What to Do in a Plumbing Emergency

Plumbing emergencies don't pick a convenient time. A pipe lets go at night, a water heater starts leaking on a Sunday, or a drain backs up right before company arrives. What you do in the first ten minutes matters a lot. It can be the difference between a mess you mop up and a repair that reaches the walls and floors. Read this now, while nothing's wrong, and you'll know what to do when something is.

Step one: know where your shutoffs are

The most useful thing you can do is find your main water shutoff today. Most homes have one near where the water line enters the house, often in a crawlspace, garage, utility room or an outdoor box near the street. Turn it a few times so you know it moves, and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is.

Your water heater also has its own shutoff on the cold water line coming in. Learn where that is too. In an emergency you don't want to hunt around with water running.

A burst or leaking pipe

• Shut off the main water supply right away. Turn it all the way off.
• Open a faucet at the lowest point of the house to drain what's left in the lines, and an upstairs faucet if the leak is above you.
• If water is near outlets, appliances or the electrical panel, stay clear and shut off power to that area at the breaker only if you can reach the panel without stepping in water.
• Move furniture, rugs and anything valuable away from the wet area.
• Use towels and buckets to slow the spread while you wait.

A leaking water heater

A water heater that's leaking from the tank usually can't be repaired, but the immediate job is the same: stop the water and keep everyone safe.

• Close the cold water supply valve on the line going into the heater.
• For an electric heater, switch off its breaker so the elements aren't running.
• For a gas heater, turn the gas control to off. If you smell gas, don't touch switches or light anything. Leave the house and call your gas utility or emergency services from outside.
• Keep people and pets away from the puddle, especially if it's spreading toward outlets.
• Don't drain the tank in a hurry. The water inside can be hot enough to scald.

A sewer or drain backup

A backup is different from a burst pipe because the water isn't clean. If sewage is coming up in a tub, shower or floor drain, stop using water in the house. Don't flush, run the washer or use the dishwasher, because every drop you send down has nowhere to go but into the house.

Keep children and pets out of the area, avoid touching the water with bare hands, and open a window if the smell is strong. Don't pour chemical drain cleaners into a full backup. They rarely clear a main line problem, and they make the work more hazardous for whoever has to deal with it. A backup in the main line usually needs a technician with the right equipment to find and clear the blockage.

Protect yourself, then protect the house

Water and electricity are a dangerous mix, so safety comes before saving belongings. Keep everyone off wet floors near outlets, cords and appliances. If a ceiling is bulging or dripping heavily, stay out from under it, because it can come down with a lot of water behind it. A wet room can wait. You can't replace people.

Document before you clean up

If there's damage, take photos and short videos before you move or mop anything. Capture the source of the leak, the affected floors and walls, and damaged belongings. Write down the time you noticed the problem and what you did. If you file an insurance claim, that record makes the conversation much easier. Keep any parts that were replaced if the plumber says they're worth saving.

Then call someone who answers

Once the water is off and everyone is safe, get a professional on the job. Stith Plumbing & HVAC has a 24/7 emergency line at (479) 751-9691. Our shop is on N Lowell Road in Springdale, and our regular hours are Monday through Saturday, 7am to 7pm, but emergencies don't follow a schedule and neither do we.

When you call, tell us what happened, where the water's coming from, and what you've already shut off. That helps us come prepared. Stith has been family-owned and serving Northwest Arkansas since 1965, and we've seen most of what a house can throw at its owner. Stay calm, shut the water off, and give us a call.