You take good care of your plumbing. You don’t put food scraps or hair down the drain. You take steps to keep the pipes from freezing when the temperatures drop. You get regular inspections to make sure that everything is in good shape.
But no matter what you do, time is against you. Aging pipes and accidents can both lead to plumbing catastrophes that can seriously damage your home and cost you a lot of money. While you may not be able to prevent these incidents entirely, you can take steps to prepare yourself so you know what to do and can act quickly in case of an emergency. Here are some things you should be ready to do in case of a plumbing catastrophe:
Turn Off Water to the House
The first thing you need to do if a plumbing disaster strikes is stop the flow of the water. Every second that passes is dumping water into your walls, onto your floors, and so on. You won’t be able to keep up with the flow with a bucket or towels. You’ll need to stop the water entirely.
Every house has a main valve that you can close to cut off the water supply. You should know where this valve is ahead of time. If you wait until there’s an emergency to locate it, you will spend a lot of time looking around for it while the damage to your home multiplies.
Clear the Pipes
Once the water is shut off, you need to clear the pipes of any remaining water. Otherwise, more water could dump out into your home, causing more damage. Open the spigots outside to let any remaining water in the pipes run out. Doing this will relieve water pressure, expel the remaining water, and direct that water away from your house.
Turn Off the Water Heater
Turning off the water will also cause the pressure to rise in your water heater. The longer that goes on, the more damage can occur to your heater. Ultimately, the heater could even burst. You need to turn your hot water heater off as soon as you can after turning off the main water supply to the house. Make sure you know how to do this well before a catastrophe strikes.
Contain the Water
Even after turning off the main water supply and running the outside spigots, there may be residual water in the pipes that can continue causing problems. Put down towels around the area and place a bucket under the broken or leaky pipe to catch anything that remains. Keep these things in a specific area so that you know where to grab them in case of an emergency.
Call an Emergency Plumber
Again, don’t wait until there’s a problem to find the information you need. Identify a reputable emergency plumber and put the person’s phone number in your phone or on a paper that you can easily see. Call the plumber right away when a plumbing disaster strikes. The sooner you get a professional to look at the system, the sooner it can be fixed, and you’ll end up with less damage to your system and your home.
Plumbing catastrophes can happen to the best of us. Do what you can to prevent them by taking care of your plumbing, but also do what you can to minimize the effects of a catastrophe by knowing the appropriate steps to take quickly. Know how to shut off your water valve and water heater, know how to contain the water, and know the name and number of a trusted plumber to address the situation.
Integrity Repipe offers fast, dependable repipe repair in California. Our repiping plumbers can keep your plumbing system in top shape, making repipe repair as needed to help you avert a plumbing catastrophe. We’ll also let you know when it’s time to consider repiping so that you can avoid additional repairs and potential catastrophes. With the right pipes for your home, you can enjoy reliable performance for decades to come. Contact us in California today to talk with one of our repiping plumbers or to make an appointment for an inspection of your plumbing.
Published by – Integrity Repipe Inc
Integrity Repipe Inc – Mission Viejo, CA
27281 Las Ramblas, Suite 200
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Phone: 877-473-7473
Website: integrityrepipe.com
Integrity Repipe Inc – San Clemente, CA
927 Calle Negocio Suite O
San Clemente, CA 92673
Phone: 949-397-2404
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Long Beach, CA
2201 N Lakewood Blvd, Ste D #297
Long Beach, CA 90815
Phone: 562-362-5040
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Chula Vista, CA
591 Telegraph Canyon Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
Phone: 619-313-5744
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Ladera Ranch, CA
27762 Antonio Parkway L1
Ladera Ranch, CA 92694
Phone: 949-397-2795
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Lakeside, CA
8337 Winter Gardens Boulevard
Lakeside, CA 92040
Phone: 619-494-3507
Website: integrityrepipe.com/lakeside
Integrity Repipe Inc – Aliso Viejo, CA
27068 La Paz Rd #771
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
Phone: 949-449-1142
Website: integrityrepiping.com/aliso-viejo-repipe-copper-pex-ca
Integrity Repipe Inc – Oceanside, CA
1759 Oceanside Blvd C,
Oceanside, CA 92054
Phone: 442-300-3057
Website: integrityrepiping.com/oceanside-repipe-copper-pex
Integrity Repipe Inc – Porter Ranch, CA
19360 Rinaldi
Porter Ranch, CA 91326
Phone: 818-630-9265
Website: integrityrepiping.com/porter-ranch/
Integrity Repipe Inc – Oceanside, CA
1759 Oceanside Blvd C,
Oceanside, CA 92054
Phone: 442-300-3057
Website: integrityrepiping.com/oceanside-repipe-copper-pex
Integrity Repipe Inc – Porter Ranch, CA
19360 Rinaldi
Porter Ranch, CA 91326
Phone: 818-630-9265
Website: integrityrepiping.com/porter-ranch/