WHAT TO DO ( & NOT DO) WHEN DEALING WITH A PLUMBING EMERGENCY

There are times when you are likely to be faced with a plumbing emergency.  There are things that you will need to do and things you should definitely not do! I'll be sharing these with you below along with some common plumbing emergencies you may encounter and what to do about them. 

Do:

Keep calm

Staying calm during an emergency and dealing with the situation with a clear head is preferable to being in a state of panic. Take a moment to gather your thoughts before you act.

Turn off the water immediately 

If the emergency is a leak than turn off your water at the nearest stopcock to prevent further damage. 

Unplug and remove any electrical equipment 

If there any electrical equipment near water than unplug and remove them from the area. Make sure they are fully dry before being plugged back in.

Look for the source of the problem.

Once the water is switched off at the stopcock, you should be able to tell where the leak is coming from. Depending on the issue, you may feel confident in being able to deal with it yourself, or you may need to call a plumber.

Contain the leak as best you can

If, for whatever reason, you cannot switch off the water, try to contain the leak as best you can. Use containers like  buckets, saucepans, or whatever is in hand to catch any running water. Keeping some old towels for cleaning up leaks is advisable or you can use a mop.

Make a note of any damage for an insurance claim.

If there is unfortunately damage that  you will need to submit an insurance claim for, make sure to take plenty of photos. 

If it's beyond your ability, call a professional plumber or heating engineer.

One of the most important parts of dealing with a plumbing emergency is to know your limits. If the problem is something beyond your ability to fix, then call an emergency plumber or heating engineer out.

Don’t: 

Panic

Although a plumbing emergency is stressful don't panic. Panicking can cause you to delay acting which means more damage is likely to be caused especially with a leak.

Hesitate to deal with the problem.

Your first course of action is if a leak to switch off the water at the stopcock. This is why it's very important to know exactly where it is before something like this happens. Definitely make it one of your priorities when you first move to a new home.

If you don't know where it is, go and check now. Familiarise yourself with how to switch off your water for emergencies.

Forget about safety

Never forget about your own and others safety when dealing with a plumbing emergency. Most cases of plumbing emergencies  are  dealing with a leak.  It's important to make sure there are no electrical items around that could be affected and cause an electric shock.

If your plumbing emergency is related to your gas boiler, you need to seek help immediately. Open any windows and doors in the room and get everybody out of the house. 

Tackle a plumbing job that is beyond your capabilities 

It's important to know your limits and to seek expert help when needed. Trying to tackle a plumbing emergency that you aren't capable of can lead to accidents or cost you more in the long run. 

Common plumbing emergencies 

Burst pipes

A pipe may burst or come loose and cause a substantial leak. First thing to do is to turn off the water at the nearest stopcock. I recommend as soon as you move into a new home to familaries yourself with where it is. Once you've done that you can either fix the leak yourself or reach out to an emergency plumber.

Blockages

Blockages are very common emergency. However you maybe able to sort them yourself with a little know how. First step would be to try flushing the drain with hot water, use a unblocking solution or drain rod. If no luck then it's time to get the professionals in. Light blockages usually can be dealt with yourself with a plunger and baking soda.

Boiler breaking down

If your boiler brakes down you will need to contact a heating engineer. Don't ever try and repair a boiler yourself, as they are complex and require specialist knowledge. Only a gas safe registered engineer can fix a boiler or for electric boilers a registered electrician or heating engineer to repair it. 

Gas leaks

Smells of gas need to be treated with extreme caution and you need to act quickly.

1. Open all windows and doors to ventilate the area.

2. Turn off the gas by the emergency control valve at the meter.

3. Put out any open flames and cigarettes 

4. Don’t use any electrical equipment or even light switches as it could ignite the gas

5. Contact the National Gas Emergency number for your area and give them your details 

6. Stay out of the house until they arrive.

It's important to be prepared for any emergency that may happen within your home. As well as knowing where your stopcock is it's important to have emergency contacts stored on your phone.