Tag Archives: how to avoid a plumbing emergency

When Every Second Counts: Identifying Critical Plumbing Failures

Identifying Critical Plumbing Failures

Plumbing problems happen in your home all the time, says Mike Dunfee Management company. But most of them are mild issues that do not prevent access to the plumbing or expose your home to the risk of water damage.

There are times when your home suffers a critical plumbing failure. This is when the plumbing issues put the structures of your building at risk and also prevent the normal use of your plumbing.

Critical plumbing failures are best dealt with before they become plumbing emergencies. This means finding the problem in its early stages before it explodes into a full-blown disaster.

However, if a critical plumbing failure happens before it can be detected and prevented, the next best option is to fix the problem with the utmost speed as soon as it is discovered.

What are some common critical plumbing failures that can happen in a home?

Burst pipes

This problem is most common in winter when sub-zero temperatures freeze water pipes, causing them to burst and spew water after they thaw.

Clogged drains

This is easily the most common critical plumbing failure in homes. A clogged drain can be a mild problem or a full-blown catastrophe.

Leaking water heater

A major cause of basement flooding and mold that will not only ruin the items in the area but can even undermine the foundation of your building.

No hot water

Especially in winter, and if there are small children or elderly folks in the home, this can be a life-threatening problem.

Toilet overflows

An overflowing toilet prevents the use of the toilet, leads to severe water damage inside your home, and can also expose your family to deadly diseases.

Worn-out washing machine hoses

A washing machine hose that ruptures, either because it is old or brittle, can unleash large volumes of water inside your home in a very short time.

Sewer backup

A backed up sewer line emergency is the outcome of unaddressed clogs and blockages in your main sewer line. It will release untreated sewage inside your home.

a woman turning off her main water supply

Turn off the water supply to your home at the main water shut-off valve. This is usually found near the water meter, on the street-facing side of the house, or in the basement.

How to prevent critical plumbing failures in your home

The number one factor for finding and fixing these issues before they happen in your home is to identify the underlying factors that cause the problems. This means recognizing the impact of the following issues on your plumbing pipes, fixtures, and appliances:

  • Extreme seasonal temperature fluctuations
  • Hard water, leading to mineral buildup
  • Aging of materials, causing the plumbing to become brittle
  • The presence of debris inside wastewater, which promotes clogs and blockages
  • The impact of amateur plumbers on the plumbing
  • The effect of a home occupant’s daily habits on the plumbing

Having understood the above factors, how do you prevent critical plumbing failures in your home?

  • Inspect your pipes regularly: Problems like corrosion, cracks, and leaks always leave telltale signs you can look for.
  • Insulate your pipes: During the colder months of the year, make sure pipes are properly insulated.
  • Maintain your appliances: Detailed checks done periodically will prevent appliance malfunction and save you a lot of trouble.
  • Monitor water usage: An easy way to spot leaks in your plumbing is by monitoring your water usage to detect unusual spikes in volume.
  • Inspect and clean your drains: To know what is happening inside your drains, inspect them on a schedule. Yearly drain cleaning solved most drain problems.

What to do when you have a critical plumbing failure

If you have a critical plumbing failure in your home, maybe before you have a chance to implement the above, what should you do? The following steps will help you minimize the damage to your home and the inconvenience to your household.

Shut the water supply

Turn off the water supply to your home at the main water shut-off valve. This is usually found near the water meter, on the street-facing side of the house, or in the basement.

Do not use the fixture

If you are dealing with an overflowing toilet or sewer backup, do not use the toilet or do anything that will add more water to the water on your flooring.

Turn off the power

If there is a risk that water has come into contact with electricity, turn off the power supply to your home. If you have to step in water to do this, call an electrician.

Try to contain the leak

Try catching the leaking water with buckets after you have turned off the dedicated shut-off valve for the damaged fixture.

Call an emergency plumber

Emergency plumbers are plumbing professionals whose expertise is dealing with critical plumbing failures in homes. Because every second counts when dealing with plumbing emergencies, how much time it takes you to find an emergency plumber matters. This is why you want an emergency plumber on the quick dial before a critical plumbing failure happens in your home. 

