Every living facility has a plumbing system and may have faces plumbing emergencies at one point or other. Learning how to handle various plumbing issues by applying tips to avoid the problem and protect your homes from water damages.
It is not possible to predict when an emergency plumbing problem will be happening but you can follow some emergency plumbing tips to prevent a small issue not to shoot up into a disastrous situation. Every person is not capable of handling and repairing plumbing issues by themselves. Plumbing problems may occur at any time of day or night. You can use some plumbing tips to use in emergencies or to minimize them from happening at least.
You should be aware of the water main shut-off of your home and breaker box. Whenever the emergency arises you may need to shut-off main water supply system and breaker for specific types of appliances. For example, if a water pipe leaks or burst, shut-off main valve to stop the flow of water. This will minimize water damage.
You can ask the plumber to install isolation valves for every fixture to shut-off only the specific part without disturbing other parts of homes. Do check them from time to time to make sure they are functioning properly.
In case of a major emergency, turn off your water heater. If it is a gas water heater, turn off the heating to prevent heat welling up inside and decrease the risk of overheating or bursting. If it is an electric water heater then turn off the electric supply immediately to prevent electric shock
Search around your house and look for small leaks and cracks in pipes. Keep tapes and tools handy. Use tapes to stop leaks till the professional help comes. Stuff rags and towels around pipes to block temporary leaks and put buckets under leaking water pipes. Mark the leaks and cracks and make notes to inform the plumber.
You can use plumber’s putty to repair small leaks in pipes. Turn off the water supply in an affected pipe, dry the cracked surface and apply putty according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Leaking faucets are quite annoying but not rather alarming at the initial stage. For leaky faucets, shut off the water under the sinks or in the shower area.
There are two types of plungers which are used to unclog drains, sinks, showers and tubs. Use them to dislodge the blockage until the plumber arrives. Do not put too much pressure while using plungers or you may crack the sink or toilet bowl. Do not use any chemicals to open the blockage in drains or sinks, this will worsen the issue.
Drain opener is connected to the garden hose and inserted into the clogged drain and water pressure is used to remove dirt, hair and soap scum from pipes.
In cold weather, frozen pipes are trouble and cause discomfort for people. To prevent frozen pipes, wrap your pipes to insulate them. Open cabinets to let warm air circulate between pipes. Raise the temperature in the house during cold weather. Disconnect water attachments like a garden hose. Look for any sort of damage done to your frozen pipes. Use a hairdryer on heat mode to thaw the frozen pipes. Be careful to use near leaking pipes to avoid shocks.