Plumbing Emergency: What To Do During a Flood

Handy Tips While Waiting For Emergency Plumbers

6 October 2015 by Melvin Owens

Dealing with plumbing emergencies can be quite stressful. Not only are you at risk of excessive water in your home through leaks or burst pipes, but this situation can also wreak havoc on your belongings if not stopped in time. The good news is there are a few things that you can do on your own while waiting for emergency plumbers like Sam's Local Plumbing. Here are some handy tips when dealing with plumbing emergencies.

1. Locate your main shut off valve. This would be the best course of action to take by a newbie who has no idea what to do during the plumbing emergency as it will stop all access of water into your home.
2. Learn how to turn off your home's water heater. This is straightforward with an electric heater. However if you have a gas heater, you need to learn how to put it into its pilot position.
3. Locate the isolation valves on your fixtures. Isolation valves help in inhibiting the flow of water to specific locations. This is convenient, as the flow of water into your home will not be interrupted, as you will isolate the area that is facing a plumbing emergency as you wait for it to be repaired. Additionally, take the time to turn these isolation valves on and off occasionally to keep them pliable. Otherwise, you may find it difficult to switch them off in the event that you have a plumbing emergency.
4. When working on any plumbing, use the backing off technique. This is when one uses two wrenches simultaneously. Hence, all the stress is absorbed by the wrenches rather than by your plumbing. This reduces the risk of you damaging your pipes.
5. If you establish the cause of a leak to be a break in your supply tube, use a blind cap to seal the area that is leaking. Blind caps can be easily screwed in as you wait for the emergency plumber to come tend to the problem.
6. Leaks can spring up due to dents or scratches in the ferrules located in your supply tube. If you notice this is the cause of your plumbing emergency, use some Teflon tape to secure the damaged ferrule. This will prevent further leaking as you wait for emergency repairs on your plumbing.
7. If your bathtub is experiencing a clog, do not simply use a plunger on top of the chrome cap. Instead, take off the chrome cap, which gives you a larger view into the drain. Proceed to insert the plunger into the drain to increase your chances of unclogging it.