A capable professional plumber (preferably one who offers emergency plumbing services) is the lynchpin of your home’s plumbing maintenance plan. That plumber should be able to help you prevent and deal with any critical plumbing failures in your home.

Chicago’s Plumbing Nightmares: How to Avoid Them

Chicago’s Plumbing Nightmares

Plumbing issues in your home are a big deal because they affect your family’s comfort and safety. However, Ocean Realty Management says, not all plumbing issues in your home are equal in their effect. Some plumbing problems are mild, while others can be absolute nightmares. 

This second type of plumbing issue is called plumbing emergencies; they can make your home uninhabitable. How do you deal with plumbing emergencies in your home? That depends on the kind of plumbing emergency.

But generally, when dealing with a plumbing emergency, you need three things, a level head, proper information, and quick action. This post will discuss the worst plumbing problems in your home and how to avoid them.

5 plumbing nightmares in the home and how to avoid them

Clogged toilet

A toilet that won’t flush can be your worst plumbing nightmare, especially if it is the only toilet in your home. If a toilet is not flushing, trying to force it can result in the toilet overflowing and causing an even bigger problem. How can you avoid this issue?

  • Only flush toilet paper and human waste; nothing else should go into your toilet, including all so-called flushable products.
  • Use single-ply toilet paper if you use a lot of toilet paper or the toilet has a history of clogging.
  • To prevent mineral buildup and debris accumulation, clean the toilet thoroughly at least once a month.
  • Inspect your sewer line for tree root intrusion if you have mature trees in your yard.

A broken Water Line

If the problem is undetected, it can waste hundreds of gallons of water daily and damage your landscaping or subject your building to the risk of structural damage. How do you avoid this plumbing nightmare?

  • Keep an eye on your water bill; look for spikes in water usage that are not due to known changes in your home.
  • Monitor the water pressure; low water pressure is a reliable sign that your water line is leaking.
  • Avoid planting trees or shrubs with invasive root systems near the location of your water line.
  • Have your water lines inspected yearly by a professional plumber. It lets you detect problems before they become emergencies.

Frozen and burst pipes

The pressure of frozen water inside a pipe can rupture it. When that pipe eventually thaws, the burst section will discharge water into your home. A frozen pipe may prevent water from reaching your entire home or specific plumbing fixtures. How do you avoid this problem?

  • Keep the home warm at all times by having your thermostat above 55°F (13°C) always.
  • Keep cabinet and room doors slightly open to let warm air circulate to unheated spaces in the house.
  • Keep garage doors closed at all times so that your water pipes are not exposed to cold air.
  • Insulate all exposed pipes in the home, as well as the attic, basement, and crawlspace.
  • Keep faucets slightly open to ensure a constant flow of water through the pipes.
  • Have a plumber inspect your plumbing for leaks and weak spots before winter.

Clogged sink, shower, or tub

A clogged sink, bath, or shower drain is not only annoying, it can upset your daily routine. If the sink, shower, or tub doesn’t drain at all, you will be unable to use it. If it drains slowly, you will waste time waiting for it to empty. Here is how to avoid this plumbing nightmare.

  • Install drain strainers to keep hair, food scraps, and other debris out of the drains.
  • If the water in your area is hard, consider installing a water softener in your home.
  • Do not dump grease, oil, fats, and food waste into the kitchen drain.
  • Do not use your garbage disposal unit as a trash can.
  • Every month, use vinegar and baking soda or hot water to unclog your drains.

No hot water

This can be a life-threatening problem if it happens in winter or if there are elderly people or infants in your home. Without hot water, you will struggle with dishes and laundry. There are many reasons why a water heater stops producing hot water. You can prevent them by doing the following:

  • Ensure the proper thermostat settings. The thermostat setting may have been lowered accidentally.
  • Every month, check the water heater for leaky or loose pipe connections.
  • Drain the water heater every 6-12 months to get rid of sediments and prevent corrosion.
  • Make sure your water heater is the right size for the hot water needs of your household.
  • Have a professional plumber do comprehensive maintenance for the water heater yearly.

The above steps can help prevent plumbing nightmares in your home, but what about when you already have a plumbing emergency? The best way to deal with plumbing emergencies is to call your plumber. Having a quick emergency plumbing service on hand is necessary for dealing with plumbing nightmares in your home.