Plumbing problems are common. In fact, nearly a trillion gallons of water are wasted every year in the US due to household leaks.
If you have a plumbing emergency, you have two options. You can panic, or you can handle the situation like a pro. Well, you can think of becoming a master plumber. For your information, master plumbers make $58k/year on average. You can also make a living in this profession.
Only one of these options is going to help you to stop the problem before it causes serious damage.
Read on for some tips on how to handle a plumbing emergency like a master plumber.
Turn Off the Power
Electricity and water are a potentially lethal mix.
The first thing you need to do is to turn off the power. That way you can be sure that you’re not going to be at risk of electrocution, or starting a fire that can damage your home.
As soon as the power is off, you’ll need to follow our next step.
Shut Off the Water
Turn the water off as soon as you’ve switched off the power.
This will stop any more water entering your home system, and so will reduce the risk of any further flooding or damage to your home. Turning off the water will also help to minimize the chances of causing more damage to your plumbing system.
Open Faucets
Although the water is turned off, you will still have some within the pipes of your home. If you’ve got a leak, this water could be pouring out into your house.
Turn on as many faucets as possible. This will allow any water in your pipes to flow harmlessly into your drains and reduce that amount that will leak into your home.
Don’t forget to close your faucets again before you turn the water supply back on, or you’ll waste a lot of water.
Deal With Excess Water
If you’ve followed these steps there should be no more water leaking into your home.
The next thing you need to do is to deal with any excess water before it causes too much damage. If the flooding is severe, a mop and bucket aren’t going to cut it. You may need to hire a pump or call out professional plumbers to remove the majority of the water.
A wet-dry vacuum may also be useful for smaller leaks. If the spillage is minimal then you should be able to mop it up without too much issue.
Once the majority of the water has been removed, open all the windows to help with the drying process. If this isn’t effective, you could use a dehumidifier.
Are You Dealing With a Plumbing Emergency?
If you’re in the middle of a plumbing emergency then we hope this article has helped, and we won’t take it to heart if you run off to fetch the mop.
When you’re done, be sure to drop back for more great content on a wide range of topics. We cover everything from business and lifestyle to education and technology.
Feel free to take a good look around — once your plumbing is fixed!
