In a perfect world, our plumber is always just one call away. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. If your plumber can’t make it to your house right away, here are some temporary fixes that you can use for the meantime:
1. Shut off the water
If professional plumbing services in Salt Lake City, for example, can’t make it to your house right away amidst a plumbing emergency, it’s important that you know how to turn off your water supply. Apart from preventing water from going everywhere, it will also save you from having to pay an exorbitant water bill.
The first step to shutting off the water is finding your main water supply valve. To turn off the water, you simply have to twist this valve into the off position until the plumber comes to fix the problem. Ensure that everyone in the house knows where the supply valve is and knows how to turn it off in case of an emergency.
2. Put on a pipe clamp
If a pipe is on the verge of bursting, you can prevent that from happening by installing a pipe clamp. Although this is a temporary solution, pipe clamps will prevent water from bursting out of the pipe and causing an even bigger problem.
3. Warm-up a frozen pipe
A frozen pipe can put your household at a standstill. Hence, if you encounter this problem, you can fix it immediately by thawing the frozen pipe using hot water, a hairdryer, or a heat lamp. Alternatively, you can prevent pipes from freezing by letting the tap trickle a small amount of water into the pipes when the temperatures are too cold.
4. Silence rattling pipes
Don’t let noisy pipes keep you up all night. Even if you can’t get a plumber over as soon as possible, you can fix the problem yourself by insulating the rattling or banging pipes with foam tubes or other insulation material. However, don’t let the problem persist for too long without contacting a professional. Sometimes, noisy pipes indicate a problem in the plumbing, such as a draining issue or faulty part.
5. Seal leaks with putty
Leaky pipes are annoying, to say the least. But if you can’t get a plumber to fix them immediately, it can slowly take a toll on your sanity. Fortunately, you can fix a leaky pipe for the meantime with putty. Simply turn off the water supply and when the water dries out, cover the leaky pipe with a seal. After the putty dries, turn the water on again.
6. Get rid of sewage smells
If the smell of sewage starts emitting from your drains, your traps may be dried out. Luckily, you can easily fix the problem by pouring a bucket of water into the drain–albeit this may be a temporary fix. When the odors persist, call in a plumber as soon as possible.
If you can’t get a plumber right away, these fixes can resolve your plumbing issues temporarily. However, it’s still vital to have a plumber come over as soon as possible to fix the problems permanently and prevent them from recurring in the long run.
