Almost every person and each home will have a plumbing crisis at some point or another. Learning what to do in a plumbing emergency will provide you control to protect your home when the time comes and get a repair service there much faster.
First and foremost, it is important to keep in mind that if you come across a major issue and water is damaging your home, it’s best to call an expert so you minimize the harm to your home, wallet and sanity.
If you come to find a couple inches of water on the ground, a leak in the ceiling or even a soggy bit of drywall that has dropped to the ground, it’s important to take the correct steps right away.
Plumbing emergencies can incite anxiety, but it is imperative that you try your best to remain calm, cool and collected. By keeping calm, you can help minimize the damage to your home. The steps below will help you manage a plumbing emergency and learn how to recognize one is on its way.
Check out our top plumbing emergency tips to help you when shit (literally) hits the fan.
What to do in a plumbing emergency?
Cut the Water
Whenever an emergency strikes, switch off the nearest water supply as fast as you can. For toilets, this may be as easy as turning the valve at the bottom or from your commode. For bigger emergencies or in the case of flooding, you are going to want to turn off the main valve in your house. Most water valves require that you turn them clockwise for closed off.
Shut off the Hot Water Heater
If your water heater is gas you need to turn the gas into the heater off or flip the device itself off if you’ve turned the water off from the primary valve. Once the water is away, pressure and hot water develop in the device. If you don’t do so, there is a chance that your water heater may burst, causing other issues. It might also simply overheat, and after the water is around, someone could get seriously burnt when turning to the hot water for the first time.
Look for Small Leaks
If you discover a small leak that’s easy to identify, stop it as best as possible. Keeping some plumber’s tape on your toolbox will make this chore much easier. You can even stuff rags and towels round pipes or place buckets under dripping leaks to help prevent additional harm. Take note of these leaks and point them out to the plumbers as soon as they arrive — this is a great way to ensure your issues are addressed in priority order.
Clean up Excess Water
There can still be water in your pipes after the water valve is closed off. You can help drain the water by turning on spigots in the house and letting excess water drain. Same concept applies to the water hose. Do not use any chemical cleaners in your pipes during an emergency because they may cause more harm than good.
Try and Stay Calm
It is extremely important to stay calm and to think logically. If you panic, it could cause you to take the wrong steps and create even more damage. Assess the situation and be ready to tell the plumber all of the steps that you took to better help them diagnose the problem.
These tips can help save your house and get you in the ideal mindset to tackle a crisis. Being prepared is the best way to successfully handle any plumbing situation.
Different Types of Plumbing Emergencies
Now that we have covered what to do in a plumbing emergency, let’s discuss the different types of emergencies that you might experience in your home or business. Keep in mind, tht each of these emergencies can and will vary in severity, which is why it is always wise to call a plumber ASAP.
Overly Hot Water
Everyone enjoys a nice, warm shower, but no one wants a burn. If the water coming from your showerhead or the sink is hot enough to cause a burn, you more than likely have a water heater issue. Typically, this means your water heater has over-heated. In this situation, it is a best practice to call a tech to evaluate the situation. Being safe than sorry is always the right mindset to have when dealing with plumbing.
Sorry to Burst your Bubble, I mean Pipe
When a pipe in or outside your house freezes, you could have a huge emergency on your hands. Pipes are susceptible to bursting under extreme temperatures, both hot or cold. A burst pipe can cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage as well as force you out of your home until the situation has been remedied.
Tips to Prevent Frozen Pipes:
- Insulate your pipes
- Keep the garage door closed during the winter
- Open cabinets to allow better air circulation around pipes
- When the weather is extremely cold, let faucets drips to keep water flowing
- Keep the heat on, even when you are not home
Leaking Water Heater
Leaks from a water heater can result in significant floor and wall damage, especially when they quickly fill your drip pan. Assess this basin to confirm the problem is coming from the water heater. If it’s empty you might just have an issue with the drain from that room, but it’s still best to call a plumber.
Clogged Drains
Drains get a lot of use every day and face many daunting tasks. Frequent use also makes them a common place where clogs happen. In case you have a drain that empties quite slowly or not at all, it’s probably time to call a plumber.
