply until you can determine what’s causing it.
Know When to call Bulldog Rooter
If you’re in an emergency situation and need immediate assistance, it’s best to call out a plumber. If your toilet overflows or your pipes burst, let a professional handle it. It’s important that you keep your safety in mind at all times, but especially during plumbing emergencies.
If you have an appliance with moving parts, turn it off
The first thing you should do if you have an emergency plumbing issue is to turn off your water supply. Doing so will prevent further damage and avoid any accidents. If you have multiple appliances with moving parts, it might be necessary to shut them down one at a time. In either case, make sure that you know how they work (so you can turn them back on) and be very careful when turning anything back on again—you don’t want to start a flood in your house!
Keep warm liquids away from pipes
One common problem that plumbers in emergency plumbing situations run into is when homeowners pour hot water into faucets or other containers that are near pipes. This can lead to your entire home being flooded with hot water and lead to extensive property damage. You should keep warm liquids away from your home’s pipes. In fact, you should use cold water whenever possible in order to avoid any potential issues that could occur as a result of using hot water around your pipes.
Turn off heating systems when the cold weather hits
If you’re going away for an extended period of time during cold weather, it’s probably best to turn off your heaters. If you don’t turn off your heating system and it gets damaged, you might find yourself in a pretty big plumbing emergency. If your unit has built-in controls for turning off when there is no one at home, make sure they are activated before leaving town!
Beware of frozen pipes during cold weather
Cold temperatures can cause water pipes to freeze. The chances of frozen pipes increase in homes that have poorly insulated or uninsulated pipes. If you’re leaving your home for an extended period of time, make sure you turn off your main water supply before leaving and drain water from nearby faucets in order to prevent water from freezing in these pipes. Also, check that any automatic sprinkler systems are turned off so they don’t continue to run and waste water if a pipe does freeze.
Handling Plumbing Emergencies – Summary
You may not think about plumbing very often, but it is one of those things you wish you could call someone for right when something goes wrong. The good news is that there are plenty of DIY guides online so that in case something does go wrong, you can fix it yourself. But what happens if you don’t know how to do any of these repairs? That’s when you should call emergency plumbers, like Bulldog Rooter, who will come and take care of everything for you. Not only are they better at handling emergencies, but they also charge less than regular plumbers because they specialize in fixing problems as quickly as possible.
In fact, Bulldog Rooter even guarantees our work & offer 24-hour service just in case an emergency arises late at night.
Get in contact with the Plumbing Emergency Professionals at Bulldog Rooter today to learn more about all of our Emergency Services or to get scheduled!
