First Steps in Plumbing Emergencies

At All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling, one of the services we’re most proud to offer to our clients is 24/7 emergency plumbing. You never know when a plumbing emergency is going to show up – signs can often be very subtle or even nonexistent, and it could arrive very quickly and without warning.

The immediate response you take to a given plumbing emergency, especially while you wait for our trusted plumbers to arrive, is vital to limiting the damage and costs you’ll incur. Let’s go over a few common plumbing emergencies, plus some things you should do right away if you experience one.

Common Emergencies

A few common plumbing emergencies that may require immediate action:

• Toilet overflow: Can create significant water damage and contamination risk. Toilets will have a water valve connected behind the toilet and against the wall – turn this off right away if your toilet is overflowing.
• Clogged drain: Drains in sinks, showers and toilets can become clogged very quickly. Keep a plunger and toilet paper handy to break up loose blockages, and keep a drain snake or hand auger around for denser clogs if you know how to handle one of these items.
• Water heater issues: Water heaters can leak, make noises or simply not perform properly. The first step here is to manually shut it off, as a water heater should only be handled by one of our professionals.

First Responses

Apart from directions above for specific emergencies, here are some general tips if you run into one of these issues:

• Run to the water shut-off valve and close it to stop the flow of water headed to your home. This means you have to know where your shut-off valve is in advance.
• Turn on all faucets to drain any water remaining within the pipes. This will divert water in the pipes away from where there might be a leak.
• Call our trusted team of plumbers and tell us you need emergency plumbing services.
• If there’s standing water, get a mop and towels and do your best to clean it while you wait for our plumbers – unless you were instructed to stay clear of water for fear of contamination.

To learn more about what to do in the case of an emergency plumbing situation, speak to our experts at All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling today.