Although some plumbing problems are relatively small and don’t pose an immediate threat to your home, others (such as a burst pipe) need to be taken care of as soon as possible. Today we’re going to talk about how to prepare for a major plumbing emergency and what to do if one occurs in your home!
Be prepared for a plumbing emergency
In order to minimize the damage that a plumbing emergency can cause, it’s important to be well-prepared. To do this, you’ll want to find where all of the proper shut-off valves are located in your home.
Your home’s main water shut-off valve is likely located outside near your water meter. You should familiarize yourself with this valve and how to turn it on and off. In addition, most of your home’s plumbing fixtures have their own water shut-off valves that can cut the water supply to an individual fixture. If you have any questions about where your home’s water shut-off valves are located or how to use them, contact Cabrillo!
What to do if the plumbing emergency is at a single fixture
If your plumbing emergency is located at an individual fixture, you’ll want to cut the water supply to that fixture in order to prevent further water damage. As we mentioned above, most of the plumbing fixtures in your home have their own shut-off valves. These valves will be located under the fixture and can almost always be shut off by turning them clockwise. Some fixtures, such as your faucet, will have two separate valves for hot and cold water. You’ll want to turn off both of these in the event of a plumbing emergency.
What to do if the plumbing emergency is not at a single fixture
If your plumbing emergency is caused by a burst pipe or is located at a fixture that does not have its own shut-off valve, you’ll want to shut off your home’s entire water supply. As we mentioned above, you can do this at your home’s main shut-off valve, which is likely located outside.
If you do shut off your home’s main water supply, it’s a good idea to also shut off your water heater in order to avoid temperature and pressure buildup inside the tank. In addition, you can drain the remaining water from your home’s pipes by turning on your outdoor faucets.
Cabrillo is open 24 hours, 7 days a week for emergency plumbing calls
Be sure to contact Cabrillo as soon as you discover a major plumbing problem in your home. We are open for emergency plumbing calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so someone will be here for you no matter when your plumbing disaster occurs!
If you have any questions about what to do during a plumbing emergency, or if you’d like a plumbing system serviced or installed in your home, contact Cabrillo, your Bay Area plumbing, heating and air conditioning company.