What to Do in Plumbing Emergencies
Have you ever tried to flush the toilet, and instead the water started rising? Cut to a couple seconds later, and the liquid might be overflowing from your fixture onto the floor. This is a prime example of a plumbing emergency you can experience. Here's what do in a bad plumbing situation so that your home doesn't get damaged:
If your pipe bursts ...
If you have a pipe that bursts, shut off your water immediately. This will stop the flow and prevent any further damage. Now, it's time to assess the harm. Move your furniture, and either throw anything out that's damaged or let it dry. Use a sump pump, wet-dry vacuum, dehumidifier or a fan to drain the water and dry out the area. Then, call a professional plumber to mend the fixture so you can get your water back up and running as soon as possible!
If your toilet is over flowing ...
Once you start to see the liquid in your toilet rise, be sure to turn off the water supply. Usually, this is placed near the bottom side of the bowl. Next, put on a pair of rubber gloves to protect your hands from bacteria. Remove any excess water in the brim of the bowl using a cup. If there are any foreign objects visible, fish them out. If the clog still persists, call a plumber to take a look.
If your water is scalding ...
When it comes to showering, everyone wants their ideal temperature. So if your water isn't right, it could really mess up your daily activities. If that's the case, turn off the gas or electric to the water heater. Then, open all of the hot water faucets to relieve the water heater. Let the water run out of the faucets until it flows cold. Then, call a professional plumber to inspect your water heater's thermostat and pressure relief valve.
If your garbage disposal is jammed ...
This is an easy one: Try hitting the reset button. That should do the trick. If not, have a Roto-Rooter plumber head out to inspect and fix the unit.
As always if you ever find yourself in a plumbing emergency over your head, call your local Roto-Rooter today!
4 CONCERNS THAT CONSTITUTE AS PLUMBING EMERGENCIES
Many residents live in a floodplain. What does that mean? Because of their proximity to rivers, their homes are a bit more susceptible to flooding from overflow after a heavy rain. So, if you do notice water starting to pool around your home, what steps should you take to minimize flood damage as much as possible? Here are a few things you can do:
Prepare your basement
Once water begins pooling around your foundation, there's a chance it can start to drip into your basement, sometimes quickly. Because of this, the first thing you should do when you notice water building up is prepare your basement for a potential flood. Remove all of your valuables from the room, and place any electronics on a higher floor. Then, turn off the basement's electricity completely from your fuse box. Remember: If you're not sure whether your electricity is off, you should never walk or wade through a flooded basement.
Remove as much of the water as possible
The water that's pooling around your home will be hard to remove until the storm is over or the area has had time to drain, but if it's only a small amount of water, you can try using large buckets to transfer it away from your house. If water is already entering your basement, use buckets or a wet/dry vacuum to try to remove as much as you can and limit the damage.
Contact a professional for cleanup
Whether your basement flooded completely or only a little water seeped through your foundation, your home is at risk for water damage and dangerous mold. Hire a professional to complete a water restoration service to clear out any water or moisture and ensure your home is protected from mold growth.
Take preventative measures
Keep in mind that there are always ways to protect your home against flooding, so taking preventative measures can keep it from happening again. Contact your local Roto-Rooter professional to inspect your basement and install a sump pump that will immediately transfer any water that pools in your basement into a nearby storm drain. You can also have French drains installed throughout your yard to keep rain or floodwater from building up around your foundation. Also, if possible, it's a good idea to adjust your landscaping so your yards slope downward, away from your home - this will help water naturally flow in the direction you want it to.
YOUR ROTO-ROOTER PLUMBER IS AVAILABLE ANYTIME
There is nothing more aggravating than waking up to water flooding your basement. All your other plans have to be put on hold and immediate action is required to get the water stopped, the problem found, and the mess cleaned up. Before you do anything else, your first step is to go to your water main shut-off valve and turn it off. Then, call an expert Roto-Rooter emergency plumber to figure out the problem and get it fixed.
But wait—what if you aren’t there? Does your family know where the water main shut-off valve is located and how to turn it off? It is vital that you teach your family the importance of knowing the location of these key home features so they can address emergencies in your absence. It’s a horrible and helpless feeling to see water cascading down the stairs into the basement and have no idea how to stop it. Plan a family meeting to discuss all your emergency plans and repeat this meeting every year or so. You’ll save yourself and your family a lot of headache, hassle, and time by doing this. Plus, as your children grow and move into their own homes, they’ll be well versed in the basics of home maintenance and emergency procedures which will save them time and money in the long run.
Water flooding into your home may be caused by one of several things: a backed up toilet, a kitchen sink clog, a broken pipe, loose pipefittings, a worn out water heater, a broken washer hose, a broken sprinkler line, and so on. Hopefully, the source of the leak will be easy to identify, but if it isn’t, you can trust that a plumber from Roto-Rooter will get to the bottom of it and make the necessary repairs.
Old plumbing can be a real problem. If you are using new plumbing parts to repair something in an eighty-year-old home, you may have trouble getting a good, tight fit. In addition, the new parts are usually stronger than the old, so there is the possibility of more breaks. If you have a very old home, you need to plan for a whole new plumbing system to be put in at some point.
When you do opt for that new system, hire someone to design it that is experienced and has a good reputation. A bad plumbing design can cause you all kinds of headaches and you’ll have recurring troubles. Ask around and get recommendations from people you trust. You can also find ratings and reviews online to aid you in your decision.