Emergency Plumbing 101: Steps You Can Take

Yes, we buy our homes to finally gain possession of that permanent roof over the head: the sanctuary at the end of every day and the ritualistic comfort of resting one’s head in a quiet house each night. But, when the plumbing drips, dribbles, backs up, spurts, or is at a flat line standstill, it can throw off your entire day or two if it’s a slow building problem. Sorry to say it, but emergency plumbing comes to see us all in the form of a clogged toilet or drain, a frozen or cracked pipe whether your home is new construction, a historic restoration, or any home in between.

Emergency plumbing doesn’t really come in steps and procedures that you can prepare for, hence the name. However, the cleaning, repair or replacement your local plumbing specialist performs will act as preventative medicine for your plumbing system as well. For example, let us begin in the bathroom – the primary culprit of many emergency plumbing catastrophes. Typically a full bath provides more issues than a half bath; it comprises of the tub/shower, toilet, and sink combination, and all three run-off pipes connect eventually. If one component of the bath malfunctions, they all begin to mutiny as time goes by.

Most bathroom and kitchen drains suffer clogs and standing water due to hair, particulates, debris build-up, and sometimes antiquated or ill-advised plumbing installation. The toilet however gets a bad rap when quite often non-flushable, exterior plant root intrusion, and untreated sewer tanks are to blame rather than a faulty toilet. This is when the plumbing technician will use tools such as a lighted endoscopic camera to locate obstruction, a pipe snake for sweep cleaning to remove the build-up from your drain. But if the problem is further down the drainage line the clearing, replacement, or re-sealing of any obvious issues will be attended to before opening the septic tank as the source of the plumbing problem.

Septic tank issues can be costly if they aren’t a part of routine maintenance or tended to early and properly. Several plumbing websites reiterate how important it is to take preventative steps when it comes to the function of your sewer drain. There are several substances that many households pour down the drain unknowingly contributing to the slow down of sewage passage out of the home and away from the home. Oils and non-biodegradable waste were named as primary suspects in incapacitating draining from the home.

Another culprit in emergency plumbing is a water leak. Water leaks which lead to flooding which lead to damaged property and subsequent home repairs also provide a significant source of many emergency plumbing challenges. The kitchen faucet may be loose and pooling water at its base where it can flow under the sink, flood this area then flow on into the basement virtually unnoticed – for a while. The dishwasher, refrigerator components, as well as bath and water heater in the basement provide the occasional leaky malfunctions that lead to necessary repairs.

Whether you are confronted with the disturbance of slowed or stopped water moving in or out of your home; a cracked or obstructed pipeline; or the dangers of a gas leak, a plan of action is critical. Locating your best equipped and responding plumbing technicians you can trust is paramount to having your entire home back in working order in no time. They can also provide you with basic plumbing information to help your pipes run as smoothly as possible for as long as possible.