Blog

Photo By By Olena Yakobchuk at Shutterstock

When dealing with leaky plumbing, you might not necessarily want to call an emergency plumber right away. Instead, you might want to consider calling a regular plumber and scheduling an appointment instead. Regular plumbing services often are less expensive than emergency plumbing services. If the leak isn’t too big, your plumbing can probably hold out until the plumber arrives.

With that said, you should still try to stop the leak as much as possible and to get rid of as much water as you can. The last thing that you want to do is to have to deal with major water damages. Water can easily sleep into the structural components of your home and wreak havoc.

In this article, we will look at several tips and tricks that you can implement to prevent further water damage from a leaky pipe. Make sure that you schedule an appointment with a Dalworthington, TX plumber as soon as possible. It would be best if the plumber could show up on that day or the next day.

#1. Turn Off the Main Water Shut-Off Valve

If the plumber is going to come on the same day, you should really consider turning off the main water valve, so no water enters your plumbing. This can substantially decrease any water damage that your home may sustain before the plumber arrives.

Your main water valve can be located in several different locations. The most common location is where the front yard meets the street. If the main water shut-off valve is located there, you should find a circular, plastic, or metal plate at groundwater that says “water” on it. In other locations, the main water shut-off valve can be attached to an exterior wall if you live in a warm city or inside the home if you live in a cold climate location.

If you’re really unsure, you can always ask the plumber where they think that the main water shut-off valve is located. As most plumbers service one area, like Dalworthington, TX, they’ll usually have a good idea where to find the valve at your home. Follow their instructions and you’ll find the main water shut-off valve with ease. If you have a blueprint of the plumbing in your home, you can also use this blueprint to find the main water shut-off valve as well.

It’s never a good thing if you have to look for the valve during an emergency. This is why many experts recommend that homeowners look for the valve as soon as they move in.

#2. Wipe Up as Much of the Water Around as Possible

Don’t give any of the water that has leaked out from the plumbing a chance to seep into the structural foundation of your home. When the plumber arrives, they’ll try to wipe up as much of the water as possible; however, this isn’t a job that only a professional can do. You can save the plumber a lot of time (and you can also save your home) by wiping up as much of the water as possible. Use a dry cloth to get rid of as much of the water as you can.

If there is a small flood in your home, like in the basement, take a bucket and pour out as much of the water from your home onto your yard as possible. Once you’ve removed as much of the water as you can, use a dry cloth to get rid of the rest. You want to pay special attention to the cracks by the walls.

#3. Put a Bucket Underneath the Leak

If the leak is from a pipe, you can also consider putting a bucket underneath the location where the leak is. The bucket will collect any water that leaks out before the plumber arrives; thus, also preventing your home from sustaining any water damage. If you don’t have a bucket handy, you can use a bowl or even a dish with some depth.

You can put a bucket underneath the leak even if you don’t see any water coming out. If you’ve applied some type of pipe wrap or plumbing tape over the leak and will continue to use the plumbing for several days before the plumbing company is able to send someone out, the bucket can be a lifesaver! It’ll catch any small water droplets that might leak out and wreak havoc at a later time.

#4. Use a Pipe Wrap

If you have any pipe wrap lying around your home, you can also use this to fix a leaky pipe. Keep in mind that pipe wraps are not a permanent solution, but they should hold off until the professionals arrive. They can stop the water from further damaging your home. These wraps can be applied to both the pipe joints and the middle of the pipes. These wraps also allow you to use your plumbing for a short while, so you can continue to brush your teeth or use the toilet before a technician from the plumbing company arrives. With that said, make sure that you don’t overdo it, as the pipe wrap isn’t the best solution.

The pipe wraps are made of fiberglass. When the wrap comes into contact with water, it will shrink and harden. This causes the leak to stop. In general, pipe wraps can last several days. In some extreme situations, it can last up to a couple of weeks.

#5. Use Epoxy

Another temporary solution is epoxy. This is a strong glue that can technically last stop a leak; however, epoxy takes about 24 hours to cure. Due to this reason, you should leave the water off for at least a day before you turn it back on again. Most homeowners will only choose this solution if the plumbing company is not available immediately. While the epoxy should last for some time, it isn’t a great fix. For one, it isn’t permanent. Two, the issues that caused the leak to emerge in the first place can still happen, which means that the pipe that has leaked or burst is still quite vulnerable to additional damage. You really should have a plumbing company come take a look at the plumbing regardless. Only a professional will be able to tell you whether any sections of the plumbing need to be replaced.

