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Emergencies: Handling & Preventing
Water You Going to Do?
Are you prepared to stop the flow of water? That's the first thing you'll
need to know how to do in most plumbing emergencies. Plumbing and
drain experts offer the following list of valuable tips on shutting off the
water to your fixtures and appliances, as well as the main shutoff valve
for the house. You'll also find specific helps on four of the most common
plumbing emergencies, plus a preventive maintenance checklist.
Your Water's Running. Better Go Catch It.
If you've ever had a prank caller tell you, "Your refrigerator's running
and you'd better go catch it," you probably were either slightly irritated
or barely amused. But if you find yourself in a situation where water
is on the loose in your home, it's not just annoying – it can be absolutely
distressing. Certainly, you don't want water damaging or even ruining
your keepsakes and valuables, including your actual home.
That's why it's smart to know how to stop the flow of water quickly.
To do this, you and each member of your family need to know the location
of the shutoff valve for every fixture and appliance, as well as the main
shutoff valve for the house, and how these valves operate.
- If the emergency involves a specific fixture or appliance, first look
for its shutoff valve and turn it clockwise to shut off the water to
that fixture or appliance only.
- The valve is usually located underneath a fixture such as a sink or
a toilet, or behind an appliance, such as a clothes washer, at the point
where the water supply pipe (or pipes) connects to it.
- If the problem is not with a particular fixture or appliance, or if
there's no shutoff valve for the fixture or appliance, use the main
shutoff valve to turn off the water supply to the entire house.
- You'll find the main shutoff valve on the inside or outside of your
house where the main water supply pipe enters.
- In cold climates, look just inside the foundation wall in the basement
or crawl space.
- Turn the valve clockwise to shut it off.
- Professional Tip: If you need a wrench to turn the valve, keep one
specially labeled near the valve so it's handy.
- If the main shutoff valve itself is defective and needs to be repaired,
call your water company. They can send someone out with the special
tool that's required to shut off the water at the street before it reaches
the valve.
Plumbing ER
The following at-a-glance lists guide you through the basics of how to
handle four common, household plumbing emergencies.
| Problem |
Possible solutions |
| You have a leaking or broken pipe |
- Turn off the main shutoff valve to prevent water damage.
- Make temporary repairs to stop the leak.
- The pipe will have to be replaced as soon as it's convenient to do so.
|
| You have a stopped-up sink |
- Shut off any faucet or appliance (such as dishwasher) that's draining into the sink.
- Unclog the sink using a plunger or plumber's snake.
- DON'T use a chemical drain cleaner if the blockage is total.
|
| Your faucet won't shut off |
- Immediately turn off the water at the fixture shutoff valve underneath the sink.
- If there's no valve there, turn off the main shutoff valve.
- Repair the faucet or, if necessary, replace it.
|
| You have a steaming hot water faucet |
- Open all the hot water faucets to relieve the overheated hot water heater.
- Turn off the gas or electric supply to the heater.
- Let the faucets run until cold water flows from them (this indicates the water in the heater is no longer overheated).
- Close them.
- Call in a professional to make any necessary repairs to the heater's thermostat and pressure relief valve.
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An Ounce of Prevention
It's the best remedy of course. Here's a plumbing-specific list of things
you can do to avoid potential problems and emergencies.
Kitchen sink
- Reduce the amount of cooking grease and fats going down the drain.
- Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing.
Garbage disposer
- Follow manufacturer recommendations for proper usage.
- Run ample water before, during, and after disposer use.
- If the garbage disposer is not functioning properly, depress the unit
reset button, typically located at the bottom of the unit.
Bathroom sink
- Run ample water when washing soap, shaving cream and toothpaste down the drain.
Tub or shower
- Install a strainer to catch hair and foreign objects.
Toilet
- Avoid storing or placing small objects on the toilet tank or around the toilet.
- Keep the seat cover closed.
Laundry
- Keep your washer's lint trap clean.
- Install a lint catcher on the laundry drain hose and clean it regularly.
Water heater
- Follow manufacturer recommendations for proper use.
- Drain regularly according to manufacturer recommendations.
- Inspect for signs of leakage and rust.
- Listen for unusual noises.
Some emergencies simply require the attention of a plumbing professional.
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