Panic hits. The flowing water on the floor in the kitchen. You can not find your phone–who you gonna call? It is the call of the emergency plumber. So until they arrive, there is a lot of stop gap measures you can take to avert the situation turning into a home shattering catastrophe. Timely and correct action could be a matter of a simple cleanup or costly repair.

First (and this does count), located the main water shut-off valve to your house. It is readily located in the basement, or crawl area and sometimes even outside of the house, where the water line enters the house. Occupy that valve with a stout surety of a turn. To leak, burst pipe, or broken fixture (where you need water at the source so much) turn it off Anti-clue If you hear the steady flow of water and it is impossible to find the spot, then listen to hissing or drippings, the slightest nuances will lead you in the right direction.

Have got water shooting out of a burst pipe? Use buckets or towels and contain the flood. Another practical advice is local valve shut down ( beside the toilets or under sinks). Carry away possessions, electronics, books, that expensive rug, that face the path of destruction. Slimy lumpy carpet and sodden family photographs really do hurt like nothing in the world.

In the case of obstructions, chemical drain cleaners should not be targeted head-on. They can then eat away pipes and worsen worse issues. Instead, put on a pair of gloves and put on a plumber s snake or plunger. Most jams are easily cleared by a couple of plunges like a blocked toilet or a slow sink.

Electrical safety is not a joke too. A lethal combination are electric outlets and water. Turn off power to any source directly by going to the fuse box when you see standing water anywhere near appliances, breaker boxes or outlets. Whenever health and safety win over speed.