As the manager of Handyman Connection based in Birmingham, Alabama, Billy Gafford is an experienced professional handyman who has seen his fair share of plumbing emergencies. Here, he outlines what you can do to handle a few common plumbing emergencies.
It is important to make sure that everyone in your family is aware of the location of your homes water shutoff valve. In case of a leak, overflow or other plumbing problems, youll be able to turn off your water supply on your own.
Where Your Water Shutoff Valve Is
In most residences, the water shutoff valve will be in the basement or outside by the hose faucet in the front of your house. It will have a pipe leading to it from the ground, and the water meter will be attached to it at the other end. In addition, most major appliances that use water will have individual shutoff valves, usually located behind the appliance, and fixtures like toilets and sinks will also have separate ones below or behind the fixture.
Shutoff valves should be closed by turning clockwise. If you close your main shutoff valve, youll also need to turn off the power supply to your water heater, which can avoid damaging its heating elements and hurting anyone who opens a faucet while the water supply is turned off.
Temporary Solution for a Leaking Pipe
If you notice a leak in your home, place a bucket underneath it to minimize water damage, and then close the water shutoff valve, or vice versa depending on the size of the leak. Youll possibly have to reinstall or replace that section of piping. But if you need an immediate fix and the leak is small enough, you can plug it with the tip of a pencil, break it off and then wrap the pipe in electrical tape. This is only a temporary solution, and you should keep an eye on the faulty piping to make sure it doesnt start leaking again. Keep in mind that a leaking pipe might not always be visible to the naked eye; one warning sign is mold and mildew.
Retrieving Lost Items in Your Drain
If you lost a contact lens, ring or other items down the sink drain, dont worry you can still retrieve them in most cases, with just a bucket and a wrench. Underneath your sink will be a section of piping that slopes down and then back up. This section, which is called the pea trap, is designed to trap items that fall down the drain. You can remove the pea trap by unscrewing the nuts on both ends of it and then get the lost items. When you put the pea trap back in place, run the faucet and make sure there are no leaks; otherwise you will have water damage and allow sewer gasses to enter your home.
Stopping a Toilet Overflow
If your toilet is overflowing, you can stop the flow of water immediately by opening the toilet tank and pushing the stopper into the drain at the bottom. If it doesnt stay in this position, hold it there until the tank stops filling up with water the water pressure will help keep the stopper in place. If that doesnt work, close the toilets individual shutoff valve. Afterwards, clean out the clog with a plunger. Dont try to use a snake, as you might damage your fixtures if you dont know how to use one.
Plumbing emergencies cannot tell time. At Handyman Connection, we offer a full range of residential and commercial plumbing services. Whether your plumbing needs are big or small, simple or complex, we can help.
It is important to make sure that everyone in your family is aware of the location of your homes water shutoff valve. In case of a leak, overflow or other plumbing problems, youll be able to turn off your water supply on your own.
Where Your Water Shutoff Valve Is
In most residences, the water shutoff valve will be in the basement or outside by the hose faucet in the front of your house. It will have a pipe leading to it from the ground, and the water meter will be attached to it at the other end. In addition, most major appliances that use water will have individual shutoff valves, usually located behind the appliance, and fixtures like toilets and sinks will also have separate ones below or behind the fixture.
Shutoff valves should be closed by turning clockwise. If you close your main shutoff valve, youll also need to turn off the power supply to your water heater, which can avoid damaging its heating elements and hurting anyone who opens a faucet while the water supply is turned off.
Temporary Solution for a Leaking Pipe
If you notice a leak in your home, place a bucket underneath it to minimize water damage, and then close the water shutoff valve, or vice versa depending on the size of the leak. Youll possibly have to reinstall or replace that section of piping. But if you need an immediate fix and the leak is small enough, you can plug it with the tip of a pencil, break it off and then wrap the pipe in electrical tape. This is only a temporary solution, and you should keep an eye on the faulty piping to make sure it doesnt start leaking again. Keep in mind that a leaking pipe might not always be visible to the naked eye; one warning sign is mold and mildew.
Retrieving Lost Items in Your Drain
If you lost a contact lens, ring or other items down the sink drain, dont worry you can still retrieve them in most cases, with just a bucket and a wrench. Underneath your sink will be a section of piping that slopes down and then back up. This section, which is called the pea trap, is designed to trap items that fall down the drain. You can remove the pea trap by unscrewing the nuts on both ends of it and then get the lost items. When you put the pea trap back in place, run the faucet and make sure there are no leaks; otherwise you will have water damage and allow sewer gasses to enter your home.
Stopping a Toilet Overflow
If your toilet is overflowing, you can stop the flow of water immediately by opening the toilet tank and pushing the stopper into the drain at the bottom. If it doesnt stay in this position, hold it there until the tank stops filling up with water the water pressure will help keep the stopper in place. If that doesnt work, close the toilets individual shutoff valve. Afterwards, clean out the clog with a plunger. Dont try to use a snake, as you might damage your fixtures if you dont know how to use one.
Plumbing emergencies cannot tell time. At Handyman Connection, we offer a full range of residential and commercial plumbing services. Whether your plumbing needs are big or small, simple or complex, we can help.
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