No one likes to think about what they would do in emergencies, especially plumbing emergencies. But situations arise and you need to be equipped to deal with them.

If handled incorrectly, a plumbing emergency could result in hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs. The number one threat in most plumbing emergencies is water damage, which can cause irreversible damage to your home and be pricey to repair.

So, what is considered a plumbing emergency? A plumbing emergency is any situation that cannot wait until a scheduled appointment. Some examples include, but are not limited to:

• Extremely hot water coming from faucet could mean your water heater is overheating.
• Frozen pipes could lead to major pipe damage and leaks.
• A leaking hot water heater could lead to a major flood.

What do you do in a plumbing emergency? Since the damage has already been done, your goal is to prevent further damage from occurring. The following four steps are a great start to handling any plumbing emergency.

Turn Off Water

The first thing you should do in any plumbing emergency is shut off the water. It’s helpful to know how to do so before emergency strikes, just like we discussed in our blog about flooded basements. If you cannot turn off the water directly to the affected area, you’ll need to turn off the water to your entire home. The valve to do so is generally located near the water meter.

Clear Area

After turning off the water, you should clear the area. This means moving furniture and valuables, and mopping up any standing water on the floor. Not only will clearing the area make it easier for the plumber to maneuver, but it will also prevent your possessions from incurring further damage.

Assess Damage

After clearing the area, take a moment to calmly survey to the damage. It is now that you decide whether your emergency warrants an immediate visit from your plumber or if it can wait for a scheduled appointment.

Call Plumber

Believe it or not, in their frantic states of dealing with an emergency, a lot of people forget to actually call the plumber. When you do call the emergency plumber, it is best to give as much detail as possible. Make sure to include what fixture is affected and what you have done to temporarily stop the problem.

Often times, the more you can describe over the phone, the quicker the issue will be resolved.

We wholeheartedly believe the most important thing to do in an emergency is to act rationally. While it is an extremely stressful time, acting irrationally will neither solve the problem nor resolve it quicker. In any emergency, feel free to contact us day or night – that’s what we’re here for.