Of the many useful home improvement or home repair skills to have, plumbing is one of the most valued to many home owners and tenants in San Diego. Having a working knowledge of plumbing and plumbing repair techniques can save you a lot of money and prevent minor plumbing problems from becoming major disasters. Knowing what to do when a plumbing emergency strikes, such as a clogged drain or a plumbing system leak, can negate the need to call for a professional plumbing service in San Diego altogether.
What to Do if You Have a Plumbing Leak
A leak in your plumbing will be pretty evident, as you will notice standing water or damp surfaces such as flooring, walls, or ceilings. There are some immediate steps you can take prior to fixing the problem or calling a plumbing service. Sometimes the source of a leak will be obvious, such as with visible leaks in exposed plumbing or an overflowing or slow drain, and sometimes it won’t be so overt, as is the case when the source of a leak is concealed behind a wall or fixture or under flooring. The first step is to locate the source of the leak so you can collect leaking water rather than let it soak into materials. However, if the leak is severe, you should first shut off the plumbing’s water supply, which is usually as simple as turning off a hand-operated valve located along a street-side basement wall or foundation. When you have a clogged drain, standing water may be leaking from loose drain pipe joints, in which case you can plug whichever fixture is not draining while you wait for plumbing service.
What to Do When You Have a Stopped Drain
A stopped drain can be easier to address than a leak, and it generally only requires the use of an appropriate plunger. For a stopped sink, tub, or shower drains, a simple bowl-shaped cup plunger is called for, while a stopped toilet requires a special bulb-shaped flange plunger. The key to using either is to let the plunger slowly fill with water before firmly seating it over the drain and plunging up and down.
