Plumbing emergencies often strike without warning and at the worst possible times. While no homeowner wants to imagine facing one of these costly situations, it is important to know what to do if and when disaster strikes. Because plumbing emergencies tend to happen without warning, you need to know what to do to prevent further damage to your home. In the event of a plumbing emergency, here are a few important plumbing emergency tips to follow.

Plumbing Emergency Tips

Turn off the water. At the first sign of trouble, turn off your water supply. Make sure you know where your main water shutoff valve and shutoffs for individual fixtures are located. If you are having a problem that is isolated to a specific fixture or appliance, such as a toilet, you can simply turn off the valve on that line. If, however, you are having a more widespread problem or you are unsure of where the problem is, turn off your main water supply.
Switch off your water heater. When you turn off your main water supply, pressure and hot water build in water heater storage tanks. If the pressure exceeds the limit of the unit, it could burst, leading to another serious plumbing emergency and water heater repair costs.
Open your outside faucets. After you turn off the water in your home, open all outside faucets. This helps drain pipes and prevent water from being directed into your home.
Stop leaks. Leaks may still continue for a while even after the water is turned off. Use plumbers tape, rags of buckets to deal with the remaining water leaking from your pipes until help arrives.

Once you’ve turned off the water and found a way to deal with the problem temporarily, call a licensed plumber. Plumbing emergencies need to be dealt with as quickly as possible, and at G.T. Campbell, we can help. We offer emergency plumbing in Rochester and the surrounding areas, and we are here to help homeowners deal with these unexpected disasters.

When you’re facing a plumbing emergency in Rochester, follow the steps listed above then call G.T. Campbell Plumbing at 585-355-1463.