To use epoxy, turn off the water, wipe the area around the leak clean and apply the epoxy directly onto the plumbing. If you have any plumbing tape in your home, you can also apply the tape over the epoxy as well. Most epoxy needs to be mixed. Read the directions carefully.

#6. Use Plumbing Tape

As mentioned above, you can also use plumbing tape to temporarily stop a leak in its tracks. This isn’t a permanent solution either. Once you’ve applied the plumbing tape, you should still call a Dalworthington, TX plumbing company and have them head over as soon as possible.

Plumbing tape is made from silicone, and this type of material is best used at joints. If you’re concerned about a leak that has emerged in the middle of the pipe, consider using pipe wrap instead. It’ll be a better alternative. To use the plumbing tape, turn off the water, wipe the plumbing clean and wrap the tape over the leak. If the leak is a small one, you will only need several layers. However, if the leak is rather large, you might want to consider reinforcing the area with epoxy.

It’s important to note that plumbing tape will only last several days, so you should definitely urge the plumbing company to send someone out as soon as possible. If you don’t have a professional come take a look at the situation, you can expect the plumbing to burst or leak again after several days.

#7. Make Note of What Happened

When it comes to leaks, the cause of the problem is usually quite obvious. The plumbing is usually compromised due to an obstruction or, more likely, due to age. In most situations, the plumbing company is going to recommend that you replace the plumbing with something new. This will help ensure that you won’t have to deal with any leaks or other issues in the near future.

With that said, the leaks could be caused by other issues. For example, high water pressure can affect the plumbing. If you hear a loud sound coming from your plumbing, you could be dealing with a water hammer. The pressure of the water slamming against the plumbing can cause some of the areas to become weakened as well. It’s crucial that the plumbing company has a good idea of what happened before the leak emerged.

To ensure that the plumbers can diagnose the cause of the problem quickly and can recommend a solution that will prevent the leak from emerging again, make note of what happened. For example, you might want to write down what you were doing before the leak happened and when you started to notice the leak. For example, did you notice the leak once you flushed the toilet? Another thing that you should note down is the time of day when the leak started happening, as well as whether you heard any weird sounds coming from the plumbing. Weird sounds can be an indication that there’s something loose or wrong with the internal plumbing system.

The more information that you have, the better. You can provide it to the plumbing company over the phone or in-person when a technician arrives at your home.

#8. Clear the Surrounding Area

Last but not least, consider clearing the surrounding area before the plumber arrives. You want to make sure that the plumber will have sufficient space to fix the leak without knocking anything over. For example, if the leak is located underneath the bathroom sink, remove all of your personal items from the cabinets. You might even want to consider laying out a mat on the floor, so the plumber can move around without dirtying anything.

Another thing that you can do is to create a pathway from the front door to the area that has the leak. This will allow the plumber to easily access the leak without having to worry about knocking over furniture or any of your personal items. While most plumbers will wear some type of protective bag over their shoes in order to avoid trekking in any dirt into your home, you can also layout newspapers and plastic mats on the ground as well.

A final thing that you can do is to clear up a parking space for the professionals. Make sure that you leave enough space for any equipment that they may be carrying as well. If you do not have a driveway, make sure that you let the plumbing company know ahead of time where they can park. This ensures that the professionals can get to your home as quickly as possible. When it comes to a leak, every second counts! You definitely want to get someone over as soon as possible.

Give Us a Call for More Information!

When dealing with a leak, call a plumber in Dalworthington, TX as soon as possible. The longer that you wait, the worse that the problem can become. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth is located in Fort Worth, TX, but we provide emergency plumbing services to those who reside in Dalworthington, TX. We regularly offer different types of promotions and deals. On top of that, we also offer special financing plans with approved credit.

Request an appointment by calling us at 817-983-7876 or contacting us online. One of our professionals will be happy to walk you through the different types of repairs and services that we offer. We can also come out to take a look at your plumbing in order to offer you several different solutions to choose from based on your budget and needs.