A plumbing emergency in New Orleans can be extremely stressful, frustrating, and sometimes even frightening.
- Stay calm and act quickly.
- Turn off the water to minimize damage.
- Call a professional.
Steps To Take in a Plumbing Emergency
The most important thing to do in this situation is to stay calm. By taking some quick action before calling emergency plumbing repair, you may be able to minimize some of the damage that flooding can do to your home. Panic can be paralyzing and prevent you from acting quickly. Knowing what to do before a plumbing emergency occurs may help you to act quickly and decisively.
Turn off the Water
In a plumbing emergency, the first step you should take is to turn off the water to the malfunctioning fixture. While this doesn’t fix the problem, it does prevent it from becoming any worse than it already is. Turning off the water gives you time to call for emergency plumbing repair when you reach that step.
Toilets and sinks have special valves underneath that allow you to turn off the water to the malfunctioning fixture alone. This is a little more convenient because it allows you to continue using the water in other areas of the house. However, if you can’t find the valve or the problem is bigger than one malfunctioning toilet or sink, you may have to turn off the water to the whole house. It is a good idea to learn where the main shut-off valve is and how to use it before a plumbing emergency occurs in your New Orleans home.
Be sure to keep your family safe in a plumbing emergency. You may have to turn off the electricity in your home if the water threatens its source. This is a safety matter as the leaking water could conduct electricity and cause a shock. Leaking water can damage furniture, walls, and flooring, so try to clean up as much as you can after calling emergency plumbing repair but before help arrives. If you have young children or pets, keep them away from the clogged toilet, broken pipe, or whatever the damaged fixture may be. Don’t let them come in contact with puddles as they may be contaminated with disease-causing microbes.
Try To Unclog the Toilet or Sink
Adding more water to a sink or a toilet that is clogged will only compound the problem. Therefore, if the toilet is clogged, don’t try to flush it. However, it may be possible to clear the clog yourself by using a sturdy, reliable plunger. Try this before attempting to call emergency plumbing repair. Protect yourself from germs by wearing disposable gloves, possibly goggles, and a breathing mask as well.
Plunging can take some time to work, so don’t abandon the attempt too early. However, if it doesn’t work, don’t try anything more complicated to clear the clog.
When you have finished your attempt at unclogging the sink or toilet yourself, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly afterward, as well as any other part of the body that may have gotten splashed. However, if you have had to turn off the main water supply to the house to stabilize the plumbing emergency, don’t turn it back on so you can wash your hands. Using hand sanitizer is a reasonable alternative under the circumstances.
Drain Water From the Pipes
If your New Orleans residence needs a major plumbing repair, it may be necessary to drain the water from the pipes before the repair occurs. Draining the system may also be necessary before certain diagnostics, such as video inspection of the pipes.
If you do not have time to carry out this step before the professionals arrive to perform emergency plumbing repair, don’t worry about it. The professionals can carry it out when they get there. However, if you have time before the plumbers arrive, it may be helpful to drain the pipes before they get there. Here is a step-by-step process on how to do that:
- Shut off the main water supply to the home if you have not done so already.
- Open all the sink faucets on the top floor. This helps the flow of water by letting air into the system.
- Go to the lower level(s) and open all the sink faucets, including the laundry tub in the basement. Any water left in the pipes feeding these sinks will run out, including water from the floors above.
- Open all the faucets in the showers or tubs in your home. These can be carried out in any order.
- Once all the faucets are open, leave them that way until you receive further instructions from your plumber.
- Empty the tanks of the toilets by flushing them. Because the water is turned off, the toilets will not refill.
- Find the drain plug for the main shut-off valve. Place a bucket underneath this and open it. Any water remaining in the pipes will flow out of the open valve into the bucket.
When you open a faucet with the water turned off, whatever water is left in the pipe will flow out in a gentle stream until the pipe is empty. Be sure to close all the faucets back up before you turn the water back on.
Call a Professional
Your plumbing system is very delicate, and any attempts at repairs that are too complicated for you may damage it. This could increase the cost when you do call for emergency plumbing repair. Any repairs more complicated than plunging a clogged toilet or sink should be left to the professionals. Even if you are fairly confident in your skills, the stress and frustration of trying to cope with a plumbing emergency on your own could cause you to make mistakes that could be costly later.
If you are confused about the steps to take in a plumbing emergency, you can ask questions when you call for assistance. For example, you can ask whether or not you should drain the water from the pipes before the professionals arrive.
There is no way to predict when a plumbing emergency may arise. It can occur in the middle of the night. There is no time to waste, so you should know whom to call before an emergency ever arises.
Rely on Rooter Man
For over 40 years, customers in need of residential and commercial plumbing in South Louisiana have relied on Rooter Man as their number-one choice. We are locally owned and guarantee your satisfaction 100%. Our service is dependable, with employees who undergo drug testing and background checks, and our rates are affordable compared to the competition. We offer emergency service seven days a week and are equipped to handle specialized jobs. Our service area extends beyond New Orleans to include Covington, Laplace, Kenner, Metairie, Slidell, and the Westbank. Contact us today to find out more about our services, including our residential maintenance program and preventative drain treatment, as well as plumbing repair.
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