At some point in time, you will face a plumbing emergency.
This can be a pipe leakage, clogged sinks, burst water lines, broken faucet or anything else which can cause plumbing difficulties. Such an emergency can be a major hassle.
In such an event, many homeowners get confused about the next steps that must be taken. It is important to be prepared beforehand and know about what can be done if an emergency occurs.
Following are the actions which should be taken in an event of a plumbing emergency:
1. Call a Plumber
The first and foremost step is to call a plumber. A plumber is a professional who can deal with plumbing problems, as listed above.
Normally, homeowners tend to forget about the emergency services, when such an event occurs. Calling the plumbing service right away is necessary. This will ensure that damage is minimized.
It is important to note that the plumbing service will take some time to reach your house.
Therefore, you should ask them about the preliminary steps that can be taken to deal with the issue.
Take some guidance on how the issue can be addressed. This will prevent escalation of the existing situation.
2. Shut Off the Water Source
In the event of an emergency, you should ensure that the water sources are shut off. If you have a main water source, then turn that off.
However, if there are different water sources, all of them must be turned off.
For example, if there is a problem with the kitchen sink, the valves beneath the same should be turned off. This will avoid any leakage
Cutting off the water supply can help you prevent getting the area flooded.
3. Turn off the Electrical Appliances
Electrical appliances are most vulnerable to water. If the electrical appliances are in contact with water, it may cause damage to them.
Therefore, the next step is to turn off all the electrical appliances you have which may possibly be damaged by water leakages.
For instance, the water heater should be turned off until the issue is resolved by the professional plumber.
Sometimes, the problems with electrical appliances materialize at a later stage. The issue may show up after a few days of the problem being resolved.
Therefore, you must also note down a list of potential issues which may occur with electrical appliances. A professional electrician should be called to deal with these problems.
4. Pipes Should Be Cleared
Once you have turned down the main water source, some water may still be left in the pipes. In such an event, you need to ensure that all the pipes are absolutely cleared.
This can be done by opening the taps. All the excess water in the pipes can be drained by doing so.
This will further ensure that the water does not enter into potentially dangerous areas of the house, which can cause trouble.
If there is some clogging in these pipes, gently try to deal with the issue. In case you cannot do so, wait for the professional plumbing service to fix the problem.
5. Damage Control
There are highly likely chances that your house will be damaged as soon as the problem occurs. The water might have leaked into different areas of your house.
Therefore, you should take steps to ensure that the damage that has already occurred is controlled.
The water which has already flooded some areas of the house should be removed before the plumbing professional arrives.
This will prevent the damage from escalating. It even helps the plumbing professional to get the job done in an easier manner.
The Bottom Line
Above are the steps that every homeowner should take as soon as a plumbing emergency occurs. Depending on the intensity of the issue and the structure of your house, different steps may also be required.
Nevertheless, while hiring professional plumbers, you should look out for quality services.
Take into account factors such as experience, expertise, level of training, quality of customer service and the ability to respond on an emergency basis.
This will ensure that the service you receive is of optimal quality and therefore, you will remain highly satisfied.
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