As a homeowner, you probably have a lot of items on your list of winter preparations. One of the less obvious things that deserves a place at the top of your list is to rehearse your response in the event of a burst water pipe. According to experts, approximately a quarter of a million homes have had at least one room ruined by the damage caused from a burst pipe. If you live in a climate where the temperature drops below freezing, you need to be prepared.
As with most emergency response routines, preparation and rehearsal is critical to an effective, efficient response. To save yourself money and headache in the event of a burst pipe, consider these items as you build and practice your burst pipe response plan.
Important Idea #1--Know How …show more content…
Since you can never predict when a pipe might burst, you'll need to be prepared to respond in the middle of the night or when you're preoccupied with other matters. The best defense against this is to locate and practice manipulating the shut-off valve to your home.
However, while most people would naturally move to the indoor shut-off valve for this, it's not recommended. Instead, consider utilizing the valve outside of your home next to the water meter. You'll need to purchase a meter key to do this, but the valve is much more reliable for this purpose than the indoor valve. It's also extremely easy to locate. You'll just need to determine where you'll stash your meter key--a tool box or drawer in your kitchen is well-suited for this.
Important Idea #2--Divide Tasks Among Family …show more content…
That said, if these can happen while you're going out to shut off the main water supply, your chances of minimizing damage and coming through the experience unscathed go up dramatically. Designate who in your home should do each job, and try practicing at least once or twice before the winter season.
Important Idea #3--Determine Your Emergency Plumber Now
The absolute worst time to try and find an emergency plumber is in the middle of the night after a pipe bursts in your home. Remember, you'll need to shut off power to your home until you're certain that there are no electrical wires impacted by the leak. That makes most electronic devices--including interior lights--impossible to use.
Rather than deal with that mess, build a list of emergency contacts and place the list in a central location. That way, calling your plumber is a simple job that can be easily outsourced to another family member as part of the crisis response--even if the power is off. It'll also save precious minutes on the plumber's response time, which can save you money in damage prevented to your
As with most emergency response routines, preparation and rehearsal is critical to an effective, efficient response. To save yourself money and headache in the event of a burst pipe, consider these items as you build and practice your burst pipe response plan.
Important Idea #1--Know How …show more content…
Since you can never predict when a pipe might burst, you'll need to be prepared to respond in the middle of the night or when you're preoccupied with other matters. The best defense against this is to locate and practice manipulating the shut-off valve to your home.
However, while most people would naturally move to the indoor shut-off valve for this, it's not recommended. Instead, consider utilizing the valve outside of your home next to the water meter. You'll need to purchase a meter key to do this, but the valve is much more reliable for this purpose than the indoor valve. It's also extremely easy to locate. You'll just need to determine where you'll stash your meter key--a tool box or drawer in your kitchen is well-suited for this.
Important Idea #2--Divide Tasks Among Family …show more content…
That said, if these can happen while you're going out to shut off the main water supply, your chances of minimizing damage and coming through the experience unscathed go up dramatically. Designate who in your home should do each job, and try practicing at least once or twice before the winter season.
Important Idea #3--Determine Your Emergency Plumber Now
The absolute worst time to try and find an emergency plumber is in the middle of the night after a pipe bursts in your home. Remember, you'll need to shut off power to your home until you're certain that there are no electrical wires impacted by the leak. That makes most electronic devices--including interior lights--impossible to use.
Rather than deal with that mess, build a list of emergency contacts and place the list in a central location. That way, calling your plumber is a simple job that can be easily outsourced to another family member as part of the crisis response--even if the power is off. It'll also save precious minutes on the plumber's response time, which can save you money in damage prevented to your