Handling an emergency is never fun, and a plumbing emergency can be among the most unpleasant. Outside of the simple “ick” factor, plumbing emergencies can be expensive and can also cause a lot of damage to your home.
Being ready for a plumbing emergency is vital. Being prepared can save you thousands of dollars simply by knowing what you can do to stop the damage and who to call for emergency plumbing repair in Phoenix.
What is a Plumbing Emergency?
A plumbing problem that happens at night or on the weekends may cause you to immediately reach for the phone, but stop for a moment and consider if it’s a real emergency. There are several questions to ask yourself before you call for emergency plumbing repair.
- Can it wait? If you don’t need to use the affected plumbing right away, and there isn’t a threat of more damage if you wait, you may be able to call for a normal plumbing repair service during regular business hours.
- Is it your responsibility? If you rent rather than own your home, or the issue affects multiple homes, you may need to call a landlord or utility provider rather than an emergency plumbing service.
- Can you take steps to fix it yourself? You can often stop a leak by shutting off the water valve or by performing a minor repair with the right tools. Even if you can’t fix it yourself, if you can do something to stop the immediate damage, you can often avoid emergency services.
What to Do in a Plumbing Emergency
The first step in a plumbing emergency is to figure out what you can do, right now, to limit the damage. There are some basic do-it-yourself plumbing tips that can make a big difference. Keep a plumber’s emergency repair kit in your home, consisting of a large bucket, plungers, wrenches, screwdrivers, and duct tape. These tools can help you temporarily solve a variety of minor problems.
It’s also important to know where the water shut-off valves are for the various water supplies in your home. Each fixture will have a shut-off valve that will stop the flow of water at that location, which can help stop a toilet overflow or sink leak without affecting the rest of your plumbing.
Contacting Emergency Plumbing Repair in Phoenix
Once you’ve done what you can to limit the damage, you may still need to contact someone to do an emergency plumbing repair. Make sure you call a licensed plumbing service that has many years of experience in Phoenix. You don’t want to be the victim of shoddy work done by a fly-by-night contractor!
Generally, emergency plumbing repair will have additional costs added to the usual plumbing service price. You’ll want to make sure you ask the plumbing service you contact about the price so you’re not surprised when they hand you the bill. They will probably only give you an estimate over the phone, but that will help you know what to expect.
Finally, a quality plumber will inspect the plumbing system and affected areas and give you a final price before they begin work. When you choose a reputable, highly-rated plumber that uses pre-screened professionals, you will likely get quality work.
Preventing Future Plumbing Emergencies
The plumbing professional who helps with your repair should also spend a few minutes with you afterward, letting you know what happened and how to prevent future problems. Be careful of anyone trying to sell you extra expensive gadgets, but do pay attention to quality plumbing advice.
With some simple steps, you can maintain the plumbing in your home and minimize the risk of future plumbing emergencies.
For more information about plumbing emergencies, or if you need help with an emergency plumbing repair in Phoenix, Scottsdale Plumbing by calling (480) 945-9583.
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