Tips for Dealing with a Plumbing Emergency

Vintage-style illustration of a smiling plumber in red and white holding a wrench and toolbox against a blue background.

No Need to Panic! Be Calm with the Emergency

Modern plumbing materials and techniques create systems that often provide decades of trouble free service. But while problems with plumbing systems are rare, things can go wrong from time to time.

Whether it is a clogged toilet, a broken water line or an overflowing sink, a plumbing emergency can create a stressful situation. However, by taking a methodical approach to dealing with the problem, the stress and damage from the emergency can be reduced.

Safety

The first concern in an emergency is safety. While many plumbing disasters pose no immediate threat, others can create a dangerous situation. For example, a water leak in an upstairs bathroom could cause water to run down into light sockets or electrical outlets and create a possible electrical hazard.

Another hazardous situation can be created when a leak impacts a furnace, air conditioning unit or other major appliance.

The water could make the appliance unsafe to operate. If a water leak impacts an electrical or gas powered device, it is important to get everyone out of the home and to turn off the electricity and / or gas.

Reducing Damage

Leaking water can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time. When a serious leak occurs, it is important to turn the water off to the leaking area or the entire home. Many fixtures in a home, such as toilets and faucets, should have shutoff valves located nearby. A shutoff valve should be used to stop a leak whenever possible.

However, sometimes there is no shutoff valve that can be used. If this is the case, then the water supply should be turned off to the home. There should be a main water supply shutoff near to where the water line comes into the house or the water can be turned off at the water meter.

When plumbing emergency occurs, you should call us as soon as you make certain that your family is safe and you get the water turned off. The quicker you call, the quicker we can get there and get the problem fixed.

Our trained technicians are ready and waiting to fix your plumbing problem. Waiting to call will only result in more water leaking into your home and more damage being done to your home and possessions. The more damage that a leak causes will result in a more expensive and time consuming repair.

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