If you have a plumbing emergency right now, we recommend that you take the following steps to minimize the damage:

• Turn off your water: The very first step that you should take in a plumbing emergency is to shut off the water. Depending on the location of your plumbing emergency, it is best to shut off the water sources that are nearby. If your plumbing emergency appears to be more severe, you should turn off your home’s main water valve. By shutting off the water, you can stop the emergency from worsening.

• Check on your water heater:  After turning off your main water and/or nearby water sources to the plumbing emergency, you should now turn off your water heater. Turning off your water heater can prevent heat from getting trapped in pipes which could result in pipe damages.

• Resolve minor plumbing problems: If you recognize that there is fixable leak, you should resolve it as quickly as possible. For example, you can use plumber’s tape or an old towel to limit a leak from dripping. We also recommend that you inform a plumbing professional about these leaks on the phone or once they arrive in-person.

• Clear out your drains and faucets: Even after you turn off your main water source, most of your faucets and pipes will still have excess water within. This water may worsen your plumbing emergency if its has a large bulid-up. To dispatch of this excess water, you can turn on spigots located on the outside of your home.

• Contact a plumbing professional: This is one of the most important steps, as you can prevent your plumbing problem from getting. By contacting a plumbing professional, you can get some immediate help on what to do and whether or not the plumbing problem is potentially dangerous or not. Remember to carefully listen to what the plumbing professional tells you.