Open 24/7! Servicing all of Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs
Our Average Response time is: 1hr 53min 47sec
Disclaimer: If you are currently experiencing a plumbing emergency, call Plumberoo immediately for a 24/7 emergency plumbing service. If you're located in eastern Sydney, we can be there in under 2 hours, any time of the day or night. If you're not currently experiencing an emergency but want to know how to handle one if it happens, please read on.
After-hours plumbing issues can be especially challenging. It's late, you're already tired, a pipe suffers a leak or a blockage, and the whole situation has a way of escalating as you try to figure out what to do.
Before you do anything though, take a breath and remember that everything can be fixed and that help will soon be on the way.
Some plumbers, like us here at Plumberoo, have 24/7 emergency plumbers ready to spring into action and provide their professional assistance as soon as possible. When an urgent fix or repair is required, call in for backup from an emergency plumber to resolve your plumbing issue before water damage can build up. Plumberoo plumbers can respond within 2 hours of an emergency call, but it's important to take immediate action while you're waiting for help to arrive. Here's what to do.
First, identify what type of plumbing emergency you have. A burst pipe will require different action than a leaking toilet or a clogged drain. Is it a burst pipe, a leaking tap, an overflowing toilet, or a clogged drain?
All of these are frustrating and inconvenient at the best of times, but in the middle of the night when you just want to go to bed (or you've woken up), plumbing problems can feel like a nightmare, so take a moment and determine the extent of the damage and how far it spreads.
Next, determine the severity of the issue. If inaction will result in great damage by morning, it's an emergency, while if nothing bad will happen if you don't use that area of plumbing, it is safe to wait. For example, if a pipe or toilet is actively leaking water and will cause a flood by the time you wake up, it's an emergency. However, if a sink is clogged or a toilet is not refilling (and you have a second bathroom to use), you can usually wait until morning to call in the professionals.
The first and most important action to take is to shut off your water supply. In a suburban house, you can do this by turning off the valve on the council water meter in your front yard. Simply turn the stop valve clockwise to turn off the water supply to the entire house. In a unit, you will have to turn off the water valve in the specific sink or toilet. You can find this on the pipe attaching the fixture to the wall; often under the sink, behind the toilet, or where an appliance like a washing machine attaches to the wall.
Stopping water flow is the single most important thing to do in an emergency to prevent flooding or further damage. A water shutoff is inconvenient for a few hours, but remember help is soon on the way. Now is the perfect time to call a 24/7 plumber for emergency repairs.
For common plumbing emergencies, there are a few temporary measures you can take to reduce damage while you wait for the plumber to arrive.
Some situations and certain types of damage require the services of a professional. If a DIY fix is not working or your maintenance measures are simply buying you time (in the case of a cracked pipe or leak), call an emergency plumber as soon as you have shut off the water supply and contained the problem.
Professional plumbers come with the experience, expertise, and tools and equipment to handle the most stress-inducing situations and provide a timely solution to emergency plumbing situations. They can provide an assessment of your plumbing system, identify the signs of further damage, inspect your water supply and sewer line and replace plumbing fixtures. More than that, with a kind word and a rapid response, they can provide peace of mind during a frustrating and stressful time.
While attempting to address your situation before emergency plumbing services arrive, it is important to be safe. While you have to act fast in an emergency, no plumbing situation is worth any risk to yourself or your family as you try to manage a resolution. When dealing with wastewater, always use gloves, especially if there is a risk of contamination from sewage or other bacteria-laden debris.
If you're trying to seal off a pipe, take care that it is not near electrical wires or cabling. If it is, turn off the electricity as well, by flipping the safety switch in your power box on the side of your house. Units and apartments will also have a power box, typically inside one of the cupboards or behind a panel in the wall.
Finally, don't let water pool on the floor for two reasons. First, it is a safety hazard and in the dark, late at night, we might not be as careful as we are during the day. Again, no plumbing emergency is worth slipping on the tiles and needing a trip to the ER! Secondly, water can damage the carpet and seep into the skirting boards, creating moisture damage inside your walls. Use towels liberally to contain the spread of water.
It is a fact of life that sometimes emergencies just happen, but a few simple preventative measures can sharply reduce their chance of happening or even mitigate the worst of them when they do. As a homeowner, conducting a review of your home is vitally important to keeping everything running as it should. Regular plumbing inspections can unearth hidden issues long before they build into a midnight emergency.
Keeping debris out of drains and regularly cleaning them with boiling water and a baking soda and vinegar mix can help prevent clogs by dissolving and removing grease, hair and other debris from forming potential blockages. Finally, keep plumbing emergency numbers handy to save time. Keep them in a book or on a note with a magnet on the side of the fridge so that you can call up your local 24/7 emergency plumber as soon as possible.
In an emergency, it is important to act quickly but not at the expense of safety. While simple temporary fixes are important and encouraged to help stem the flow of water and reduce damage, it is best to leave major fixes or those with potential danger to the professionals. The team at Plumberoo have years of experience in conducting emergency repairs, from sealing and replacing leaks to clearing deep pipe clogs and everything in between.
More than that, they have the knowledge and information you need as part of your emergency prevention plan. The next time you have a plumbing emergency, remember, Plumberoo, the plumbing company that is ready and able to respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We're based in Mascot, so if you're in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, our emergency plumbers can usually reach you within 2 hours.
For more information or to book an inspection (or if you have an emergency), call our friendly and experienced team today. Your plumbing health is our priority!
