Plumbing emergencies – how to deal with them

Plumbing issues are known to occur out of the blue without much warning. Read on to know how to deal with plumbing emergencies at home. This way you can try to minimise the damage caused.

When dealing with any plumbing issue, the main thing to remember for any house owner is where the home’s main water shut-off valve is. This way, you can avoid major damage by shutting off the water supply when a problem occurs. While this isn’t necessary in all cases, it is still vital to know the valve’s location to protect your home from further damage. After you have shut off the water supply, give a licensed plumber a call to make any necessary repairs, or at the very least, to give professional advice on how to deal with the situation.

Emergency plumbing services can sometimes come with a higher price tag due to the time and effort put into the work, which is why you should be mindful of what counts as an emergency and what can wait until the next day or so to get fixed.

So, what are plumbing emergencies, and what can wait until the next day?

Plumbing emergencies include:

• Blocked sewer drains
• Blocked stormwater drains
• Burst water pipes
• Gas leaks
• Flooding on the property

For problems of this nature, call a professional plumber straight away to ensure the problem gets treated the right way from the get-go.

Non-emergencies include:

• Leaking taps
• Gurgling sounds
• Slow draining
• Flushing issues

As mentioned above, not all plumbing issues require immediate attention. While it’s good to tackle these issues as soon as possible, emergency services are often not required. For instance, if you have a dripping or leaking tap, you could be wasting hundreds to thousands of litres of water over the course of a year. Because of this, it pays off to address the problem promptly.

Whether you intend to repair the tap yourself or call a professional, turn off the water supply to save money while you wait for the issue to be fixed. Similarly, if you’re dealing with a toilet or washing machine constantly running water, the first step to take is to turn off the water supply to stop wasting water. Other common problems include slow draining and gurgling sounds, which often mean you have blocked drains. Read our dedicated blog post for blocked drains for more information on what causes the issue and how it can be treated.

Although these kinds of emergencies may often seem sudden, there are certain precautions you can take, such as conducting routine checks around the house, to ensure you catch any issues in time before they lead to a bigger problem. For more information on general plumbing and how to conduct a routine check, read our blog post on the basics of plumbing.

Call us for your plumbing emergencies!

If you have any questions about emergency plumbing services, give us a call. We’d be happy to tell you more about how you can try to tackle plumbing issues yourself, and about how we work to eliminate problems with plumbing and gas, no matter how big or small.

• Best Plumbers in Canberra