Minor issues, like a dripping faucet or a slightly clogged drain, don’t have to be a plumbing emergency and can wait until your plumber has an opening for you in his or her schedule.
When Does It Become an Emergency?
However, other situations will require immediate help.
* Large amounts of water coming out of a pipe, a fixture, or an appliance hookup
* A toilet that keeps overflowing (after you’ve turned off the water valve)
* Sewage backing up into the tub or drains or appearing through floor drains
* Loss of water service in your entire home
* Broken pipes or burst pipes (especially if you see water seeping near electrical panels or outlets)
* A leaking water heater (especially if you notice strange sounds coming from the tank or discolored water running from your taps)
What Should You Do Before Help Arrives?
Before calling a plumber, make sure any children or pets have left the area. If the water is anywhere near electrical outlets or appliances, do not enter the area.
Once the area has been evacuated, take the following steps:
Turn off the water. Shut off the water valve feeding into the leaking fixture to prevent further water damage. Locate the valve (usually below sinks, next to toilets, or behind panels near appliances) and turn it clockwise to stop the water from coming in.
If you’re having trouble controlling the water with a local shutoff valve, turn off the main water valve – https://www.thespruce.com/where-to-shut-off-the-water-2718723 is worth a skim. The main shutoff controls the water flow into your whole home.
If the source of the problem is a small leak, place towels and a pan or bucket nearby to catch any drips or minimize the mess.
If you have any rugs or valuables near the source of the leak, move them out of the way.
Avoid using chemicals. If you have a serious drain or septic emergency, don’t use any commercial cleaning products to remove the clog. These won’t necessarily help with serious clogs and could put your plumber at risk when he or she is trying to repair the damage.
Take pictures. Document all visible damage caused by the problem for future reference.
When you call an emergency plumber, the dispatcher might ask a few questions about the situation. Be ready to answer queries about:
* The location of the water or leak
* Whether you’ve turned off your main water source
* If you smell sewage or hear gurgling noises
* Any recent work you’ve done to your pipes or appliances
When you hire an emergency plumber in Saginaw Michigan or call an emergency plumber, the dispatcher might ask a few questions about the situation:
* The location of the water or leak
* Whether you’ve turned off your main water source
* If you smell sewage or hear gurgling noises
* Any recent work you’ve done to your pipes or appliances
Keep in mind that if you call outside of normal business hours, you might have to pay a premium for emergency service. Make sure you understand what your plumber’s emergency fee covers and get the plumber’s OK before allowing him or her to proceed with any major repairs.
While an emergency plumber’s services aren’t cheap, they can be much cheaper than the cost to repair extensive water damage.
Let water drip from faucets that connect to pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces or unheated basements until repairs can be made. Open all cabinet doors to allow warmer air to surround the pipes.
In Saginaw, during the winter and when the temperature suddenly drops, freezing conditions can quickly cause your pipes to burst.
What If It Isn’t a Failed Pipe?
It might be tempting to diagnose your own plumbing problem. However, it’s much wiser to let your plumber investigate the source of the leak so he or she can recommend the best course of action.
That said, it might be useful to have a broad idea of what’s causing a plumbing problem so you can properly describe it to your plumber when he or she gets there.
Water on the floor
The most common culprits behind this include loose pipes or fittings, worn-out seals or gaskets, stopped-up drains or clogged sewer lines, or leaking appliance hoses or connections.
Multiple clogged fixtures
If you have clogged toilets, showers, sinks and tubs, gurgling sounds from your pipes or water appearing where you don’t expect it, you could be dealing with a drain line clog rather than a leaky pipe.
Once your plumber has fixed the problem, make sure you have all the water removed and dry out your floors, cabinets, and walls thoroughly as these materials tend to hold onto moisture.
Emergency plumbing issues are much easier to deal with when you know where all the shutoff valves in your home are and how to use them. Once you locate your main shutoff valve, walk all members of your family through the process of turning it off so the next time you have an emergency, you won’t be scrambling to figure out what to do.