What Qualifies as a Plumbing Emergency?
You may be unsure of what qualifies as a plumbing emergency. A good rule of thumb is that if the situation poses a risk to your health, safety, home, or plumbing system, it should be treated as an emergency.
Plumbing issues often require prompt repair to prevent water damage, contamination, or mold growth.
Some plumbing issues that qualify as plumbing emergencies include:
- Broken pipes
- Major water leaks
- Sewage backups
- Overflowing toilets
- No water
- Flooding
Indoor plumbing failures can damage flooring, drywall, and your belongings. It’s important to call a professional plumbing service to minimize damage and restore safety.
What Should I Do During a Plumbing Emergency?
If you have a plumbing emergency, there are a few things you should do to minimize damage potential and stay safe.
- Turn off main water supply: The best first step is to turn off the main water supply to stop additional water from entering your plumbing system. This step helps reduce flooding and water damage and reduces pressure on damaged pipes and fixtures.
- Call a professional plumber: Once you’ve turned off the main water supply, call an emergency plumber to address the issue as soon as possible.
- Turn off water heater: Turning off the water heater helps protect the unit from getting damaged during major leaks or water shutoffs.
- Don’t use plumbing fixtures: Avoid using any plumbing fixtures to prevent worsening backups, leaks, or flooding. Using faucets, dishwashers, washing machines, or toilets can place additional strain on the system.
- Soak up water with towels: Dry as much of the water as you can using towels to prevent water damage and mold growth. This also prevents slippery conditions in your home.
- Move anything you can away from the flood: Protect your furniture and other belongings by moving items away from flooded areas of your home. This step helps minimize damage while you wait for service.
How Can I Prevent Plumbing Emergencies?
The best way to prevent plumbing emergencies is to schedule routine maintenance and yearly plumbing system inspections. Routine maintenance is extremely important for home plumbing systems because it helps identify minor issues and resolve them before they worsen.
You can also prevent plumbing emergencies by taking a few proactive steps around your home, including:
- Avoid flushing wipes, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, and other non-flushable items down your toilets
- Avoid dumping grease, fats, oils, and food scraps in your kitchen sinks to reduce the risk of clogs
- Use drain strainers to catch hair, soap scum, and debris from going down drains
- Address slow drains or active leaks early, before they become bigger issues
- Know where your home’s main water shut-off valve is located
Our Emergency Plumbing Services
Mercurio’s is Tacoma’s premier emergency plumber. Our emergency plumbing services are designed to protect your property and restore proper function to your plumbing system.
Immediate dispatch
After you call us, we’ll dispatch a plumbing professional immediately to arrive at your home shortly. Our fast response times help minimize damage to your home and belongings.
Assess damage
Once we arrive, we’ll assess the damage and identify the root cause of the issue before making repairs. We will find active leaks and evaluate the best repair solution for your emergency plumbing issues.
Make repairs
Then, we will make repairs to stop leaks, flooding, and water damage to your home. Our trucks are fully stocked with all the tools we may need to complete repairs.
Damage prevention
We also take steps to prevent further damage during the repair process. This can include steps like isolating damaged plumbing components, stopping active water flow, and recommending solutions to reduce the risk of future problems.
Testing
Once repairs have been made, we’ll test your plumbing system to ensure everything is functioning properly. We’ll check for leaks, water flow, drain performance, and more before finishing the job.
Cleanup
We’ll clean up our workspace and leave your home better than how we found it. Our team is very respectful of your home and works to minimize disruption as much as possible.
Can Maintenance Reduce Breakdowns?
Yes, routine maintenance can identify issues before they get worse and help ensure that your system lasts its full lifespan and fulfills warranty requirements. Regular maintenance keeps your plumbing system operating reliably and reduces the risk of failures.
It’s important to schedule an annual plumbing inspection with a professional plumbing company each year. An inspection helps make sure your system doesn’t have any hidden issues that could cause future problems.
Why Choose Us?
Homeowners in Tacoma, WA choose Mercurio’s for emergency plumbing services because:
- We offer fast response times
- Our plumbers are highly qualified
- We’re committed to customer satisfaction
- Our service trucks are fully stocked
- We’ve been serving the local area since 1992
Contact Us Today
If you have a plumbing emergency in Tacoma, WA, you know who to call. Contact Mercurio’s at (360) 499-2980 or schedule online. We’ll be at your home in no time to make swift repairs and prevent water damage.
FAQs
What is not considered a plumbing emergency?
Minor plumbing issues that aren’t actively causing damage are generally not considered plumbing emergencies. Examples include a slow dripping faucet, a minor clog limited to one fixture, or a running toilet that can be shut off.
What are the most common plumbing emergencies?
Some of the most common plumbing emergencies include burst pipes, major water leaks, sewer system backups, and flooding caused by plumbing system damage.
What’s the best way to clean my plumbing system?
The best way to maintain a clean plumbing system is to invest in routine maintenance through a professional plumbing company. Additionally, practice safe drain care, avoid harsh drain cleaners, and consider professional drain cleaning to remove buildup.
How can I prevent clogged pipes?
You can prevent clogged pipes by avoiding grease, fats, oil, coffee grounds, and food scraps down your drains. Also do not flush wipes, paper towels, or feminine hygiene products down toilets. Use a drain strainer to collect hair, soap scum, and other debris in your drains.
