Tips for Handling a Plumbing Emergency, Part 2

November 30, 2017

Waking up in the middle of the night to find out that you have a burst pipe and a soaking wet carpet is an emergency that maybe couldn’t have been avoided but surely can be handled properly by following a few basic steps. The first one is to call your trusted emergency plumber in Mission Viejo or another area you live. Before the help arrives, do whatever you can to prevent further damage, as we explained in our previous article.

Here are a few more guidelines that can help you prepare for a possible plumbing emergency in your home and deal with it successfully.

Deal with a burst pipe

A burst pipe can cause considerable damage to the structure and wiring of your house. You should immediately reach out to the main shut-off valve and turn off the water supply. To drain the system, turn on all your cold taps and flush the toilet(s). This will stop the further escape of water, as well as the damage to your household.

Then turn off your heating installations and appliances. It is extremely dangerous if water gets near the electrics, so you should also turn off the power to the whole house. Unless the main circuit breaker is wet, turn it off and then collect the water and protect your possessions.

Handle a washing machine leak

If your washing machine is showing signs of malfunction and starts leaking, shut off the water supply valves for both hot and cold water. They are located on the hoses behind the washer.

Keep in mind that if you have any kind of a water problem with the washing machine, the safest thing to do is turn it off. Then you should shut off the circuit breaker to prevent the electricity from reaching the washer.

Unclog a sink

A stubborn clogged sink drain can wreck a perfect evening at home and force you to spend it in front of the tube. You can call an emergency plumber Mission Viejo homeowners trust or you can try to unclog it yourself. If you choose the latter, you will need a plunger or a snake to get your sink drain flowing freely again.

Cover the drain’s opening with the plunger and then plunge up and down vigorously several times to create a vacuum. The suction should clear the blockage in the pipes and drain the stagnant water in your sink.

Clogs caused by garbage or plastic bags are more stubborn. You can try to unclog the drain with a snake, also called a hand auger. Slowly insert the snake cable through the drain until you feel it reach the clog. Snaking a drain will likely pull out the clogged object or push through the clog and clear the drain.

Some clogs are just too dense and can’t be dealt with these methods. If using a plunger or a snake doesn’t work or your drain keeps backing up, call an emergency plumber in Mission Viejo for assistance.

Stop a running toilet

A running toilet is a common issue in many households. If the toilet’s flush mechanism fails, it causes the water in the tank to constantly run or the toilet to flush on its own.

To stop this annoyance and waste of water, use the valve behind the toilet to shut off the toilet’s water supply. Contact your reliable Mission Viejo emergency plumber and they will determine if the whole flush mechanism needs to be replaced or adjusted.

Reach out to #1 emergency plumber Mission Viejo

You never know when a plumbing emergency will strike so have a plumber’s number handy. If you live in Orange County, don’t hesitate to contact Emergency Home Solutions.

We are Orange County’s leading full service restoration company and have over 15 years of experience in providing unparalleled water damage, mold removal, and emergency plumbing services to our customers. Call us anytime at (949) 916-0549 and we will handle whatever it is that may be troubling you.