What to do while you wait for an emergency plumber

24 November 2022

General

A plumbing emergency can be a nightmare. Aside from the inconvenience of not having running water, and not being able to use your taps, toilet, or shower, you also have to contend with possible water damage. If you’re faced with such a situation, the first thing you should do is get in touch with an emergency plumber. While you wait for him to arrive at your house or business, you should be proactive. Keep reading to discover how to minimize the effects of a plumbing emergency.

 

10 things to do while waiting for an emergency plumber

Turn off your water mains

The first thing that you should do is turn off your water supply. In order to do this, you need to find your stop water valve. In most cases, your valve can be found under your sink. However, if it’s not there, you should check in your airing cupboard or under the floorboards near your front door. Turning off your water mains will stop the flow of water into your property. As a result, you can rest assured that the problem isn’t going to get worse.

Drain the lines

After turning off the water, you should drain the lines in order to ensure that the pipes are completely clear. All you need to do is turn on all your taps and shower until there’s no more water flowing. This helps with major as well as minor leaks as it enables you to get rid of all the remaining water in your pipes.

Turn off the water heater

The last thing you want during a plumbing emergency is a broken water heater. Unfortunately, during these dreaded moments, this appliance is particularly vulnerable. In order to prevent serious damage to your water heater, you should turn it off once you have shut the main water valve.

Move all electrical appliances

Plumbing leaks and electrical appliances don’t mix well together. It is therefore essential that you move or cover any electrical equipment that might come in contact with water. If your water flow is being directed towards the ground, you should move all electricals to a higher level, beyond the flow’s reach. If you have internal wiring that is in the water path, you can cover it with electrical tape. You should only do this if you are sure it is safe, as you could injure yourself in the process.

Move valuable items

In addition to moving electricals, you should also move all of your valuable items. Water damage can create serious problems and wreck your valuables. Broken pipes are difficult to contain, meaning water can reach almost every corner of your house. A burst pipe can be particularly detrimental to your clothes and books.

You should remove all items of clothing as well as reading material from the affected area. It is more difficult to move furniture from the water’s path. The solution, in this case, is to get something to block the water in order to keep it from reaching the furniture. This could be anything from sandbags to towels.

Take pictures and videos

There is a risk of severe water damage when you have a plumbing emergency, which means that you might need to call your insurance provider to fix and replace things once your plumber has made the necessary repairs. If this is the case, you should be armed with all the evidence you need. It is therefore a good idea to take pictures and videos of all the damage as well as the cause of the problem. These can serve as evidence while filing your insurance claim.

When to know if you need a plumber

Make a note of the problem

You should always record the plumbing disasters that occur in your home. If you have a list of the past problems that you have had with your plumbing system, it might be easier for plumbing technicians to diagnose your problem faster. If you record this problem, you will have a note of it so that if a future problem occurs, you can inform the plumber.

Remove standing water

If you have a plumbing issue that has caused a buildup of water on your floor, it’s important to get rid of it as soon as possible as it may end up damaging your floors. Carpet, wood, and laminate flooring can all be severely affected by water damage. In order to remove standing water, you should open all windows and get a fan going in order to ventilate the room. Next, get to work with mops, brooms, and towels, or anything that will soak up the water.

Stay calm

One of the only things you can control in a plumbing emergency is yourself and your behavior. It’s essential that you stay calm in such a situation. Although plumbing emergencies are inherently stressful situations, you can’t let stress take over as it will make the situation worse. Do what you can to contain the problem, save your valuables from destruction, and leave the rest to the skilled plumber who is on his way. For emergencies, the response time is usually fast so take a deep breath and stay calm.

Don’t try to fix the problem

If you aren’t a licensed plumber, you shouldn’t try to fix the problem yourself. A lot of people try to take the situation into their own hands and pour chemical drain cleaners down an overflowing toilet, or thread a drain snake into a sewer pipe. Such measures are likely to do more harm than good. It is best to wait for the professionals to get there.

 

Emergency plumbing services

A plumbing emergency can be one of life’s most stressful experiences. At its worst, it can damage or even destroy your property. This is why you should get the problem sorted out as soon as possible. Plomberie Pro Drain understands just how important it is to get plumbing problems under control. That’s why we offer 24/7 emergency plumbing services. Our team can undertake commercial plumbing services as well as residential and industrial plumbing services.

The services we offer include:

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