Few household concerns are as stressful as the immediate need to care for emergency plumbing problems as they arise. These issues need to be repaired as quickly as possible to minimize water damage to your home and allow you to continue functioning as you normally would.

There are a number of emergencies that can befall your plumbing system. Detailed below are the five most common plumbing emergencies that the professionals rush out to repair each year.

Burst Pipes

During wintertime, when water can freeze inside of pipes and inflict a tremendous amount of pressure on them, burst pipes are especially commonplace. The first thing that a homeowner should do is to turn off their water main immediately. If left to run, the pipe could pump out 100 gallons of water in as little as eight hours. Turning off the water main will minimize the extent of possible water damage while you wait for the plumbing contractor to arrive.

Water Heater Malfunction

If you’ve found yourself suddenly without hot water, you may be dealing with a water heater problem. Other common water heater issues that could coincide with this problem include leaks, strange-smelling water, and bad odors. The issue could be electrical or gas-related, depending on the way that your water heater is powered.

Water heater repair should be left in the hands of professional plumbers. A plumber has the experience, tools, and education to diagnose and repair your water heater safely and effectively.

Toilet Overflow

Quite fortunately, this is one emergency plumbing problem that you could likely take care of yourself. There are generally two causes behind overflowing toilets: a clog or a float mechanism that is malfunctioning. Before determining which is true for your situation, you should turn off the water flow to the toilet first. The valve for this should be located at the bottom of the water line on the side of the toilet. Turn it counterclockwise to turn off the water flow.

A clog can typically be addressed with a plunger or a drain snake. Once the toilet drains, you should be able to reset the float mechanism and resume normal use of the toilet. If the clog persists, then you may have a more complicated issue on your hands and should call in the professionals.

Sewer Backup

One of the most costly, inconvenient and downright gross plumbing emergencies that homeowners can face is the backup of their home’s sewer system. Drain clogs and bad odors that just won’t go away are often the first signs of this plumbing emergency. It is also likely that you could observe water around your basement floor’s drain when sewer backup has become an issue. You should address this matter promptly with a professional plumbing service to minimize the financial and timely cost of repairing this issue.

Damaged Water Lines

Underground water lines can become broken through a number of means, including earthquakes and digging done by those who didn’t know what they were digging into. It is also not uncommon for tree roots to break through your water lines. This damage, no matter how it came to be, results in yards becoming saturated and soggy and little to no water pressure.

Call the Professionals for Most Emergency Plumbing Fixes

Ridgeway Mechanical has a team of experienced and educated plumbers armed with the latest in plumbing technology and know-how to remedy all emergency plumbing problems that you could face in your home. It is best to refer to the best when your plumbing system isn’t doing what it should.