These Are the Most Common Residential Plumbing Emergencies

One of the most important things to check when moving into a new house is the plumbing. Terrible plumbing makes for a house that is a potential environmental and health hazard. There are some plumbing concerns that one can comfortably take care of at home, but others need a plumber to come in immediately.

The most common residential emergency plumbing problems that have people frantically calling plumbers include damaged pipes, gas leaks and clogged drains. These ones will have you calling emergency plumbing Hampton Roads, Virginia or your local plumbers immediately. Plumbers say that these emergencies can be prevented by homeowners from the beginning.

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Causes of plumbing problems

Plumbers have long realized that most plumbing issues are caused by negligence. It is because homeowners take the servicing of the plumbing systems for granted that issues occur in the first place. If the pipes and systems were regularly serviced, there would be less emergencies being reported. The only time homeowners spare a thought for their plumbing systems is when a problem occurs which makes them uncomfortable.

If homeowners made arrangements to have their plumbing maintained regularly, problems would be discovered long before they escalated and would be taken care of in good time. This would save a homeowner a lot in terms of time and money because there would rarely be need for expensive repairs.

Below are 5 of the most common plumbing emergencies and how you can reduce damage to your property as the plumber prepares to come to you. 

§      Burst pipes

The top priority here is to arrest water flow immediately. Close the shutoff valve to your house to make sure that no water is flowing. This immediately resolves the problem of flooding which is what would happen if you left the shutoff open.

Your next step is turn on the cold water taps and let the trapped water in the pipes run out together with any steam. Once you have water flow under control, call in your plumber to sort the burst section of the pipe out.

§      Frozen pipes

Winter can be a tricky season for plumbing. If the water in your pipes freezes, they expand and stand the risk of bursting or cracking. The moment you notice your pipes are frozen, close the main shutoff valve. If the pipes have not started splitting yet, thaw them out with hot water bottles from the end of the pipe that is closest to the tap.

Do not thaw with a naked flame. This may cause thermal water expansion which also splits the pipes. To protect your pipes from freezing, always ensure that they are adequately insulated against the winter chill.

§      Leaky plumbing fixtures

Close the shutoff that is singular to the problematic fixture and check it for debris and other particles that may be causing an obstruction. Then call your plumber.

§      Blocked drains & toilets

Try using a plunger on these ones to get rid of the obstruction. If that fails to work, call your plumber.

§      Gas leaks

If you smell a gas leak, evacuate immediately and call the plumber or your gas company. You should not attempt to resolve the problem yourself. You can however turn the gas off at control valve with professional advice.

The important thing is distinguish between the problems you can fix yourself from those you need the emergency plumbing Hampton Roads, Virginia or a plumber near you for emergency services. However, you should get your plumbing serviced from time to time to avoid problems cropping up.