What Not to do During a Plumbing Emergency

When you are in the midst of a plumbing emergency it can be easy to forget some logical steps that could help you get the situation under control. If you suddenly find yourself with an overflowing toilet or a broken pipe, here are some things you should not do.

Don’t Panic

If water is flowing into your home, your first reaction may be to panic. But, if you give in to this, you’ll lose common sense and you could make the situation worse. Instead, keep calm and try to take care of the situation, or get it under control, until a professional can visit your home.

Don’t Heat Frozen Pipes with a Torch

Using a torch can be a fire hazard and can heat your pipes too quickly, which can cause the water inside them to boil leading to a pipe explosion. If your pipes do freeze, use a hair dryer to slowly thaw them out. You may also consider a more permanent fix like pipe insulation.

Don’t Use Drain Cleaner on a Completely Clogged Drain

If your drain is complete clogged and you aren’t able to drain any water through it, do not use a commercial drain cleaner. The drain cleaner will mix with the water in your appliance to form a dangerous mixture that could burn your skin. In fact, there is some evidence that using drain cleaners on drains, even when only partially clogged, can do more harm than good. If your drain is completely clogged, call a plumber to have it professionally cleaned. If you need an Amityville plumber, or a plumber in 11701, contact us, we are an emergency plumber on Long Island.

Don’t Turn off a Steaming Hot Faucet

Sometimes when a hot water heater malfunctions, steaming-hot water can come out of your faucet. If this happens, do not turn the faucet off. Doing this can cause the water in your hot water heater to overheat, damaging the heater. Instead, let it run while you turn off the electric or gas connection to the hot water heater. When the running water becomes cold, you may turn your faucet off and contact a plumber to have your hot water heater serviced.

Any plumbing emergency can leave you unsure of what kind of action to take. Pat Dolan Plumbing is an emergency plumber on Long Island that offers 24/7 emergency services. No matter what day of the week or what time of day it is, our technicians are ready to address your situation and make necessary repairs.