A plumbing emergency is one of the things many homeowners hate to deal with. But at some point, you’ll be forced to deal with such a situation seeing as it is that plumbing emergencies are very common nowadays. It then pays to know what things to do when faced with such an inconvenience to at least mitigate the problem.
Be Calm
Whether you are dealing with a disgusting problem such as sewage backing up into the basement or a broken water line inside the home or an overflowing toilet, just keep calm. It is very easy for homeowners to panic when they see water pouring from a pipe or sewage backing up into the basement, but try to keep a level head as it will help you to address the problem and mitigate the damage.
Shut off the water
The next course of action is to shut off the water to stop it from continuing to flow. Hopefully, you know where the main water shutoff valve is. You should also be aware of where the shutoffs for particular fixtures or appliances are situated in the home. If the problem is originating from one fixture, shut it off by closing the valve clockwise. Do the same for a main valve in case of a leaking pipe.
Open Outside Spigots
In order to drain the pipes after shutting off the main water supply, turn on all spigots so that the water is directed outside instead of channeling to the inside of your home exacerbating an already bad situation.
Shut off power
If the emergency entails water leaking close to the electrical box or electrical wires, it is very important you turn off the power. There might be disaster if water meets with electrical wires when there is power. It is also wise to lay towels or blankets on the floor as they will adsorb most of the water, thus, preventing more damage.
Move valuables
When there are water leaks, lots of valuables can be ruined irrevocably if not moved away to a safe distance. Therefore, ensure you move any furniture or clothing nearby so that they don’t come into direct contact with some of the water gushing from the pipes. Photographs and keepsakes should be moved far away as well. Some of these things are irreplaceable once ruined.
Try to stop up any leaks
You can try on your own to stop water leaking from small apertures or cracks on the pipes by tying towels and rags around light leaks so that the water doesn’t end up all over the house as you find the main shutoff valve to turn off the water. You may also put a large bucket below the leak to catch the water.
Call the utility company
Once you’ve done the necessary things to prevent your valuables from getting ruined and the water ending up all over the house, you may now call the utility company. If the problem is a leak outside your house or sewer backup occasioned by a problem in the mainline, your utility company should be willing to shoulder the costs of repairing the damage.