When a plumbing emergency occurs in your home, and you call a 24-hour plumber to fix the problem, there is usually a waiting period between the call and when they arrive.
What you do during this waiting period will influence the impact of the plumbing emergency on your home. Your response within the first few minutes of discovering a plumbing problem in your home can make more difference, says RedStone Management.
This post explains the steps you should take during a plumbing emergency. They will help you minimize the damage to your home and the cost of repairs. They can also make your plumber’s life easier and the insurance process claims quicker.
What to do while waiting for a 24-hour plumber to arrive
Do the first two steps as soon as you discover the plumbing problem. The other steps should be done after you have called the emergency plumbing service.
Shut the water supply
Stop the problem from the source; turn off the water supply to the damaged pipe, plumbing fixture, or your entire home. If the affected pipe or fixture has a dedicated shutoff valve, close the valve to turn off the water supply. If it doesn’t, turn off the water supply at the main water shutoff valve. You should find this in the basement, crawlspace, garage, utility room, or outside on the street-facing side of your house.
Turn off the electricity
If there is any risk that the released water will come into contact with an electrical appliance or power outlet in your home, you want to turn off the electricity supply. If the water is already in contact with electricity, do not step into it. If you are not sure, it is better to err on the side of caution. And wait until the plumber arrives.
Drain faucets and water lines
Even after turning off the water at the main shutoff valve, water is still inside your water lines. This water can flow to the location of the damaged plumbing and cause more damage to your home. To prevent this, flush all toilets (if the plumbing emergency is not an overflowing toilet) and open all the faucets inside the house. That will get rid of any water inside the pipes.
Move furniture to a dry area
Any item that can be damaged by water should be moved to a safe place inside your home if it is near the location of the damaged pipe or fixture. All wet items that are salvageable should be taken outside to air and dry. Delaying to do this will make it harder to salvage those items, and your insurance payout may not cover replacing your damaged belongings.
Mop up any standing water
The next step is to remove any standing water on your flooring. The longer you let it stay, the deeper it will soak into the flooring. But if you remove it quickly, you may be able to avoid the expense of replacing your flooring. You can remove the water with a wet vacuum or a mop and bucket. If parts of the drywall are affected, open your door to improve air circulation. Depending on the amount of damage, you may need to hire a professional to dry your home.
Take photos and videos of the damage
Walk through the house with a smartphone and make a video of the area around the damaged pipe or fixture. Make sure to capture the cause of the problem and the damage to your walls, flooring, and belongings. For clarity, it is a good idea to add some narration to the video. The videos and photos serve as your records and will be handy when making insurance claims.
Take preventive action
After your emergency plumber has come and gone, you may want to take steps to prevent a recurrence of the problem. As you probably learned from this experience, it is far easier and cheaper to prevent a plumbing emergency in your home than to fix the damage caused by a plumbing emergency. How can you avoid similar problems in the future?
- Inspect your plumbing every month or at the start of every season. You can do this yourself. Also, you will need a professional plumber to thoroughly inspect your plumbing system yearly.
- Fix all minor problems with the plumbing at once. Minor issues progress to the major problems that lead to plumbing emergencies in your home.
- Install a leak detection device and water pressure monitor. These will alert you if one of your pipes is leaking.
Finally, you will need a reliable 24-hour plumber. The best time to find an emergency plumber is before a plumbing emergency in your home. Having an emergency plumber (that you have already vetted) on speed dial can save you time and money during a plumbing emergency.