There aren't many household systems more confusing than plumbing, which is why I stopped trying to fix mine on my own. I realized that taking things apart was increasingly more difficult, so I stopped guessing and started looking for a trained expert who could come out and help. When I found the right professional, it was amazing to see how much easier things were. They went through, evaluated my plumbing system, and made changes that changed my home from the inside-out. Check out this blog to find out more about how to avoid plumbing problems and when to hire a professional of your own.
What makes an emergency an emergency is all about timing. Your plumbing was fine, until it wasn't. Now, early on a Saturday morning, you hear water gushing onto your mudroom floor, or you return from sledding to find that your shower is running cold.
Here are some tips for diagnosing and fixing common water heater emergencies:
Find Out if Your Water Heater is a Gas Supplied
Before doing anything, take these steps: 1) Is your pilot light still lit? The pilot light is located near (normally beneath) the knobs controlling the temperature in your water heater. If you notice that the pilot light is not longer lit, you should attempt to re-light it. In the event that the pilot light will not ignite, you will need to shut off your gas supply to the water heater. 2) To shutoff the gas feeding your water heater, you may need to call your gas servicing company. These companies, by federal law, are required to provide shut off service 24/7/365. While you wait for the gas supply to be shutoff to your home, you should be somewhere outside the building, to avoid potentially lethal carbon monoxide poisoning.
Leaking
If you wake up to find that your previously dry and functional water heater has sprung a leak, you will need to stop the water and fix the leak.
For help, contact a plumber that is capable of water heater repair.
Share27 June 2019