The worst plumbing emergencies are the ones you have no idea how to handle.The next time you’ re faced with one of the following dilemmas, call an experienced plumber right away. Then, follow this advice to get a handle on the situation and minimize damage before the plumber arrives.
- Natural gas smell inside the home: Evacuate the home, and then call for help outside or from a neighbour’ s home.Using the phone or operating any other electrical source could cause a spark, which has disastrous potential. Call your natural gas provider first, followed by a plumber.
- Leak from an unknown interior area: Shut off the main water supply to the house. If the air conditioner is running, turn it up to about 28 degrees C. This precautionary measure helps keep the condensate drain from overflowing even more, if that is indeed the cause of the leak.
- Leak appearing in the yard: Find the water meter and shut off the valve on the outlet side.
- Leaky water heater: This is one of the most common plumbing emergencies. Shut off the water inlet valve and turn off the water heater’ s energy source, such as gas or electricity. Mop up wet areas and hold out until the plumber gets there.
- Overflowing toilet: Shut off the supply valve behind the low – flow toilet and open the sewer clean-out plug on the outside of your home. Remove any rugs from the bathroom that have been damaged.
- Bubbling noises from ground-floor drains: Whatever you do, don’t turn on faucets and showers on the upper floor, since a sewer or drain clog is probably the issue. Until the plumber arrives to solve the plumbing emergencies, open the sewer clean-out plug.
- Stopped-up kitchen sink: Open the clean-out plug outside your home. If the plug is under the sink, don’t open it until you allow the plumber to assess the situation.
- Flame or char marks visible on a gas water heater: Shut off the gas and refrain from using hot water until the plumber arrives.
If you’ re facing these or other plumbing emergencies, please contact Arpi’s Industries in Calgary today.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock