A burst pipe is an alarming event. It is a sudden and stressful emergency. Before you know what is going on, there is water everywhere and it seems impossible to think of what to do first. Before you panic, take a deep breath and keep a cool head.
Give Black Forest Plumbing a calland we will be there to help before you know it. We serve residential and commercial clients in Newmarket, Aurora, Markham and the GTA.
While you wait for help to arrive, follow these six simple steps to protect your valuables and prevent the damage from getting out of hand. Everything will be fine. Simply carry out these six steps. 1. Collect the water. Use buckets, bins or cooking pots to gather accumulating water. Old towels can be used to mop up additional moisture. If the leak is coming from a wall or ceiling, it can be a good idea to break through the plaster with a broom handle. This will allow water to run off freely and can prevent further damage to other areas of your home. 2. Turn off your main water valve. It’s important that every home owner and office manager know where their main water valves are in advance of a flood or pipe emergency. This will allow you to act quickly to minimize water damage. If you live in an apartment, you will need to call your building manager to attend to this situation immediately. Once the water has been turned off, run all taps to drain excess water pressure from the system. 3. Turn off the power. Turning off your electrical mains if the leak is close to any exposed wires or electronics can prevent sparks and further damage. Never handle electronics, switches or exposed wiring that you fear may be impacted by a flood or burst pipe. 4. Move rugs and furniture out of the way. The faster you can move your items away from the water affected areas, the less likely it is they’ll need to be replaced. Move fabrics, leather items and valuables out of harm’s way and to a dry space away from the source of water. 5. Ventilate and start to dry out the room. Before we arrive, and after we have fixed your broken pipe, airing out your homes affected areas will help prevent mould and mildew build-up. Ventilation can be accomplished with fans, dehumidifiers, and by opening doors and windows. 6. After you have called your plumbing company, contact your insurance company. From Aurora to Toronto and everywhere in between, Black Forest Plumbing is here to help. We offer emergency service, so be sure to keep our number handy (1-866-878-0066). After we have fixed the leak it is important that you contact your home or apartment insurance company to begin your claim. Insurance claims can sometimes take weeks to resolve. The faster you start your claim the better. Following these 6 steps can help you keep calm and focused during a very stressful event. Sometimes a burst pipe is the result of natural wear and tear but there are things that you can do to help prevent this kind of emergency. Read on below for our prevention tips. Take Preventative Action They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When it comes to your pipes, what they say is unquestionably true. Keeping the following in mind can stave off troubles down the road.
If you don’t already know, learn where the main water valves are in your home and how to operate them.
If you’re vacationing over the winter months, be sure to keep your home sufficiently heated to prevent pipes from freezing. Many pipes break when the water in the pipe freezes and expands due to a drop in temperature.
If you’ll be gone from your home for a significant amount of time, arrange to have someone check in periodically.
If you rent an apartment, have your landlord or building manager check in occasionally to ensure that there are no issues.
Be sure to fix any detected leaks and drips before the winter months. These may be early warning signs of pipe damage.
Even under the best of circumstances things can go awry. When they do, you can rest easy knowing that Black Forest Plumbing will be there to make it right. We are available for all of your emergency plumbing needs. Just give us a ring and we will be right over. Book A Service Appointment