For equipment that drains slowly, but nevertheless drains entirely, you are able to attempt some home attempts to clear the clog. If this does not work, it is also possible to attempt a chemical cleanser to help clear out any gunk that is starting to develop. Always make sure that the chemical you’re pouring is labeled for use with the type of drain that’s clogged.
If your drain is totally clogged, do not pour some cleaners down it first. You need to make an effort and see if a plunger will remove enough of this clog so that it starts to drain. Only if you cannot clear the clog with a plunger do we recommend chemical cleaners.
Whenever you have a clog or drain that’s pouring water back into your home, immediately call a plumber. This is sometimes a sign of a significant disaster in the works, like a sewage backup or issue with your septic tank.
Toilet Troubles
Regrettably, bathroom issues are really common. The plunger is your best tool for tackling a clog by yourself. If plunging doesn’t work, it is time to call a plumber so we can come in and get rid of the clog whilst preventing waste water from harming your property.
A working toilet is usually something that you can handle on your own. Open the tank and scrutinize different components, such as the flapper and seal. Most hardware stores have a bathroom repair kit special to your brand. If you have a unit where the mechanisms are enclosed and you cannot readily access them, call a plumber to prevent further significant harm.
Please remember, it is extremely important to always shut off the water with the valve in the base or behind your toilet before doing any work on it.
Issues with your Garbage Disposal
Many garbage disposals will try to shut off at the event of an emergency or congestion. This can be a great feature that prevents damage to your house. When your disposal ceases running but you still hear its mechanical degradation when flipping its switch, reset the unit. It is easy to reset your disposal by pressing the large button — usually red and situated at the base of your disposal — until it pops out.
If a reset does not do the trick, you can consider trying to dislodge the clog on your own. Find an Allen wrench and insert it into the button of your unit. After secure, turn the wrench left and right a few times; this will move the disposal blades and components and allow for the blockage to clear.
If you don’t have any movement, do not hear a motor whirring sound in any way, or the aforementioned resets don’t do the job, it’s time to call a plumber. Plumbers can inspect the mechanics of the unit as well as the pipes and electrical lines. They can either fix the disposal or replace it all together. Good news is that fixing a disposal does not normally come with a huge price tag.
Prevention is the Best Solution
A number of the plumbing crises you read about, or perhaps have dealt with in the past, can be avoided. Problems may arise all of the sudden, but they are often the end result of long-term abuse or improper home improvement repairs.
People invest a good deal of time inside their bathrooms and kitchens, which means bad habits can quickly snowball. Here are a couple of plumbing emergency prevention tips that can help stop the problems in their tracks:
Watch what you put down the Drain
Your toilets and garbage disposal are NOT a trash cans and should not be treated as such. Toilets and garbage disposals are created to process certain types of waste and items, but they cannot handle much else. Some of the most common plumbing emergency examples come from people mistreating their plumbing. For toilets, do not throw in wipes, feminiehygene products, cat litter or medicines. Garbage disposals cannot handle fibrous or sludgy substances, so avoid rinds and grease.
Upgrade your Water Heater
Water heaters are a major cause of plumbing crises which can do significant damage to your home or business. Gas water heaters last about a decade and electric models can last up to 15 years. If your water heater is over 12 to 15 years old, you face the risk of a flood in your property. Just paying attention to the age of your system can prevent wide spread damage.
Avoid Harsh Chemicals
Harsh plumbing compounds are intended for certain pipes and might not always function in the manner in which you intend. Depending on the nature of your clog, a drain cleaner might not be powerful enough to get rid of major build-ups or crust that is hardened in your pipes. Some chemicals also cause damage to your plumbing or your health. There are many things you can do to help safeguard your home, but there is no guarantee you’ll be emergency-free. When you find yourself confronting an issue that you cannot handle or a crisis that makes your home unsafe, reach out to your local licensed professional plumbing for assistance and a fast remedy. Plumbers know what to do in a plumbing emergency and can start the repair process immediately.
