One of a homeowners biggest nightmares may be a pipe bursting and water flowing out uncontrollably into a wall, under the house, or under a cabinet. Imagine the surprise, walking into the house after a long day at work to find a soggy carpet, a damaged wall and water seeping out from it. There is no doubt that this is an emergency and it’s important to take action as quickly as possible. If you are lucky enough to be at home when a pipe bursts, you can at least minimize the damages with your fast response.
The first item of business, when you realize you have a broken pipe is to turn off the main water to the house as quickly as possible, to stop the flow of water. Surprisingly, not all homeowners know where the main shut off valve is at their home. When you move into your home, it’s a good idea to find out where this main water shut off is located. It may be in the house, under the house or at the street. If it’s in or under your home, you should be able to access it quickly and get the water stopped. If it’s located at the street, it usually takes a special tool to turn off the water here. You can call the water utility company to see if they can turn it off, but if they can’t or won’t respond quickly, you’ll need to call an emergency plumber in Chicago for assistance. He should be able to get the water turned off at the street, and do what is necessary to repair the problem that caused the mess, in the first place.
If the water is coming from the wall, the plumber will have to cut through the wall to locate the burst pipe. If you’re lucky the offending pipe will be located quickly, minimizing the damages necessary to find the leak. If you’ve had extensive damage from the burst pipe, involving your floors, walls and furniture, it’s important to contact your homeowner’s insurance company right away, as they may be able to help with the repair costs.
Knowing what to do in a household emergency is always a good idea. Take the steps necessary to minimize the damages before the professional arrives, if possible. Before long, the mess will be cleaned up and your household will be functioning smoothly again.
