Most Common Plumbing Emergencies and How to Handle Them

Most Common Plumbing Emergencies and How to Handle Them

Plumbing emergencies are practically an inevitable occurrence, as everybody gets into the situation of having to deal with them at some point. Although it can be frightening, especially if you live alone, there are adequate short-term and long-term solutions. In order to help you know what to do in the case of the most common plumbing emergencies, and how to handle them. Here is a list of solutions.

There is no hot water

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Water heater malfunctions are a fairly common plumbing problem; resulting in no hot water. In the case of a gas water heater; if the pilot light went out; you might be able to reignite it. The first thing you need to do is determine if you have an automatic or manual water heater. In case it is manual, what you need to do is turn the gas valve to “off” and wait for five to ten minutes and then switch it to “pilot”. Next, you should look for a cover where the gas burner assembly is. Once you remove the cover, look for a red button, which is usually in close proximity to the gas valve. Take a lighter or matches and hold the red button. After that, light the pilot light and keep holding the red button for around 40 seconds, and make sure that the light stays on. If your water heater is automatic, you won’t need a lighter or matches. The process is almost the same, only instead of using a lighter or a match, you hold the ignition button. Keep in mind that this is a short-term solution that should be used in the case of an emergency. You still need to call a plumber who can find out why the pilot light went out in the first place and what should be done about it.

You have a gas leak

A gas leak is a serious and extremely dangerous problem that should be taken care of as soon as possible. If you smell gas in your home, what you should do first is detect where it is coming from. It could be the gas stove, or the gas water heater, for example. Then, turn the gas valve to “off”. In case you still smell gas after that, you’ll need to turn the gas off at your gas meter.

Your toilet is overflowing

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An overflowing toilet is certainly a cause for concern and should be dealt with immediately, as you don’t want your bathroom to be flooded. There are a few possible reasons why your toilet is overflowing:

• the filler float isn’t placed properly,
• the drain is clogged,
• the vent pipe is blocked,

If you see that water is overflowing your toilet tank, there is a high chance that the filler float is placed too high. This is an easy fix, as all you need to do is readjust the filler float. In the case of a clogged drain, the water overflow occurs in the toilet bowl. In order to unclog the drain, you should use a plunger. If you notice that your toilet doesn’t flush the way it should and the water is overflowing in the toilet bowl, the vent pipe is probably blocked. Since this is a case of emergency, it’s best to call an emergency plumber, so you don’t have to wait for days for this serious issue to be fixed. You can find an experienced emergency plumber in the Northern Beaches, who can solve your plumbing emergency.

Your faucet is leaking

You may not see a leaky faucet as a case of an emergency that has to be mended promptly. However, this problem will lead to increased water bills, as well as greater costs of repair later on as the faucet will cause damage if left unmended. The way to fix the faucet differs according to the type of faucet you have. For example, when it comes to compression faucets, the most common problem causing the leak is a damaged seat washer. You may replace the seat washer by yourself, or call a plumber.

A pipe has burst

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A burst pipe is another serious and common plumbing emergency that can cause damage to your home. Some of the reasons pipe bursts include the following:

• the water in the pipes had frozen,
• the pipe had been blocked by accumulated minerals,
• inadequate pipework.

A burst pipe isn’t something you are likely to be able to mend by yourself. When you notice this problem, you need to call up a plumber as soon as you can.

As you’ve seen, you may be able to solve some of the plumbing problems, while others require the expertise of a plumber. Hopefully, this article has helped you learn how to deal with each of the common plumbing emergencies. Remember that if you aren’t sure how to fix a plumbing issue, it’s best not to touch anything and call an emergency plumber immediately.

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