Your home’s plumbing system is a fundamental feature of your residential building that is responsible for proper supply of fresh water and drainage of waste water through drain and sewage pipes. It is a fact that since most water pipes and drain pipes remain concealed inside the walls or underneath the floor, these often remain overlooked as most homeowners take them for granted. You flush your toilet, drain your bathtub, run the garbage disposal as usual and everything seems to work just fine until one day you experience a sewage backup. That is when you know you’re in trouble and you seek the help of a professional, licensed emergency plumber.
However, it is for your own benefit that you try your best to minimize damage caused due to sudden failure of the plumbing system in your house. Yes, by knowing what to do in certain backup situations you make sure that backup doesn’t cause any damage to interiors of your home until an emergency plumber arrives on the scene. Read on to know more about it.
- Overflowing Toilet
Your priority should be to restrict the flow of the overflowing water for as long as possible. You can do so by turning off the water valve that is usually located on the wall behind the toilet. Turn the wall to your right, in clockwise motion, to turn off the water. The toilet still may continue to run even after turning off the water valve. Remove the cover and lift the float ball up.
At this point, you can also use the plunger if you suspect a recent clog to cause overflow. If you are uncertain about the causes of overflow, wait for an emergency plumber to arrive and he will take care of your plumbing emergency as he’s equipped with latest tools and equipment to tackle the most complex plumbing issues effectively.
- Overflowing Sink
Overflowing kitchen/bathroom sink is yet another common plumbing issue that is only taken care of when water drainage stops completely. Usually, slow draining sinks is an indication of a clog disrupting its normal drainage speed somewhere. It can be a small clog which can be cleared away with a plunger. However, in case of a major clog, water drainage will stop completely and using a plunger may not work. The best you can do in such a situation is to cover the overflow hole with duct tape. Do not weaken your pipes with harsh chemical cleaners. Rather, work through the clog with a plumber. If things don’t work out, call a reputable emergency plumber Los Angeles and he will sort this out in no time.
- Overflowing Bathtub
Overflowing bathtub is another plumbing issue which can make you call an emergency plumber. If the water starts to rise above your ankles while taking a shower, you should understand that there’s a clog somewhere down the pipe. Bad clogs can make water rise pretty quickly to an extent that even the bathtub can overflow.
Before calling an emergency plumber, you can try certain things by yourself. Cover the overflow plate with a wet rag or duct tape. You can empty the bathtub with a bucket to prevent spilling and splashing of water. Use a plunger at least 3-4 times to push the blockage out of the way. If that does not work, don’t waste any time and call an emergency plumber.
Coming to conclusion, plumbing emergencies are unwanted, but they can strike anytime, leaving you frustrated and confused. However, calling licensed and reliable emergency plumber will clear your concerns as he will arrive at your doorstep soon and fix your plumbing issue.