What To Do In A Plumbing Emergency

With the festive season on our doorstep and family coming to stay, can you safely say that you know what to do in a plumbing emergency? If you’re even the slightest bit unsure, read on because nothing will ruin Christmas lunch faster than a backed-up toilet, flooded bathroom or burst pipe! At some point, every home will experience a plumbing emergency. Ensure you know what to do to minimise the damage and come out on top. Here are some things you can consider doing while waiting for the emergency plumber to come.

💧 Shut off the water!

A leaking or burst pipe can lead to costly repairs if gone unnoticed. For example, they can result in water damage to the structure of your property and, eventually, mold. While we believe in preventative maintenance to avoid these issues, if you are caught off-guard, it’s OK! We can help.

Immediately turn off the water at the first sign of any leaking or flooding. Depending on the leak’s location, you may be able to isolate the water to certain fixtures. However, if the leak is heavy, we recommend turning the water off at the main to prevent further water from entering and causing additional damage. Generally, the water main is located on the water metre outside your property or on the boundary line. 

As a side note, the pipes will still have water after the main water valve is turned off. Open taps outside to direct the water out of the property and avoid more damage. 

🔥 Shut off the gas!

If you have concerns about a gas leak, immediately extinguish any naked flames and isolate the gas bottle or gas metre. 

Next, move your family and pets outside and contact a plumber. Once a plumber is on the way, open all doors and windows to ventilate and ensure all lights are turned off. Gas leaks can quickly turn dangerous, so ensuring your and your family’s safety should be your number one priority. 

📞 Dial the plumber!

Don’t wait. Once you have ensured no further water or damages are occurring, the next thing is to call the professionals. You can call Aquatap Plumbing for all Plumbing emergencies, big and small, on (03) 9369 0144. 

For any plumbing emergencies after hours, contact your local emergency plumber. When contacting your plumber, ask whether there is anything you should be doing while waiting for their arrival. Trained plumbers have the knowledge and experience to give advice and confirm whether the situation is too dangerous. 

🔧 Manage small leaks

If you find a small leak, prevent further damage by trying to stop the water from leaking as best as possible. You can apply plumber’s tape, a handy toolbox item to keep around. If you’re caught off guard, however, a simple bucket under the leak to catch water will suffice until it’s able to be fixed by a licensed plumber.

✅ Check your water heater.

During a major emergency, turn off your water heater to avoid damage to the unit. We advise only turning the water heater off after the main has been turned off. If turned off before, there’s a risk of the unit bursting or overheating. Or if you have a gas water heater, turn the gas off first. 

If you’re unsure if you should turn your water heater off, check with the emergency plumber. 

❌ Avoid Using Chemicals

While store-bought chemicals can temporarily fix your drainage issues, they won’t solve the problem. It can be tempting to attempt to clear your blocked drains yourself, but the problem may still reoccur down the line. 

By calling an expert, they will repair the problem and get to the bottom of what is causing the blockages. Knowing this will help prevent this from happening in future.

The most important thing to remember is to call your plumber as soon as you can so they can be on their way to help you!

Once again, you can call Aquatap Plumbing for all Plumbing emergencies, big and small, on (03) 9369 0144.