Everyone has experienced a plumbing emergency in their home, whether it was a blocked drain or a leaking tap. Some plumbing emergencies can be repaired yourself; however, when there’s a major problem – such as a burst water heater or flooding, you should call a professional Melbourne plumbing service. Here’s what you can do to handle a water emergency until your plumber arrives.
Shut Off The Water
When emergency strikes, the first thing you need to do is make sure that the water has stopped running. The longer you wait, the more water you’ll have to clean up, and the more damage it will cause to your home. When it’s coming from a tap, you can turn off the valve underneath the sink, which will shut off the water supply immediately. If you don’t know where the water is coming from, you can shut off the central water valve (normally the water meter at the front of the property) for the entire property, which means that there will be no water running through any tap in your house. Turning off the mains is the best option because not everyone knows where every valve is located around their home.
Check Your Water Heater
When you experience a significant hot water plumbing emergency, you should inspect your water heating unit. Water heaters run on pressure, which is why they have a pressure relief valve. The best thing to do in this instance is to isolate the water and gas/electricity supply to the unit.
If it’s gas, there will be a valve that you can turn to shut it off. If it’s electricity, you’ll need to locate your electrical switchboard and isolate the hot water fuse. This is important because if the water is turned off and the electricity is still running, it can burn the unit out.
Another problem you could have with your water heater is excessive heat. Everyone likes a warm shower; however, if the water coming out of your showerhead is too hot, you could be at risk of burns. In this instance, water tempering devices can be installed to mediate that risk. A licensed plumber will be able to assist and make recommendations.
There are various steps that you could take to protect your home from a plumbing crisis; however, you can’t guarantee that you can prevent yourself from every emergency. If you experience a problem that you can’t handle, or which poses a danger, call a professional immediately. Butler Plumbing is an emergency hot water service provider, trained to handle anything. Call us today for all hot water maintenance issues.