Most homeowners do not know what steps to take in the even something really severe happens in their home. Being informed on the many potential problems a home can have will help you react properly when they do eventually happen so that you can prevent too much chaos and save in damages. This is especially true of a plumbing emergency like a burst pipe in your home. Water spewing form a hidden pipe can cause electrical failure and extensive damages to flooring, walling and structural supports. Professional help is always necessary with plumbing emergencies but you must also be proactive enough to protect your home and family. It is important to know how to prevent them, how to deal with them and who to call about them. The more you know, the safer everyone will be.
First off, not every homeowner is aware of the locations of pipes running through their home. If you have recently moved into a new home, this is probably true for you. Knowing is half the battle, as they say, and with the potential for plumbing emergencies to spring up, you simply cannot afford to not know where pipes are. Contacting the previous owners is one way to find out, but often they will not even be able to tell you definitive answers, leaving you stranded. This also means the home is probably due for a pipe inspection, as you have no way of gauging the extent of wear and damages on your pipes. Once you know where the pipes are, you should locate the main valve to your home and any other valves which regulate your home’s internal water flow. Sometimes this is a valve located in a nearby well, or a valve which facilitates water entry to your home from the city’s water main.
To answer our first question, of what to do when you have such an emergency - simply shut off the valve immediately. While this may seem a bit obvious, the chances are the average homeowner has little idea of where these valves are located, which makes this step a bit impossible. If you are living in an apartment or other form of shared building, then you might have to call your landlord or property owner in the event of such and emergency. However, there is one more step! Shutting off the valves does not mean there will be no more water flow!! This may seem a little counterintuitive, but think of it this way – what flows in, must flow back out right? If you have any closed faucets, spigots or dispensers of water, you must open them to release any remaining water in the system or else you will have water flowing back out of your burst pipe which would put a real damper on your efforts. At this point, you are probably safe enough to call your local trusted plumber and have a professional pipe repair done.
However, there is still a big problem! What if this happens when you’re not home? Well two things:
- The first is to make sure that everyone living in your home knows what steps to take in the event of a pipe burst. Keep your family safe by making sure they are as informed as you are, so that they can be your line of defense if you’re away when emergencies happen.
- The second are regular pipe inspections. Regulations do not stay the same! If your home was built in the 70’s and you can’t remember the last time you’ve had a pipe inspection, your home is definitely due one! You may have pipes made of inadequate materials to hand the continuous load they are burdened with. In fact, your pipes might just be plain old! Old and decayed pipes have a huge chance of bursting. Have a professional take a look at least once a year or so, and you can have peace of mind then you probably will not have to deal with coming home to plumbing emergency of any kind – Peace of mind is good right?
The best plumber to call is a licensed and affordable professional you trust who can offer 24-hour emergency care and burst pipe repairs. Shamrock Plumbing & Drain Cleaning, Inc. is ready and waiting for your call at (407) 292-888. We are always ready and willing to provide high-quality service at affordable rates for local Orlando, FL customers!