There’s nothing quite like a burst pipe in your Prince George home to make your pulse redline! If you keep your wits about you, though, you can probably minimize damage and bring things under control in no time flat.
Here are five tips to help you deal with a burst pipe emergency:
1. Have the phone number of an emergency plumber in Prince George on hand! The last thing you want to be doing as water fills your basement is look for a plumber on the internet. This calls for a bit of research. Ask your friends and neighbors to recommend an emergency plumber in Prince George. Then confirm their availability 24/7 and how quickly they will be at your doorstep in the event of an emergency.
2. Stay calm. As bad as it may look in the moment, it’s not the end of the world. Even the damage left behind by a broken sewer line can be cleaned up. And the best way to stay calm is to be prepared. Know where your water shut-offs are, make a map of their location and keep in a secure place. And know what you have to do—create an emergency to-do list that anybody in the house can follow.
3. Turn off the main shut-off valve, and then release the remaining water pressure in the system by opening outdoor taps, indoor taps and flushing the toilets. If the problem is a broken sewage line, use rags, plastic sheets and duct tape to seal off the problem area as best you can until your emergency plumber in Prince George arrives. Don’t forget to wear rubber gloves as you do this!
4. Turn off the power and the gas. You can turn them back on after the situation is under control. If you have a lot of water in the basement, you run a very real risk of electrocution if you wade into the water and the power is still on. Your emergency plumber in Prince George will know what to do.
5. Remove the water. Using a wet/dry shop vac, suck up as much of the standing water as you can. Follow up with a mop. Carpeting will probably need to be removed and dried outside. Remember that anything left damp for more than three days is very likely to start getting moldy. Open windows and blow out damp air with fans, or use your AC unit and/or dehumidifier to dry the air.
Need an emergency plumber in Prince George? Call us at Canuck Mechanical! At Canuck Mechanical we’re on call 24/7 to help you with your plumbing emergencies.
Contact us today!