Sep15

By Dave Bangar

Six Ways To Prevent Plumbing Emergencies

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Steps to Take To Avoid Costly Water Damage in Your Home

For any Kelowna homeowner, a plumbing emergency can be devastating and cause significant damage to your home. Fortunately, in most cases, a plumbing emergency can be easily avoided by taking preventative action to keep your home safe from water damage. 

In this article, we will explain what constitutes a plumbing emergency and break down all of the ways you can prevent such an event from occurring in your home. Keep reading to learn more!

What is a Plumbing Emergency?

A plumbing emergency is any urgent situation that involves your home’s plumbing system and requires immediate attention. If the situation you are dealing with occurs at night or during the weekend and will lead to significant damage to your home should you wait until regular business hours to address the problem, this is considered a plumbing emergency.

Here are a few examples of situations that would be considered a plumbing emergency:

A Burst Pipe

When a pipe bursts, large amounts of water can end up flooding your home, causing severe water damage. This needs to be fixed immediately to minimize the damage to your home.

Sewer Backup

When a sewer line blockage or backup occurs, it can cause sewage to back up into your sinks, toilets, or showers. This is not only hazardous and unsanitary but is also unpleasant and should be dealt with as soon as possible.

Frozen Pipes

Frozen pipes can occur during the winter months due to low temperatures and poor insulation. If you discover your pipes have frozen, you should call a plumber immediately because there is a significant risk of them bursting and causing significant water damage when they thaw.

Lack of Hot Water During the Winter

While running out of hot water may not seem like an emergency, in the winter time, when temperatures drop to below freezing, a lack of hot water can lead to frozen pipes and other issues.

How to Avoid a Plumbing Emergency

As we previously stated, most of the plumbing emergencies mentioned above are easily preventable. 

Here are some of the steps you should take in order to avoid these urgent situations from occurring. 

Conduct Regular Inspections

It’s so important to conduct regular inspections of your plumbing system as this will help you identify any potential issues early before they become emergencies and cause significant damage. Here are some things you should look out for when inspecting your plumbing system:

• Signs of leaks
• Corrosion
• Water damage
• Mould and mildew
• Excess moisture
• Foul smells
• Debris build-up

Clean Your Drains Frequently

Drain blockages are caused by a buildup of debris that becomes so large over time that it forms a complete blockage. When this happens, it can lead to serious problems like bacteria growth and sewer backups. The best way to prevent this from happening is to frequently inspect and clean your drains to clear out debris and minor clogs before they become more serious.

Insulate Your Pipes

In cold climates, uninsulated pipes can freeze during the winter and burst.  To avoid this, insulate any exposed pipes in unheated areas like basements, attics, and crawl spaces. 

Fix Leaks Promptly

Any time you suspect you have a leak, even a minor one, have it fixed by a plumber immediately. Even the smallest of leaks can quickly escalate into a larger problem, leading to costly water damage.

Shut Off Your Water During Vacations 

Anytime you leave your home for an extended period, make sure you shut off your main water supply or install an automatic water shut-off system that detects leaks and shuts off the water supply. This helps prevent major plumbing issues and water damage while you are away.

Call Your Plumber When Minor Issues Arise

Quite often, plumbing emergencies are the result of minor issues that were left unresolved and eventually worsened, creating a bigger issue requiring urgent attention from a plumber. To avoid this from happening, always call your local plumber immediately when you notice any kind of plumbing issue – big or small. 

At My Plumber Kelowna, we have a team of licensed, trained, and highly experienced plumbers who can help resolve any type of plumbing issue you may be experiencing in your home or business. We’ll also conduct regular inspections to prevent a disaster from occurring again in the future and give you peace of mind.

Call us today at 250-601-0000 or fill out a form on our website and we will be in touch ASAP.