Learning About Home Decor Elements

No one plans for a plumbing emergency, but that doesn't mean you won't experience one. Like other unpleasant surprises in life, plumbing emergencies tend to happen at the most inconvenient times, like during your holiday celebrations. Knowing what to do when a plumbing emergency strikes may save you hours of cleanup and just might impress your holiday guests too.

Turn Off the Water

If you don't know where your main water shut-off valve is, take the time to find out now before you actually need to use it. It is typically located at the point where your water supply enters your home. This may be in the basement, in the laundry room, in a crawl space or even on the outside of your home. This valve shuts off all water to your home. But it's not the only shut-off valve you need to know about. Shut-off valves to toilets and sinks are typically located beneath the sink or beneath the tank of the toilet. Shutting the valves off when needed will stop the flow of water, curtailing the mess and preventing issues with water damage.

Turn Off the Water Heater

Shut off the electrical supply to your water heater. Water heaters can suffer damage if water continues to drain from them if the tank does not refill. This may cause the heating elements to burn out or may ruin the water heater completely. Check your circuit-breaker box and turn off the circuit that goes to your water heater.

Turn on Outside Faucets

Your water pipes are filled with water and will not stop running immediately after you turn off the water supply. Opening the outside faucets will direct the water through the pipes and to the outside of your home. Likewise, if the issue is isolated to one area, such as the toilet, you can turn on the faucets in the sink to drain excess water from the pipes.

Get Rid of Excess Water

If your toilet overflows or your pipes bursts, your home can be quickly flooded with water. Once you have the flow of water stopped (by shutting off the appropriate water-supply valve), begin clearing the space of water as soon as possible. Mopping is usually fruitless at this point unless you are dealing with a minor leak. Grab buckets or scoops and redirect the water toward drains, if possible. Otherwise, use heavy towels or blankets to soak up the water. Wring the water out of the towels into the tub or a bucket and reuse the towels until all the water has been cleaned up. Do not place your saturated towels in the washer and try to spin the water from them, as soaked towels are heavy and may put too much strain on your washer. If you must remove the water with the washer, make sure the washer is set on the cycle to pump the water from the towels before it attempts to spin them.

Move Portable Items

Move any portable items that may get damaged from leaking water. Wipe them down with a damp cloth and let them air dry. If the weather is agreeable, set the items outside to dry in the sunlight and air. Otherwise place them in a well-ventilated area to dry. You can also use fans to speed dry things and to encourage air circulation.

Call Your Plumber

Call your plumber as soon as you have things under control or ask another family member to make the call and relay the information to you as you work to solve the issue. Your plumber can often guide you through a plumbing emergency to minimize damage or make a quick repair until a service person can arrive. Be honest and own up to any actions you may have taken that could have caused the issue. The more information your plumber has, the better able they will be to help you over the phone.

Knowing what to do in a plumbing emergency won't prevent one from occurring, but it will minimize the damage and make cleanup easier. See this website to find a professional near you.