Top Emergency Plumbing Tips for Homeowners in Virgil

Your pipes won’t last forever, which means homeowners in the greater Chicago area should be prepared for the area’s harsh winters to take a toll on their plumbing eventually. The better prepared you are now, the more ready you’ll be to tackle a plumbing problem later when one strikes!

Follow these five steps to be better prepared for a plumbing emergency before it happens:

The worst time to look for a water shut off is when a pipe has broken and is spraying water everywhere. Before a plumbing disaster occurs, find and test the individual water shut off valves for each sink and toilet. Since these don’t get used very often, they can get stuck open. Periodically turning them to stop water flow is a good way to keep them moving well for those times when you need to use them. If you try to turn them and they won’t budge, you may need a plumber to come out and use a wrench to loosen them up so they can turn off and on, as needed. (You can also try doing this yourself, just be sure not to put too much pressure on the shut off, or you could end up breaking or stripping it out.)

Similarly, locate your main water shut off and understand how to use it. You don’t necessarily need to test this one, but you should understand which direction to turn it and how much pressure you’ll need just in case you have a reason to turn it off in the future.

If you have any unheated areas of your home like a garage or crawl space, insulate pipes in these areas to help protect them from freezing. Winterize exterior plumbing by disconnecting hoses, wrapping exposed pipes and spigots, and having your irrigation system blown out. On especially cold nights, you may also want to leave faucets dripping if your home isn’t insulated well because heat loss can lead to frozen pipes.

If your pipes still freeze, try to warm them up slowly by turning up your heat and running a blow dryer over the affected area. Do not use flames or boiling water to try to unfreeze your pipes! A local Virgil plumber can also help to fix frozen pipes if you find yourself in that situation. And if you have frozen pipes that break, call an emergency plumber right away to get them fixed so you can avoid further damage!

If your pipes or water heater start to leak, don’t ignore the problem or apply a temporary fix! Turn off water to the area as well as power to any nearby electrical components (home appliances, furnaces, water tanks, etc.) that may be damaged by the leaking water and result in electrical shock. Contain water quickly with towels, mops, and buckets to prevent it from spreading. Then call a reputable Virgil plumbing company to have a licensed plumber come out and get the problem fixed fast. Remember, when you have a leak you’re fighting against the clock to prevent mold growth from happening. A professional plumber can help minimize water damage to reduce the likelihood of mold later.

When you have a clogged or backing up toilet, shower, sink, or tub, use the right tools to remove the clog to prevent damaging your home plumbing. Do not use harsh chemicals that can cause painful skin burns and weaken your pipes over time. For severe backups, stay away from contaminated water entirely and call an emergency plumber immediately. Plumbers are backup experts that will take the proper precautions to stay safe and get your home plumbing fixed to prevent further issues.

Test your sump pump regularly to ensure it will work when needed during a heavy storm or in the spring thaw. Simply pour water into the sump pit and let the unit pump it out. If your sump pump doesn’t remove the water, call a local plumber to come out and fix the issue. There are numerous reasons why your sump pump might not be working – everything from a burned out motor to a broken float valve to a clogged discharge pipe. A top-rated Virgil plumber will be able to diagnose the issue and get it working again or replaced so you don’t need to worry about basement flooding.

If you follow these tips, hopefully you won’t have a situation where a plumbing failure causes significant home damage, but if you do, we’re here to help! We’re available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to address your Virgil plumbing emergencies! Call us at 1 (800) 674-9130 for emergency plumbing help!

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