What To Do In A Plumbing Emergency

We have all been there. You are sitting at home minding your own business and suddenly there is an urgent need for an emergency plumber! And when you have water pouring all over your house it is definitely an emergency. So the point becomes what should I do immediately to ensure the least amount of damage is done. Damage control if you will.

To that end, here is a quick guide to think about the best course of action should you have a plumbing emergency. At first we need to assess what the current situation is. Try to delve into the root cause of the problem as soon as possible. There is usually a symptom that we notice that will lead us to suspecting something is wrong (be it a lot of water on the ground, a brown spot in the ceiling, a slow running or stopped drain, a noise of running water coming from a place unseen, and so forth). In as quick a manner of possible, try to detail where exactly it is coming from. It is important to understand if the problem is based in the supply lines or the drains.

If it is the supply lines then the first move always should be to turn off the water. If you don’t have a shut off valve close and handy, run (don’t walk) to your main shut of supply. If you don’t know where this is, it is most often where the water comes into the house. Which is also in the utility room normally. It is imperative that you stop more water from adding to the problem. While it doesn’t look bad, water has an uncanny way of going really bad if not taken care of. Now if it is a drain try to ensure that the drain in question (or any upstream drains) are not used and most likely find a way to get something to catch the water (an ice cream pail or 5 gallon bucket work well most of the time).

From here it is either time to hit the hardware store or call a emergency plumber in Bedford. It is good to have it written down what the specific problem is if you are going to call a plumber so you can discuss the best course of action on the phone. When it comes to a plumbing emergency in Bedford, it is always best to stem the tides of damage first and then work to fix the problem second.