Winter time can be very hard on your pipes. Freezing and thawing can structurally weaken them and make them more prone to bursting. Even though this is unlikely to happen in California, pipe bursting can happen for so many reasons that it is always useful to know what to do and how to proceed in this situation. You will want to find a company which can deal with water damage in Irvine. Emergency Home Solution offers these types of services and more.
First step – recognize the signs
Sure, it’s easy to say that you’ve got a burst pipe if you can see it spewing excessive amounts of water, or you see a torrent of water leaking from the walls, ceiling of the floor. But a burst pipe doesn’t need to be as dramatic. Some leaks can be small and manifest as dampness on the walls or ceiling. Additionally, water pressure drop can point to this problem as well. Finally, noise similar to running water in the walls is a pretty clear sign of a piping problem.
Turn off the water
The absolute first thing you need to do when you detect a burst pipe, or any kind of water damage is to turn off the water supply. You do this by turning the main valve which brings water into your house. Most commonly, it can be found in the basement, but you would do well to know exactly where your water valve and electricity fuses are, just in case. Turning off the water is logical, because you can’t fix the problem until you’ve stopped its cause.
Electricity
Immediately after shutting off the water, you should turn off the electricity as well. You can’t be sure if there is water somewhere near the electricity. If there is a connection, all your fuses will blow (which is their purpose), and you may damage some of your appliances. Once professional help is there, they will tell you how to proceed with electricity.
Move your belongings
If the problem is localized only in a single room, you would do best to remove all of your belongings from the affected area, if you can. The sooner you do this, the less damage can be done to them. The insurance will cover the damage to the house itself, but very often there is a clause excluding your possessions from the mix. And some things are just irreplaceable.
Clean the collected water
The sooner you remove water from your floors and other surfaces, the less damage it will do to your house. If you have identified the problem at an early stage, and have managed to clean the water relatively quickly, you may have saved yourself a huge amount of money, as well as work. Additionally, moisture helps breed mold, another problem you want no part of.
Call a plumber
This concludes the part where you can do something about the leak itself. Form here, it is all up to the plumbers. Call professionals you can trust and who are experienced in this area. Once they arrive, follow their instructions and keep out of their way, trust them to do the best job they can. Emergency plumbers can be reached any time of day or night.
Call your insurance company
You need to inform your insurance company that there has been an incident on the same day that it happened. Most companies will insist on this, so don’t forget to do this. Keep the receipt from the plumbers, because you will need it as proof for the insurance company.
Nobody wants to think about this kind of thing, but it pays to be prepared. Find yourself a reliable plumber and keep their number close at hand. Emergency Home Solutions have years of experience and well-honed expertise in this industry. Contact us now for further information.