Plumbing emergencies can really put your life on a tail spin. It is best if you avoid these emergencies by understanding how the different situations can develop and avoid them from occurring. Here, we first describe you a few plumbing emergencies that you may usually face in your home. We will then come up with some amazing tricks that you can employ to avoid these situations as much as possible.
The Common Emergencies at Home
Although any situation due to plumbing issues can be a problem for you; here, we mark out some of the most common emergency situations that you can suffer at home.
*Clogged Toilet: It is one of the most serious plumbing emergencies that you can suffer from. A clogged toilet is a health hazard and can also ruin your toilet accessories and fittings. You should always take an immediate action when facing such an issue to ensure that it does not cause any long-lasting damage to your house structure.
*Leaking Water Heater: A key plumbing emergency is a leaking water heater. Such a leak can waste a lot of resources, because your water heater would have to work continuously due to the constant water loss. You will find that your heating bills will reach exponential heights if you do not address the issue. The right choice may be to replace the heater if there is extensive damage.
*Burst Pipes: Burst pipes are the most dangerous plumbing issues. You need to resolve them as soon as possible, as otherwise, you will have to live in a lake. The first step that you must take is to stop the main water supply in the house to make sure that no more water can flood your house. Sometimes, you may require a plumbing expert to close the line, which has burst.
*Sewer Clogs: It is a nightmare to face sewer clogs. You have to fight with strong odors just to go through the house. You may face clogged drains, persistent smell and pooling water when your sewerage system fails. This is among the worst plumbing emergencies where your health can be on the line, if you continue to spend time in such a situation.
Tricks to Defeat Emergencies
We have just mentioned a few serious plumbing emergencies. Now, we show you these fine tips and tricks to help you avoid plumbing issues as much as possible.
1.Avoid Greasy Throwaways
Most plumbing issues occur when you throw away greasy food in the kitchen sink. Grease can slowly build up over time and make it nearly impossible for water to go down the drain. In fact,professionals share that kitchen sinks are the typical places where clogs develop in your home. Always remember to sort out your garbage and separate the grease from the other materials.
2.Close the Main Valve
Many plumbing emergencies develop over time. Whenever you observe any problem, such as water in the toilet, you should always close the main water supply valve before contacting a professional plumber. A professional plumber may not be able to save your fixtures and house walls, if water has seeped in and destroyed everything.
This trick is not applicable in all situations. If there is a problem in the sewage and the water is not going down the drain, then you should immediately stop its use and call a professional plumber. There are problems where closing the main valve is simply not enough.
3.Switch Off the Electricity
Electricity can create a deadly combination with standing and running water. Once you learn about a minor plumbing issue, you should always turn off the electricity to avoid creating dangerous plumbing issues. If you always take care of these steps of closing the electricity and waiting for a professional to then fix a minor issue, there will never be a problem that’s worth worrying for.
4.Never Use Flushable Wipes
These are special wipes that are already moistened and designed for flushing use. However, there are plenty of times when they have created a sewage backup. Always ensure that you do not flush down any wipes, even if the packaging states that they can be flushed down the drain. These wipes may be easier to use, but we suggest that you stick to using the traditional toilet paper.
The manufacturers of these wipes often advertise that they can be easily flushed and in most cases, this may be true. However, it is best if you avoid taking any chances and simply protect your sewage drains from any problem elements.
5.Avoid Freezing
A frozen pipe is also one of the top plumbing emergencies. You can avoid this situation by keeping the water running by slightly opening the tap. The flow of water means that the temperature does not drop below the freezing point. However, sometimes the water may still freeze and create a clog. The best way to thaw your water pipes is by employing a gradual process.
You should employ a hair dryer for this purpose on the high setting. This will thaw the pipes in a gradual manner. Never commit the mistake of employing a flame or a torch directly to the pipe. This will cause the water to turn into steam and burst open the pipe.
6.Never Use Water Pipes for Support
Many people commit the mistake of using their basement water pipes as hanging supports. They often use the exposed plumbing for other activities that they were never designed for. You would not believe how heavy wet clothes can become and hanging them from your pipes will weaken their integrity and the ability to work in a normal manner.
7.Drain Covers
Most drain clogs occur because you fail to separate the solid waste from your washing which then goes down the drain and blocks it in a few months’ time. Using drain covers protects you from plumbing issues that are created because you have been throwing away items in the drain, which could have easily been avoided with the installation of a suitable drain cover.
If you would like to avoid plumbing emergencies, try Mesa Plumbing! They can look at your home fixtures and drains and perform preventive maintenance to avoid those pesky plumbing issues.