If you are currently having a plumbing emergency, call Brenneco Plumbing 24/7 at (765) 448-6190!

A plumbing emergency can be extremely costly, stressful and even potentially dangerous. It’s important to know what constitutes an emergency, who to call and who not to call.

 

Potential Plumbing Emergencies

You might be thinking to yourself, “What constitutes a plumbing emergency?” There are several problems that we recommend having fixed immediately; some are quite obvious but others not so much.

 1. Pipe or Faucet Leak

 Perhaps it should go without saying, if you have water      spewing from a pipe into your home, you need to call a    professional. But what about a smaller drip, perhaps one  that you thought could wait until morning? Even the  smallest pipe leak has the potential to be extremely costly.  A pipe dripping once every two seconds can dispel more  than two gallons of water per day!

2. Standing Water

 A leaky pipe can cause standing water in a hurry. The most pressing problem with standing water is that it can quickly cause irreversible water damage, but there are also other dangers. For example, flooding in a home exposes you to electrical shock risks that could be potentially fatal.

3. A Bad Water Heater

Water heaters can overheat and become potentially dangerous. New models are all equipped with automatic shutdown mechanisms, but it is still a good idea to be extra cautious. You can tell if a water heater has had enough if it is making strange noises, your water becomes too hot, or it simply isn’t functioning properly. If you suspect your water heater has overheated, you need to shut it off as soon as possible and call a plumber.

How to Combat and Prevent Plumbing Emergencies

The best thing you can do as a homeowner (or even a tenant) is to arm yourself with knowledge. Here are a few important things that you need to know how to do in your home.

1 . Know how to shut off the water to your toilets or your entire house. 

If you have an overflowing toilet or it won’t stop running, you’ll want to shut off the water valve. You can locate the valve behind the toilet attached to the water pipe on the wall or floor.

Some plumbing emergencies, such as a heavy leak, will require you to turn off the water main to your house. This will typically be a lever or wheel valve. Some water main shut offs are inside the house and some are outside. It could be in a basement or crawlspace, normally relatively close to the water heater and washer but not always. The location of the water main is something you should find when you first move in.

2. Know the location of your breaker box and which breakers go where in your home.

This is another necessity. The breaker box is usually a metal panel that opens, revealing several switches that control the electricity to different parts of your house. Knowing the exact location of a breaker box is not only great for plumbing problems but also any home problems you could run into. Hopefully all of your circuit breakers are well labeled when you purchase your home, but if they aren’t, you will want to label them yourself.

3. Familiarize yourself with your water heater.

When you move into a new home, studying your water heater can seem pretty low on the list of priorities, but it is important nonetheless.

In the event that your water heater overheats, you need to shut it down. If your water heater is electric, you can shut it off by flipping the appropriate circuit breaker. If it’s gas, it will have a gas valve on the unit that you can switch to off. You’ll also want to locate the water valve and turn it off as well. The last thing you can do is open the pressure release valve. You must be very careful because this releases hot scalding water and steam into a drainage pipe. Once your water heater seems stable, call a plumber as soon as possible. An experienced plumber can make sure your water heater is not dangerous and diagnose the original problem.

When NOT to Call a Plumber

There are several reasons to call a plumber; however, most plumbers cannot fix gas leaks. Natural gas leaks are potentially very dangerous and should be handled by the appropriate entity. For most Lafayette, Indiana residents, that is Vectren. If you notice the signs of a gas leak — a hissing sound, bubbling mud, or a rotten egg smell — you should leave the area and contact your gas provider immediately.

Brenneco Plumbing is a plumbing contractor serving Lafayette, Indiana and the surrounding area. We specialize in all residential, commercial and service plumbing needs. For more information, please visit our website. You can also connect with us on Facebook.

Contact Brenneco for plumbing emergencies!

 

At Brenneco Plumbing, we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your plumbing emergencies. We’re committed to providing the Lafayette, Indiana area with top plumbing services. Our goal is to serve you with the highest quality products and services to optimize your home or office.