Plumbing emergencies have a funny habit of striking at the worst possible times, like when you hear water gushing behind a wall or spot a rising tide around your toilet. In moments like these, it’s easy to feel stuck, staring at a growing puddle while your mind races in a panic through a checklist of the nearest towels, mops, and prayers. But truth be told, when water heaters, pipes, and fixtures turn against you, knowing what to do in the first few minutes makes all the difference between a minor hiccup and full-on chaos.
At Edwards Plumbing & Heating, emergencies don’t wait until 9 to 5 to hit your home. Your hometown plumbers are always ready to jump in when the unexpected strikes. Grab a little confidence (and maybe a plunger); you’re about to be armed with exactly what to do when a plumbing emergency comes crashing through your door.
Defining a Plumbing Emergency
A plumbing emergency isn’t just a dripping tap or a slow drain — it’s a situation where water, gas, or sewage hazards threaten your home, health, or safety. Emergencies demand quick action to prevent water damage, mold growth, or serious property loss. When your drain backs up into your basement or your water heater sprays your laundry room like a burst fire hydrant, your minor plumbing issue has pushed you into emergency territory.
The Most Common Types of Plumbing Emergencies
Plumbing emergencies come in all shapes and sizes, but some are more frequent fliers than others. These certain troublemakers pop up in homes throughout Southeastern Michigan and plague homeowners to no end. When emergency plumbing service is needed, these usual suspects are often to blame:
Frozen or Burst Pipes
When the temperature plummets, unprotected pipes freeze faster than a Michigan pond. That trapped ice builds pressure until your pipe can’t take it anymore, leading to a messy and expensive burst. Watch out for odd smells, strange sounds, and sudden drops in water pressure as the early warning signs that you’re dealing with a burst pipe.
Overflowing Toilet
An overflowing toilet represents most people’s worst nightmares in the bathroom. Overflowing toilets are often caused by clogs deep in the drain line or problems with the valve, and they’re guaranteed to cause water damage (and panic). When you need help with an overflowing toilet, it may feel easier to grab the chemical drain cleaners; however, overly relying on them puts your pipes at risk and can lead to more serious issues.
Sewage Smells
If your nose catches a whiff of raw sewage in your kitchen, bathroom, or basement, you’re not just battling a bad odor — you might be dealing with a backflow issue or a major sewer line clog. Both can flood your home with wastewater and bacteria if left unchecked. The minute you start smelling sewage coming from your pipes, it’s time to get a 24-hour emergency plumbing service to take a look.
Sudden Water Heater Failure
When your water heating system decides to clock out, showers turn icy, and leaks can spring out of nowhere. A failing tank or heating element can sometimes mean major water damage, especially if you’re caught off-guard. You need a 24-hour plumber who knows their way around a water heater and has the technology and know-how to determine what’s wrong with your system.
Persistent Leaks
Even a small, steady leak under a sink or behind a wall can become a major hazard when you least expect it. Mold, corrosion, and damage to drywall and flooring aren’t far behind if leaks aren’t tackled early. Knowing how to tell when a persistent leak becomes a plumbing emergency can make all the difference in keeping your home safe from water damage.
Gurgling Sounds in the Pipes
Hear strange gurgles from the sink, tub, or toilet? Your drainage system could be crying for help. Gurgling often signals a clog or sewer backup, building pressure below the surface that’s waiting for the worst possible moment to ruin your day.
Know When to Call a 24-Hour Emergency Plumber
If you spot gushing water, smell gas, find sewage seeping into your bathroom floor, or your sump pump decides to retire mid-storm, call a 24-hour plumber immediately. Problems involving the water supply, sewage system, or gas lines aren’t a “wait and see” situation; they are a full-blown call for emergency plumbing services. Grab the phone; there’s no medal for trying to DIY a gushing pipe or a hazardous backup in the middle of the night.
What to Do Before the Emergency Plumber Gets There
When you call for emergency plumbing services, every minute before help arrives matters. Quick action can minimize water damage, prevent mold, and stop a plumbing fixture meltdown from spiraling into a full-blown hazard. Here’s what you should do before your emergency plumber gets there:
- Shut off the main water valve: You want to stop the water supply from flooding your basement, bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room.
- Turn off your water heater: The last thing you want is for your water heater to get overheated. Keeping your water heater turned off until a professional arrives prevents overheating, tank bursts, or damage to the heating element.
- Use a plunger: Some issues can be relieved with a plunger and some elbow grease. Grab the plunger and try to relieve small clogs in your sink, toilet, or shower drain to avoid pressure buildup.
- Switch off the circuit breaker: If there’s standing water around electrical outlets or appliances, turn the circuit breaker off to prevent electrocution.
- Contain the water: Keep the water in one spot as much as possible. You can start by mopping and using towels to protect your floors, drywall, and furniture from water damage.
- Block off affected areas: Do whatever you can to keep the wastewater from spreading. If sewage or backflow is involved, these steps help keep your home protected from further issues.
- Avoid chemical drain cleaners: Chemical drain cleaners might seem good in a pinch, but they can cause more problems than they solve. The corrosive nature of the chemicals can damage your plumbing pipes or potentially make the clog worse.
- If you smell natural gas, drop everything. Evacuate immediately and call emergency services.
Taking these steps during a plumbing emergency can help control a crisis while your 24-hour emergency plumbing services team races to your door. Every action you take counts in keeping your home safe and dry.
Give Edwards Plumbing & Heating a Call During Your Next Plumbing Emergency
When a plumbing emergency hits, you need a 24-hour plumbing service that can swiftly answer the call when you need it the most. Edwards Plumbing & Heating has emergency plumbers on staff to get in front of your plumbing woes and stop the emergencies in their tracks. Whether it’s your bathroom, kitchen, basement, or laundry room on the line, we’re proud to be the emergency plumbers families across Michigan trust when the heat (or the water) is on.
Don’t let a leak, flood, or gas hazard steal another second of your peace of mind. When your next plumbing emergency strikes, call Edwards Plumbing & Heating today!