Need An Emergency Plumber? How To Identify A Plumbing Emergency | Knoxville, TN
Friday, May 21st, 2021
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Regularly scheduled plumbing services in Knoxville, TN, are usually available during business hours. Emergency plumbers are available 24/7. Calls are answered at any time of the day or night, even on holidays and weekends.
Is the Problem Urgent?
Plumbing problems can be very alarming. Any plumbing malfunction may prompt an immediate call to an emergency plumber, but all problems aren’t emergencies. Ask yourself if the problem can wait until normal business hours. The answer to that question depends on several factors. Waiting for a holiday weekend to end is different than waiting until business hours on a weekday.
Daily Use and Safety
You also need to consider how often the household uses affected plumbing fixtures and functions. A leaky pipe in a basement or outside your home can probably wait longer than a broken toilet or shower and bathtub.
Safety and weather conditions are important factors too. It’s hard to go without running water on a hot summer day, especially in homes with kids or pets. Frozen pipes in winter temperatures can’t wait. Burst pipes can leave you in the unenviable position of paying to fix water damage and replace ruined pipes.
Leaks
Sometimes leaky pipes and fixtures need immediate attention, but you may be able to put it off for a few hours if you can access the water shutoff valve.
Many homes have a valve or knob in the basement that controls the main water supply.
You can buy time using buckets to catch water from slow leaks or plugging small holes with rags, but this is risky. Stopgap measures don’t address the original problem, so the situation can deteriorate quickly. An out-of-control leak can damage floors, walls, ceilings, and interior furnishings, so a plumber may be a safer choice.
Responsibility
Make sure the plumbing issues are actually your responsibility. Some problems, such as low water pressure or dry taps and fixtures, could be a problem in your home or an issue with city infrastructure in Knoxville, TN. Call your water company to find out if they’re experiencing a problem that affects the entire community. Homeowners aren’t responsible for infrastructure repairs.
Frozen Pipes
Frozen pipes are one of the most common reasons for calling an emergency plumber. Pipes outside of the home, near exterior walls, or in poorly insulated areas are prone to freezing. Water inside the pipes freezes and expands, which exerts pressure on pipe walls.
Flooding
Call an emergency plumber immediately for any flooding inside your home. Broken pipes, clogged drains, and other plumbing problems can cause interior flooding. Although an emergency plumber probably can’t repair existing water damage immediately, the problem can be fixed before it leads to even more extensive damage.
Water Heater
A malfunctioning water heater may or may not be an emergency. That decision depends on the household’s needs and preferences. Daily uses for hot water include showers and baths, cooking, and washing clothes and dishes. Most of us complete at least one of these activities every day. You can call an emergency plumber if foregoing these tasks isn’t realistic.
Overflowing Toilet
Overflowing toilets are very common. Homeowners frequently clear clogged toilets with a plunger, but this isn’t always successful. Toilet overflow is more concerning than a clogged sink or bathtub because water flooding out of the toilet bowl is usually contaminated with waste and bacteria.
The contaminated water can soak into floors, carpeting, furniture legs or bases, and anything else it reaches. This leads to water damage and unpleasant odors. People and pets are susceptible to illness resulting from bacteria carried along with the water. Call an emergency plumber immediately if you can’t unclog an overflowing toilet.
Try to minimize damage until the plumber arrives by shutting off the toilet’s water supply. Most toilets have a water supply line with a valve near the bottom. Turn the valve counterclockwise and lift the tank cover. Pull the floating ball or cup up until the water stops running. If this doesn’t work, cut off the water supply to the entire home.
Gas Line Repair
Plumbers don’t work with water lines and fixtures alone, they also handle gas lines, repairs, and service issues. A gas leak can create a very hazardous situation. Gas lines are often located in the kitchen and basement, especially if the hot water heater or HVAC system runs on gas. Many ovens and stoves use gas. Some homes also have gas fireplaces.
Clogged or Damaged Lines
Natural gas lines can also become clogged, although leaks are a more common problem. Dirt, debris, minerals, and even dead insects can build up and clog lines. Water causes blockages due to corrosion and rust, and only 4″ of water pressure alone can block a residential natural gas line. Dents in a line restrict gas flow, and tree roots can grow through a line and entirely cut off your gas supply.
Signs and Risks
The first sign of a gas leak or a clogged gas line is the poor performance of gas-powered appliances. A burner on the stove may have small, weak flames even if you have the gas turned on high. Some appliances may not work at all. Gas leaking from broken lines has a distinctive odor, but it may not be noticeable if the leak is outside or within a mostly enclosed space.
Clogged gas lines and leaks are very dangerous. There is always a risk of fire or an explosion. Contact a qualified emergency plumber immediately after noticing a problem with natural gas and shut off the gas supply to your home. Homeowners should not attempt to clean, unclog, or repair gas lines. Gas lines have thin, easily damaged walls, and any debris left behind in the line can make your gas supply unreliable and potentially unsafe.
Call My Professional Plumber in Knoxville, TN, for any urgent plumbing issues or problems with natural gas lines. All emergency plumbers are licensed, bonded, and insured, and they’re ready to respond any time you need them.