What to do if you have a plumbing emergency

You can never predict when a plumbing emergency is going to happen. Luckily, people like myself are here to help. Hopefully, you’ll never have any of these problems, but, if you do, here’s what to do until help arrives.

Burst Pipes
Burst pipes can happen at any time. Here’s what to do if it happens to you:

• Turn off all your stop valves to stop water passing the point of the leak
• Open all your cold water taps so that the pipe work and storage system drain quickly
• Make sure you switch off the central heating, immersion heater and any other water heating – with no water in the system, you could damage this equipment
• Switch off any electric equipment near the leak at the mains. Do not touch them until they have been checked over by a fully qualified electrician

Frozen Pipes
The cold winter months can lead to frozen pipes, particularly if your pipes are not adequately lagged. If your pipes do freeze, then here’s what to do:

• Turn off the mains water supply at the stop-valve
• Make sure your boiler is switched off. If the hot water system is frozen and the boiler is still alight then there could be a risk of an explosion
• Carry out visual pipe checks where possible
• Protect your possessions by moving them away from the pipe to prevent water damage when the pipe thaws
• If the frozen pipe runs from a storage cistern and is not controlled by a valve, check if it has split. If it has, open all cold water taps in the system and flush your toilet(s) to empty the cistern
• If the pipe hasn’t split, then open the cold water tap nearest to the part of the pipe you think is frozen. This will allow the water to flow once the ice has melted
• Speed up the thawing process by applying a hot water bottle or heated cloth to the frozen area of the pipe. Start at the end nearest the tap and work back towards the cold water tank

Remember:
• Never use an electrical appliance or an open flame such as a blowtorch to thaw out the ice
• Don't try to thaw it too quickly. There may be splits in the pipe which are difficult to see
• Be careful, although water may be flowing from taps, other parts of the system may still be frozen

And finally:

Call for a plumber as soon as possible!