If you have a plumbing emergency, it can be difficult to know what to do. This article will help guide you through the process of dealing with a variety of common emergencies so that you don’t make any mistakes or face any dangerous consequences. We’ll talk about how to handle frozen pipes, clogged drains, and toilets, leaks from pipes and faucets, overflow from sinks and bathtubs- in short, every problem you might ever encounter!
Frozen Pipes
There are a few different solutions for dealing with frozen pipes, depending on the situation. If you know that your pipes have been outside or in an uninsulated area where they could freeze, it’s essential to prevent them from freezing by insulating them at all costs! You can do this using heat lamps and keeping covers over any exposed pipes. If you don’t know what to do, call a plumber as soon as possible.
To thaw out your pipes a little bit before calling the plumber, turn on any hot water faucets in your house and allow them to run for about five minutes. You can also use heat lamps around the area of the frozen pipe or if you have an electric stove, use the oven to heat up things around the frozen pipe.
If your pipes are still in a good enough condition but just partially frozen and you’re not too worried about them breaking, all you need to do is wait for a day or two and they will thaw out on their own. However, if it’s only one or two pipes that are frozen, it might be a good idea to thaw them out as soon as possible.
If your pipe is already broken and leaking water into the house, make sure you turn off any faucets in your home so there’s not too much pressure on the leaky pipe. Turn off the power for safety reasons. Now, find a watertight container and fill it up with sand. Place the container on top of your broken pipe to help distribute the weight more evenly.
Clogged Drain
If your drain is clogged, the best way to unclog it is by using a plunger. Fill up the sink with water and place the plunger on top of it so that there’s an airtight seal (make sure you don’t put too much pressure). Now pull back on the plunger slowly while pushing down at a steady pace. If that doesn’t work, pour hot water down the drain and try again.
If it’s still clogged after using a plunger you can use an auger to clear the pipe of any debris inside. You want to be careful when drilling into your pipes because there are likely other piping systems nearby that could result in major damage.
If you don’t have the proper tools, there are a few other methods for unclogging your drain. You can pour baking soda and vinegar into the clogged area in an attempt to create suction but this is probably not going to work on its own. If that doesn’t work you will need to use boiling water or hot sauce to get the job done.
You can also use a garden hose with an attachment or even your vacuum cleaner in order to break up any clogs that are obstructing water flow. A plunger is one of many tools you will need if something goes wrong with your pipes and it’s always better to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
Clogged Toilet
If you notice a toilet that is clogged or not flushing, the first thing to do is shut off the water supply and flush. If this doesn’t work then there are other methods for unclogging your drain such as using baking soda, vinegar, boiling water, hot sauce, or even a plunger – whichever works best!
Leaking Pipe
If you have a leaky pipe, the first thing to do is cut off all of the water. Put protectors on your hands and then unscrew any caps that may be keeping in place any hoses or pipes that are connected with the leaking one – only if they’re not too hot! Once this has been done, flip up the flapper valve on the toilet and turn off all of your water sources outside. Next, wrap a towel or old blanket around where you turned off the water supply to prevent any leaks from happening again. Now that this has been done, call in an emergency plumber!
Leaking Faucet
If you have a leaking faucet, turn the water off before unscrewing any caps that may be keeping in place any hoses or pipes connected with it. Simply remove the old washer and replace it with a new one – if needed! There are many different ways to deal with these types of emergencies so just do what works best for your specific problem!
Sink Overflow
If your sink is overflowing or about to overflow, you should first check the drain for any objects that may be blocking it. If no blockage can be found, try wrapping a rag around the handle of the tap and holding it in place while turning on all faucets one by one until water flow turns back on.
Bathtub Overflow
In case of a bathtub overflow, first make sure the bathtub is empty before trying to fix it. If this still doesn’t work then try and use a plunger on the drain or else wait for two hours since an overflowing tub may be clogged by hair that has grown over time.
If you need more assistance with any of these problems we recommend contacting a professional plumber who can provide assistance.