Living in Mississauga, it's actually fairly common for homeowners to require burst pipe repairs. Sometimes a slowly corroding part of your plumbing system might finally give way, or a clog that is putting too much pressure on the line. It's even possible during the winter that a frozen pipe might cause serious damage.
While the best way to prevent needing emergency services is routine maintenance, sometimes accidents are unavoidable.
The key to dealing with flooding water is quick, decisive action. While you'll undoubtedly need burst pipe repairs, first you need to ensure that your family is safe and then try to minimize any damage to your home as much as possible.
To that end, familiarize yourself with the below steps put together by our team at Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Mississauga. In the event of an emergency—or if you're dealing with one now—you'll know what to do.
1. Shut Off Electricity
The very first action you need to take if you see flooding water in your home because of a broken pipe is to turn off your electricity. Water and electricity do not mix, and it could prove disastrous should you or your loved ones get electrocuted. Never wade into water with the electricity on. If there is a pool of water in between you and your breaker box, you can call your local energy company to turn off the electricity remotely.
2. Turn Off Water
As soon as it's safe to do so, you must turn off your home's water supply to stem the water flow. After all, flooding will only get worse if it's still coming out of a broken pipe. In Mississauga, there are two places where the shutoff valve might be located:
Beside your water tank in the basement.
In the basement, near the front wall of your house.
Did You Know?
When water freezes, it expands in volume by 9%. Subsequently, the amount of water pressure inside your pipes could go from 40 PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) to 40,000 PSI! This is an extreme amount of pressure that no plumbing system is designed to hold. Inevitably, the pipe will break open.
3. Open All Faucets
After you've turned off the water shutoff valve, turn on all your faucets to relieve any remaining pressure on the plumbing system. Any residual water will be released.
4. Call Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Mississauga
Although there are still a few steps you need to take, once the situation is under control you need to call an emergency plumber, such as our trusted team at Mr. Rooter. Our company operates 24/7, so no matter what time of day, week or month you can count on us to be there for you and your family.
What Can I Expect?
When you call our friendly office staff and notify us of your emergency, we will dispatch one of our on-call plumbers as soon as possible. Once he or she arrives at your property, they'll take control of the situation. Each of our plumbers is highly skilled and possesses years of experience. We'll find the burst pipe and quickly make repairs so your life can go back to normal as soon as possible.
5. Start Cleaning Up the Water
After you've phoned an emergency plumber, there are still a few important steps to take until he or she arrives. If it is safe to do so, start cleaning up the water. How you do so depends on how much there is.
Puddles can be cleaned up with a conventional mop and bucket
A shop vacuum is designed to suck up water safely; Do not use a regular vacuum as you could be electrocuted
If you don't have a shop vacuum, start removing water using buckets
Use towels to mop up any residual puddles
6. Circulate Air
Once the water is removed, start drying all affected areas as much as possible. In the summer, you could open up windows and doors to let warm, fresh air into the space. During the winter, use fans to circulate air through damp areas. When all the water is removed, it should be safe to turn your electricity back on. One of our plumbing experts will be able to let you know for sure.
Pro Tip:
Do not use any electronics—including fans—that were in the flooded area until they've had a chance to dry-out completely. This should take around two days. If your electronics were completely submerged, you can:
Stick them in a bag or bucket of rice (if their small enough)
Carefully use a shop vacuum to suck out moisture
Place on dry towels in a well ventilated area
8. Secure the Leak (If You Can)
Although our professional plumbing team at Mr. Rooter will do this for you, it doesn't hurt to know how to secure a leaking pipe in the event of an emergency. Not all homeowners will have these tools, but perhaps after reading this blog you'll head to your local hardware store and pick up a temporary pipe repair kit for emergencies.
Ensure the main water supply is turned off.
File down any sharp edges along the break.
Place a piece of rubber or rubber sleeve over the damaged area. Ensure its seam is facing opposite the burst area.
Put metal clamps around the sleeve.
Using a screwdriver, tighten the clamp.
Turn the water back on and check for leaks.
Always get the damaged section replaced as soon as possible. This fix is temporary and not meant to be a permanent solution.
9. Clean Thoroughly & Call Your Insurance Company
If you have experienced extensive water damage—say your entire basement has flooded—it's important to call your insurance company and notify them of the flood (if you live in an area where your insurance covers flood damage). This is not always the case if you live in a flood zone. Remember to take pictures of the damage.
Additionally, remove as many wet items as possible. Some things are not salvageable, like cardboard boxes. But most of your possessions should dry out.
Keep in Mind:
Serious flooding that's negatively impacted your floors and walls may mean you need further repairs completed. For instance, most carpets will not dry out sufficiently to prevent mould growth. Also, drywall that's been soaked will need to be replaced.
Choose Mr. Rooter as Your Emergency Plumber!
Whether you need emergency services, burst pipe repair, or are interested in scheduling regular drain cleaning appointments to prevent problems down the road, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Mississauga is the team for the job. Our plumbers are highly skilled, experienced and reliable. Not to mention, we pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service to clients throughout the Mississauga area, including in Fairview, Port Credit and Hurontario—to name a few.
To book our expert services today, we invite you to call our courteous customer service representatives at 905-817-0210.