The Dos and Don’ts of Handling an Emergency Water Leak
You come home one day or wake up and find a puddle on the floor coming from a wall. Or, you see dark splotches or bubbling of the interior paint occurring, like an orange peel skin. When you get closer, you might hear a dripping sound or a hiss. These are all signs of an unexpected water leak in your house.
What to Do During an Emergency Water Leak
The first thing you want to do is to turn off the main water supply to your house if doable (i.e., nothing life supporting is connected) and release the water pressure in the house pipes by fully opening and running the faucet into the kitchen sink or bathroom sink. Once the water flow dies off and turns to a trickle, you may notice the hissing sound or dripping near the potential leak has subsided.
Second, use towels and sponges to absorb any sitting water on the floor to reduce and stop further damage. Sitting water can cause an incredible amount of flooring wreckage as it soaks in and gets underneath carpet, boarding and even tile.
Third, if you have the ability and the equipment, open the windows in the affected area and run an air blower. This will at least speed up the moisture evaporation and further reduce continued water damage in the area. Make sure not to put anything electronic on the wet area or go near the wet area holding anything plugged in. You could get electrocuted by creating a ground connection between the device, you and the wet floor.
Once you have stabilized the area or as you are working, if someone else can make the call, it’s time to bring in the experts. You will very likely need a plumber who has both the skills to deal with different types of house lines, leakages and piping to fix the problem, as well as an understanding of the tools to repair the wall that will need to be opened to get to the suspected leak source.
What Not to Do During an Emergency Water Leak
Do not turn the water back on until the issue is fixed. Doing so simply puts pressure back on the line and will likely make the leak worse.
Do not open up the wall yourself. You have no idea how long the leak may have been going on, and it may have created mold, which could be toxic to breathe. An expert technician can identify this risk and remediate it with the right tools. If you open up the wall yourself without preparation, you can release the spores into the greater part of the house, making the issue worse.
Most plumbing issues involving house feed lines are not do-it-yourself jobs. Tackle the problem right by focusing your efforts on stabilizing the damage you can get to and then calling for the right help. Zona Restoration is a water/fire damage and mold removal restoration company servicing Tempe and the greater Arizona service region. Our technicians are highly trained for emergency leaks, can solve such problems quickly, and keep your home safe. Connect with us today for more information.