Despite what it feels or looks like, a kitchen, bathroom or basement flood shouldn’t be the end of your world. While this situation could be stressful, the trick is to keep your cool and remain calm. This way, you can minimise damage, handle the leak, and after all stay safe.
Here is a guide of what to do if you have a water leak from our Belfast emergency plumbers.
1. Cut Out the Water Supply
In most cases, the flood in your house will probably be as a result of an overflowing sink or a faulty tap. However, if you cannot see the source of the leak, it is crucial that you act fast and shut off the water supply. This means heading to the main inlet leading to your home and shutting it off to cut out the water supply to your home.
This is the quickest way you can stop the leak from messing your house. Besides, it is better to cut out the main supply of water rather than waste time trying to trace the source of the leak. Your carpets will be submerged before you realise.
2. Turn Off Electricity
A water leak could result in flooding, and this could put you at risk of electrocution if your appliances or electrical outlets get wet. Even when there isn’t an immediate risk of electrocution, turn off the electricity supply in your home from the consumer unit. This way, you will be a step closer to staying safer.
3. Assess The Type of Leak
Once you have cut out the supply of water and electricity to your house, assess the type of leak you have. Here are the common types of leaks:
Non-Damaging
These leaks, although inconvenient, cause minimal damage to your home. Rather than resulting in damaged walls or floors, they will cost you more time and energy to resolve. These are the least severe leaks you can experience.
Minimal Damage
These leaks might seem like something minor, but when they are not addressed, they could result in more damage in future. Such leaks could include a leak in your wall and often go unnoticed. Occasionally, these leaks could occur in more dangerous sections of your home, like in the water heater.
Significant Damage
Hopefully, your leak won’t fall in this category because such leaks cause extensive damage to your home. Significant damage leaks are easy to pinpoint since your kitchen or basement is most probably flooded with water. Leaks resulting from frozen or burst pipes could easily result in significant damage to your home.
4. Document the Damage
If the damage caused by the leak was extensive, you might want to document it. You could take photos or record videos of the damage caused before performing any clean-up. You’ll need these should you decide to pursue compensation from your insurance company. Log every item that was damaged, noting the severity as well as the nature of the damage.
5. Clean Up
If you caught the leak early enough, then there is a chance that there’s not much water on your floor. Clean up the mess immediately because failure to do so could result in the growth mildew and mold which will make things worse.
6. Call the Professionals
If you’re lucky enough to clear the mess immediately, your first phone call should be made to a professional plumber. The sooner the source of your leak is identified and repaired, the better. And if there’s any electrical damage because of the leak, call an electrician to fix any electrical damage. But, if there’s significant flooding caused by the water leak, it would be advisable to call a water removal company immediately as well.
If you find out that there’s a water leak in your home, you shouldn’t panic. Follow the steps above, and you’ll have your woes addressed.