When to Call an Emergency Residential Plumbing Service?
There are some pretty obvious circumstances when a plumber should be called, mainly when your toilet has suddenly transformed into a geyser, or your kitchen floor is doubling as a wading pool. These residential plumbing situations require quick access to the water shutoff and a lot of towels in addition to calling a plumbing service. There are some plumbing situations however that you can do-it-yourself – but when do you know?
Related: Hot water tank repair
Does the Water Shutoff Work?
The main thing, to familiarize yourself with in your home, is the water shutoff valve. Knowing exactly where this valve is and getting to it too quickly cut off the access could be the difference in the hundreds of dollars of damage. In modern residential plumbing, there is not only a main water shutoff valve, but also ones for individual fixtures. These shutoff valves are handy when one fixture might be malfunctioning, but you still need to use appliances like a washing machine or a refrigerator ice maker.
Is There Immediate Danger?
By all means, if you cannot shut off the valve and the plumbing increasingly backs up, call a residential plumbing professional immediately. The old saying of ‘better safe than sorry’ rings true when it comes to having plumbing issues fixed in a hurry.
Are There Alternatives?
A non-flushing toilet is grounds for a plumbing call but if you have a second bathroom that can be used it’s more of a service visit than an emergency situation. If you are experiencing issues with the pipes in the home, identify if there are alternatives you can use until you make that a service call.
Assess The Situation Thoroughly
There are other variables to inspect before calling in residential plumbing service. For instance, your home might be without water but it could be that the whole block is out. Another example is a valve could have accidentally gotten turned off which results in the lack of water – an easily fixable solution and a waste of time and money to call in a plumber. In essence, make sure everything is secure on your end before calling for a visit by a plumber.
There are some things to remember about having a residential plumbing service call compared to an emergency. An after-hours call may cost more, and it will be a definite nuisance to the service person. That being said, if you’ve got Old Faithful spewing out of your kitchen drain and the water shutoff does nothing, time is of the essence.
[…] The winter can be beautiful with fresh falling snow but for the most part, the season is full of worry. Between saving money for the holidays to fretting if a vehicle will start in the bitter chill, the last thing, a homeowner wants to do, is the call for emergency plumbing. Unfortunately, the cold months are when a home’s pipes are most vulnerable mainly due to the sub-zero temperatures that can freeze them up in a matter of minutes. Thus, it’s important to stay vigilant and protect your home or apartment against winter plumbing issues. […]
[…] When you need to get access to a leak, the hardest part is finding it. While a good portion of the plumbing in your home is out in the open, there’s plenty of piping hidden behind the walls. While not many homeowners own a leak detector, they are handy for taking measurements of various materials such as wood, drywall, etc., and comparing moisture readings. Although handheld leak detectors are convenient, they only work if you already have a sense that there is a water leak in the house. A more useful leak detector is one that sits in the a room and sounds an alarm if it senses water – useful for detection of not only basement flooding but also water from a plumbing emergency. […]