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Let’s not be surprised by the fact that sooner or later, you will face a difficult or minor plumbing situation. You should be prepared and geared up beforehand to deal with the chaos.
Just as fire, water, too, can cause severe damages to your home. In case of a leaking pipe, do keep a boat ready to row around in your flooded house. Water leakage could cost you a fortune; it can even be exponential if you are living in a condominium, a quadruplex, or an apartment.
The damage is not limited to your home. Anything that comes in contact with moisture would need repairing or replacing to avoid mold and spores, talk about tripling your budget. Also, stagnant water eventually does stink; you would have to clear the place up as quickly as possible or prepare to breathe in that filthy smell.
A right amount of water runs out in a pipe burst; in an hour, around 400 liters of water leaks out. Within 24 hours, about 9000 liters of water make its escape.
However, there are different levels of plumbing emergencies; some may not be as severe as mentioned above, a dripping tap counts as an emergency, too. All that precious water is going down the drain without being used.
Here are seven effective ways for you to deal with a plumbing emergency.
- LET’S NOT PANIC
The first rational thing to do in an emergency is, DO NOT PANIC! Act smart and in a systematic manner, do what you have to do to avoid any further troubles.
Anything you think might be at a damage risk due to the flood, put it in a spot where the water cannot reach it, or simply take it out of your home. Be prepared to deal with health hazards that might occur in extreme situations.
After fixing the damage, immediately figure out ways to repair other minor damages that may have been caused due to leakage, how do you plan on compensating for the loss? Make sure you have a stable mindset in times of such emergencies. Don’t run around in circles, screaming; it would do you no right.
- IMMEDIATELY CALL YOUR PLUMBER
It has to be done fast. Some people like taking matters into their own hands and tend to make situations even worse, thus, turning a minor fault into a major one. If you have no experience with plumbing, do not experiment with it that is not the time to do such a thing.
The safest and smartest option for you would be to call your trusted plumber, who is available around the clock. Plumbers such as Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Mississauga, ON, would guide you through the immediate preventive steps that you could take, depending upon the level of emergency.
Listen carefully to what the experts have to say, if they advise you to vacate your home, then make no mistake about it and do it as soon as possible.
- TURN OFF THE WATER
In any plumbing emergency, the first thing you need to do is to shut the water valve off. Find and identify the exact source of water, causing the flood. It is easier for toilets; you just have to close the valve behind the commode or at the base.
If the emergency is severe, you would have to rush to shut off the main valve in your home. In case you are not able to look for it, dial-up your utility service provider, they would turn it off temporarily.
- CHECK THE WATER HEATER
It is another crucial step to follow. After turning off the main valve, the water heater is next in line. More significant emergencies would require you to turn off the water heater. By this, you would prevent any damage that could cause to the unit.
You would also save the heater from building up heat, which could cause it to burst or overheat if it is not turned off beforehand. In case you own a gas water heater, turn off the gas first.
- SHUT DOWN YOUR ELECTRICITY
The next preventive step for you would be to shut down your electricity supply; water can cause a dangerous electric current, which could be fatal. Better safe than sorry. By this, you would also be protecting all those fancy and costly electrical equipment of yours.
If the water has flooded the area very carefully, you would have to turn off the electrical power coming from your utility company’s terminal box. Ensure your safety, too, before you do that. You might have to wade through the flooded area to reach up to the fuse box.
If you are not able to handle this on your own, inform your plumber and vacate your home, they will handle the situation in a cautious manner. The chances are that you would also have to call your electrician for the job.
- SEAL SMALL LEAKS
If the emergency is controllable and not that severe, don’t hesitate to control it at least until your plumber arrives. Small leaks can seal by stuffing rags or old towels in them. You could also place a bucket underneath the leak to collect the water without it crawling on the floor. A wet basement can be dangerous, too.
If you have plumber’s tape or probably duct tape, use that to seal the area. That ought to hold it in place. Do take notes of the leaking areas and inform the plumber about it once he arrives.
Making a video or taking photos of the area could come in handy. It can also help you later to show the insurance company the evidence of the extent of the damage caused.
- OPEN THE DRAINS AND SPIGOTS
After turning everything off, you also have a temporary solution to control the level of flooding. Since the water would remain in the pipes, you can drain the water by opening up any drains or spigots and let it all out, hence, washing out the water from the pipes.
In case of any clogs in the drain, try using a plunger to unclog it. Caution: avoid chemical cleaners or chemicals during emergencies; this would make matters even worse.
CONCLUSION
No matter how hard we all try, it is almost impossible to avoid any sort of home emergency. There never is a guarantee that a crisis would not occur. If you handle the situation carefully and wisely before your service provider arrives, the level of damage would be a lot less.
It is always advised to be prepared ahead of time and stock up all the necessary tools to control the emergency. If you don’t feel ready for such a sudden challenge, there is no need to jump into the untested waters. Instead, call the nearest plumber and let the professional do the job. They know what it takes to control the damage and reverse the situation with your plumbing apparatus. If you decide to do it on your own, be sure that you know all the intricacies of the job, or you would end up doing more damage to your property than you would ever want to.
