What do you do when you experience a plumbing emergency? The first thing is: don’t panic. If you’ve Googled “emergency plumbers near me” and found us, we’re happy to help. Our 24/7 emergency services are here to help you in times like these.
Here are a few things you can do before help arrives:
Turn Off the Water
As a homeowner, one of the most important things you can do is find out where your main water shut off is. When you have emergencies like burst or leaking pipes, it’s important to stop the damage quickly (hopefully preventing walls, ceilings, and floors from being submerged or moisture-laden so mold growth doesn’t become an issue also).
- It’s a large valve located near where the main water line enters the house or outside by a water meter.
- If you’re having an issue with one appliance, you can shut off the water locally instead. Look around for a shutoff valve near the appliance or under the floor (which probably leads to your basement or a ceiling access tile).
- According to The Spruce, “For refrigerator ice makers/water dispensers, the small copper or mesh supply tube running to the refrigerator usually has a small saddle valve or fixture shutoff valve that can be shut off to close down the water supply. In some cases, the supply tube running to the refrigerator may tap into a water supply line beneath the sink, near where the sink faucet supply tubes are attached.”
Shut Off Your Water Heater
There are two shut off valves near your water heater. One is an inlet for cold water with a blue handle (which you would shut off when repairing/replacing the unit). However, in a plumbing emergency, close the shut off valve for the hot water (red). This controls all the hot water throughout the house.
Open Spigots and Drains
Opening spigots and drains after you find a leaky or burst pipe is necessary. Once the water and water heater are shut off, you’ll need to open up spigots and faucets to let the pressure built up in the plumbing system out. (Of course, make sure sink drains aren’t closed as the water drains.) If the remaining water is left to sit in your pipes, you could experience even more leaks or burst pipes.
When you’re searching for “emergency plumbers near me”, we hope you’ll entrust your problems to us at the Plumbing Repair Guy. Call now!