Plumbing issues are very rarely courteous enough to develop during normal business hours. So, while it may be inconvenient, it is quite normal to have to wait and schedule an appointment to have the problem fixed. A
plumbing emergency is a very different story. An emergency is anything that cannot wait until normal business hours as it will cause damage in the interim. So, what should you do if you get hit with a plumbing emergency at 4 am, a holiday weekend or any other time outside of the normal business hours? Here is a guide to what you need to do to protect your home.
Shut Off Your Water!
The first step you need to take in any plumbing emergency is to shut off your water. Water damage is the largest threat during a plumbing emergency, and it needs to be taken very seriously. Even a small amount of water can cause hundreds or even thousands of damage. So, your first priority is to turn off the water. If possible shut off the water to that section of your home, but if this is not feasible or you cannot locate the source of the water, you will need to shut off your entire water supply. This will minimize the water and mitigate the damage until the problem can be repaired.
Clear the Area:
As an additional precaution to limit any water damage, you should try to clear the area surrounding the plumbing problem. Move any furniture or objects that could suffer from water damage and lift any rugs. This will prevent these items from being damaged by the water that has already leaked, but also makes it easier for the plumber to access the area. While it is not possible to protect fixed elements of your home, you can prevent water leakage causing irreparable damage to your precious belongings.
Clean Up:
While you are waiting for the plumber, you can’t just rest on your laurels. You should also start to clean up any water that leaked before you shut off the supply. Any pools of water will be immediately obvious and should be mopped up. You can also use old towels to pat dry any drywall or other areas of your home that may have soaked up any water. Take care not to use any dark colored rags that could cause stains on your walls or flooring. If you are unsure whether you may cause more damage with your clean up efforts, it is best to err on the side of caution and stick to simply mopping up any puddles.
Call Your Emergency Plumber:
Now that the pressing issue of water pouring down your walls has been addressed, you can take a few moments to place a call to your emergency plumber. An out of hours plumber will aim to get to your home as quickly as possible to correct the problem and restore your water supply. This type of situation can be stressful, so it is a good idea to plan ahead and check that your
plumber offers emergency call outs.
By Giovanni Longo President Flood Brothers Plumbing
Giovanni Longo is a 3rd generation master plumber who has been practicing his craft and trade in the greater Los Angeles area for well over a decade and a half. A plumbing and hydraulics-engineering innovator, Giovanni’s particular world-class expertise focuses on dealing with challenging sewer system designs as well as resolving complex commercial and residential draining issues. As a certified Flood Mitigation expert, he is also well versed in a wide variety of water damage and remediation solution.
