Emergencies never come at a convenient time, especially when it comes to plumbing. But when they do happen, it is good to have steps in place to make sure your plumbing emergency doesn’t become a plumbing catastrophe.
Stop the Water Flow
In the event of a plumbing emergency, your first step should be to stop the flow of the water. You can do this by shutting off either the main water shutoff valve or valves for specific appliances (such as the toilet or sink). Most main water shutoff valves can be found near the home’s water meter. Your water meter is likely to be outside near the street beneath a plastic box. Main water shutoff valves can also be commonly found in a home’s floor access panel, which can typically be found in closets. Look for a large valve in the middle of a pipe.
If the emergency happens to be isolated to a specific appliance or fixture, look for the shutoff valve near the base of the appliance and turn it clockwise to shut it off. Appliances that usually have their own shutoff valves include sinks, toilets, water heaters, and washing machines. If there is any doubt of a leaking pipe or you are unable to shut off the appliance completely, turn off the main shutoff valve instead. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
You and those in your home should each know where the valves are located and how to properly turn them off in the case of an emergency. Be sure to go over this information before an emergency happens as it is an important step in managing a plumbing mishap.
Turn Off the Water Heater
If in the event you turn off your main shutoff valve, you will also want to turn off your hot water heater to prevent damage to the unit. You can do this by switching off the circuit breakers or the gas supply, whichever applies to your home, that directly powers the hot water heater. Failure to do so will cause the water heater to overheat, resulting in damage to the heating elements and even possibly injuring anyone who unknowingly will use the hot water in your home.
Call a Professional
As always, you should keep the number of your local 24-hour emergency plumbing service, like Avis Plumbing and Air Conditioning, nearby to call when an emergency plumbing situation arises. Sometimes plumbing issues can be a symptom to a larger issue that a professional plumber is more inept to diagnose. Instead of trying a DIY solution on your own and hoping it works, a professional can repair your home’s plumbing the correct way to provide assurance that the issue will not arise again.
Avis Plumbing and Air Conditioning has been serving Fort Myers, Cape Coral and the surrounding Southwest Florida area for over 50 years. Their well-trained team of experienced plumbers and technicians provide honest and quality service to all customers and promise transparent pricing and methods. Give Avis a call today at (239) 481-1511 in Fort Myers or at (239) 542-4421 in Cape Coral.
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