Plumbing Emergency: Call Doctor Cool
How to Effective Handle a Plumbing Emergency
Most homeowners who experience a plumbing emergency are encountering an unfamiliar event for the first time. If you arrive home to find water in an unexpected place, it often comes with a shock; so many questions flood your mind, just like the water covering the floor. So we are writing this article to share some important information with you should you experience a plumbing emergency.
Essential Steps
- THIS IS IMPORTANT! If you find standing water on the floor do not step into the water before turning off the electricity that serves the space. Go to the electrical service panel and find the circuit breaker marked for the flooded room. When water encounters an electrical source, often it causes a short circuit and trips the circuit breaker. But not always. Sometimes the electricity finds a way to ground and the water can be electrified. This can be deadly, so shut the power off first.
- Once the power is off, proceed carefully to avoid slipping or tripping over unseen obstacles.
- Use your nose to determine the type of water you must deal with: is it clear water, grey water, or black water?
Clear Water Leaks
Clearwater is the supply of water from your utility company or well; it is potable drinking water that has escaped from your water supply lines. Reasons for such leaks include burst pipes (generally in freezing weather), water heater leaks, and sinks or tubs that overflow.
- The supply of water coming into your home is under pressure. That means a pipe that has begun to leak will continue to leak until a valve is closed to stop the water supply. Inspect your home and find the main shutoff valve; this valve becomes very important when the leak is located behind a wall, ceiling, or floor. Keep looking until you have found a shutoff valve under or near every sink, tub, washing machine, dishwasher, and refrigerator. Should a tub or sink overflow, turn the faucet off.
- Use a wet/dry shop vac without a filter to remove the water as quickly as possible; removing the water is the key to limiting damage to flooring, walls, and furniture. If a shop vac is not available, use buckets, mops, or towels to soak the water up as soon as possible.
- If the leak required the main valve to be closed, this is a plumbing emergency; compared to a leak that is stopped with a localized valve, not a plumbing emergency.
Grey Water Leaks
Grey water is a combination of water, soap, food particles, etc., that drains away from sinks, tubs, or appliances designed to wash items. Your eyes and nose will detect a difference between clear water and grey water; grey water will smell like a worse version of whatever substances it contains.
- Normally, the amount of grey water is limited by the source; find the source to limit the leak. If a drain under a sink is leaking, do not use the sink until the leak is repaired. The same is true for the washing machine and dishwasher.
- Use a wet/dry shop vac without a filter to remove the water as quickly as possible; removing the water is the key to limiting damage to flooring, walls, and furniture. If a shop vac is not available, use buckets, mops, or towels to soak the water up as soon as possible.
- If a grey water leak is localized, for instance, local to one sink, this is not a plumbing emergency. However, if all drains are clogged, this is a plumbing emergency.
Black Water
Black water includes human waste. Black water will be apparent by the smell. It is a dangerous biohazard and removing it is more complicated than clear or grey water.
- The sources of black water are limited. But black water may escape from drains not associated with toilets. If the sewer main is blocked, all the water that backs up into your home should be considered black water.
- If you use a wet/dry vac it should not be used for normal uses; the black water will contaminate the hose and canister.
- A black water leak is considered a plumbing emergency.
Plumbing Emergency?
We have included information concerning plumbing emergencies to helping people facing a leak for the first time. All plumbing issues seem like an emergency, and it may be difficult to know how to proceed. If a plumbing problem can wait until the next, it is not a plumbing emergency. If you have a true plumbing emergency, call the plumber you trust, Doctor Cool!
Have a Plumbing Emergency, Call Doctor Cool!
Let Doctor Cool help with your Plumbing Emergency. Call Doctor Cool & Professor Heat today at 281-338-8751 or email Doctor Cool and let our professional Residential Plumbing Contractors assist with all of your Tankless Hot Water Heater Installation questions.
