Knowing how to overcome stress and find quick solutions can go a long way to surviving an emergency plumbing situation in Sunnyvale. Our team of plumbing experts has created this quick self-help guide to emergency plumbing for Sunnyvale residents to help you get through this harrowing situation.
Keep in mind that if you’re currently experiencing an emergency plumbing situation at your Sunnyvale home, you should call us at (650) 583-3311 for immediate assistance – we’ll send a professional, experienced plumber to your location immediately and have you back to normal as soon as possible.
#1 – Know How to Disable Water to Your Entire Home
The most surefire way to immediately make a difference during most plumbing emergencies is to disable water to the property to prevent water from flooding or leaking any more than it already has.
To accomplish this, find the main water shutoff valve – it’s almost always either in the basement of the home or in a utility area on the property along a wall. Knowing the location of this valve ahead of time can be really useful if you want to prepare before a plumbing emergency.
Turn the valve clockwise, and water to your property should stop. You can reactivate the water by turning the valve counter-clockwise after the plumbing situation has been handled.
Once you’ve shut off water to the home, there’s another crucial step you must follow.
#2 – Don’t Leave the Hot Water Heater Running
Leaving the hot water heater running without new water cycling in and out means the unit will likely build in pressure – even to the point where it could crack or burst open. A burst hot water heater can be a costly nightmare on its own, and presents hazards like scalding and flooding.
After you’ve disabled water to the home, locate your hot water heater and disable it. For electric units, this means finding the circuit breaker – usually on a nearby wall – and disabling the circuit that the hot water heater is running on. For gas units, switch the pilot light to “pilot” or locate the thermostat on the top of the unit and switch it to “off.”
#3 – Call in Reinforcements
Like any emergency situation, you’ll likely want professional assistance – facing a plumbing emergency alone is stressful, and oftentimes overwhelming for the majority of us all. In addition, these scenarios tend to appear when people least expect them, without allowing for time to prepare. Call a professional plumber with a solid reputation and immediate, 24-hour emergency plumbing services, like Performance Plumbing. Our 24-hour emergency plumbing service will send a plumber to your home as quickly as possible to help you reduce the damage as much as possible – you can get 24-hour assistance by calling our friendly team at (650) 583-3311. Helping customers through emergencies is one of the most fulfilling parts of our job, so we’re more than happy to help out.
#4 – Grab What You Can and Get Creative
While you’re waiting for help to arrive, grab some basic resources: towels, rags, old clothes, buckets, and duct tape can all be useful in a plumbing emergency. Rags and towels can help soak up water, while buckets can catch water from leaks and protect your property. Duct tape can be used in combination with rags to wrap around pipes where leaks are occurring and slow down the flow of water. Even with the main water shutoff valve disabled, using these basic items can go a long water towards cleaning up excess water and protecting your home.