Responding to a Plumbing Emergency

At All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling, our emergency plumbing services are areas we take an immense amount of pride in. A plumbing emergency is the toughest situation in our industry – homeowners often have no warning, but are undergoing a major emergency that may even threaten the health or safety of home occupants.

On top of immediately calling our experts at any hour of the day if you experience a plumbing emergency, there are a few things you can do at home to help limit the damage and keep everyone safe. Here are a few common emergencies to know about, plus how to respond.

Common Emergencies

• Toilet overflowing: Toilets are designed not to overflow even when they have a blockage in the pipes, so if this is happening, it’s likely a more serious issue. All toilets in the home have a shut-off valve connected to them against the wall – shut this off immediately.
• Water heater: Especially in winter, if the water heater is leaking, making noises or simply not working, this is a problem. Call our experts to shut it off and make the required repairs – only professionals should handle a water heater.
• Clogged drain: Drains can quickly become clogged and lead to overflow of water. Keep a drain plunger and toilet plunger on hand, and learn about how to keep drains clog-free.

How to Respond

When you experience a plumbing emergency, here are some immediate steps you should take:

• Run to the main water shut-off valve and close it. This will stop water from entering your home. Make sure you know where this valve is.
• Turn off all faucets in the home, and drain any water left inside the pipes.
• Dial our plumbers, who can respond to emergency calls at any time of day with promptness.
• Grab a mop and towels, if possible, and begin cleaning up the basic mess to help avoid future water damage. An exception here is if the plumbing emergency involves grey, black or otherwise contaminated water – if this is the case, stay far away until our experts arrive and advise you further.

For more on how to act during a plumbing emergency, or to find out about any of our plumbing services, speak to the pros at All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling today.