Locate your main water shut-off valve (usually located in the basement, garage, or near the water heater) and turn it off. This prevents more water from gushing out and causing additional damage. If you do not know where your water shut-off valve is located, right now would be a great time to find it, and make sure everyone who lives with you also knows where it is.

If the burst pipe is near any electrical outlets or appliances, then make shutting off the electricity your first step. Electrocution is worse than any water damage to your house. If you’re not sure which breaker to flip, then flip them all or flip the main breaker that shuts down everything.

When the water is shut off, and you’re sure there is no danger of electrocution, open all your faucets, both, hot and cold. Drain any remaining water from your plumbing system. Flush the toilets, too. This helps relieve any pressure in the pipes and prevents any further leaks.

Use buckets, towels, and mops to soak up water and prevent it from spreading. If the water is pooling on carpets or hardwood floors, act quickly to remove soaked carpets, and mop up pooled water on any surfaces that might be damaged by exposure to water.

Take a moment to assess the situation. Is the burst pipe easily accessible, or is it hidden behind a wall or ceiling? Document the damage with photos for insurance purposes.

Burst pipes require expert repair to ensure your plumbing system is restored safely and effectively. We offer burst pipe repair services and can help you get things back on track ASAP.

When the leak is under control, focus on drying out the affected area. Use fans, dehumidifiers, and open windows to promote airflow. The faster you dry things out, the less chance there is for mold to take hold.

Here are a few tips to keep your pipes in good shape:
Insulate Your Pipes: Especially in colder months, pipe insulation can make a huge difference.
Keep Your Home Warm: Maintain a consistent temperature, even when you’re away.
Let One Faucet Drip: During periods of extreme cold, let the one faucet drip that is furthest from the entry point of the water into your house.  This relieves pressure and helps prevent bursting pipes. A small drip will do. You can catch the water in a bowl and use it, so it doesn’t go to waste.
Schedule Regular Maintenance: Routine plumbing check-ups can catch issues before they become disasters.

The role of trust in any service-oriented relationship is paramount, and plumbing is no exception. When you trust your plumber, you can have confidence in their work, advice, and pricing. This trust reduces stress and ensures your plumbing needs are met effectively and efficiently.

How can you tell if your plumber is trustworthy? Look for signs such as

• transparency in pricing,
• professional licensing,
• positive customer reviews, and
• a solid commitment to customer service.

These indicate a plumber who values your trust and strives to maintain it.

A trustworthy plumber provides transparent and upfront pricing. They’ll explain the costs associated with their services and any potential extra charges before they begin work, ensuring no hidden fees or unexpected expenses.

Professional licensing is another sign of a trustworthy plumber. This license signifies that the plumber has met specific training and experience requirements and adheres to industry standards.

Customer reviews can provide insights into a plumber’s reliability and professionalism. A trustworthy plumber will have predominantly positive reviews reflecting their commitment to customer satisfaction.

A reliable plumber is committed to providing excellent customer service. This commitment includes being respectful, punctual, and responsive to your needs, ensuring a seamless plumbing experience.

Trust is a two-way street. While your plumber has responsibilities to uphold, there are also steps you can take to foster this relationship. These steps include maintaining open communication, being respectful, and fulfilling your duties, such as timely payments.

Building trust with your plumber ensures a positive and fruitful relationship. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that you have a reliable professional ready to handle your plumbing needs timely and at a fair price.

Here, we have an attic with a hooked ground to gas line. Even though it is recommended, it can be extremely problematic. We found a gas leak in this attic for a good customer of mine. Some kind of electrical surge or lightning strike travelled through the cable wire (black cable on the right) and jumped about six inches to get to the gas pipe (yellow line on the left). It blew a hole in the gas pipe. Amazing that it didn’t blow the house up.

A great example of where not to run your water line. Copper water line between two breaker boxes!

That’s not a ghost. If your drains make spooky gurgling noises, there may be a clog. Air is trapped in the pipes and is struggling to rise up.

To fix the gurgling noises, take a plunger to the drain that is making the noise, and try to clear the blockage. If the gurgling continues, a drain snake might be necessary to reach further down. In severe cases, your drains may need professional drain cleaning, to clear away buildup that’s haunting your pipes. It’s a good idea to prevent this issue with regular drain cleaning. Contact us to schedule a drain cleaning today!

Does your toilet flush all on its own? Don’t call a ghost hunter just yet! Phantom flushes occur when water slowly leaks from the tank into the bowl, causing the toilet to refill automatically.

Most of the time, a worn-out tank flapper is the culprit. Replacing the flapper with a new one can stop the water from leaking, putting an end to those spooky self-flushing episodes.

Rattling, banging, or knocking sounds from your pipes can feel like something sinister is lurking in your walls. But it is probably loose pipes or water hammer that is causing these unsettling sounds—when water pressure is too high and slams into the valves.

Check for loose mounting straps around your pipes and tighten them to stop the rattling. If the noises persist, installing a water hammer arrestor can help absorb the shock of high water pressure and quiet the clatter.

A damp, musty odor in your bathroom or basement can send shivers down your spine—and it might be a sign of hidden leaks or water damage. Mold and mildew thrive in dark, moist environments, and they can wreak havoc on your home’s structure and air quality.

To take care of this health hazard, locate the source of the leak by inspecting pipes, walls, and ceilings for water stains and moisture. Once the leak is repaired, use a dehumidifier to dry out the affected area. Carefully clean any mold growth. Be sure to protect yourself. For large mold infestations, professional remediation may be needed.

A sudden drop in water pressure can be frustrating and alarming. Whether it’s a trickle from your showerhead or a weak stream from the faucet, low water pressure can be caused by a clogged aerators, mineral buildup, or even a hidden leak.

Start by checking your faucet aerators and showerheads for debris or mineral deposits. Clean your showerheads and aerators. If the problem persists, it could be a sign of a larger issue, such as a pipe leak or corrosion. You can always contact a plumber to investigate further, if you’re unsure.

Winter is hard on plumbing. As temperatures drop, your pipes and plumbing system is increasingly vulnerable. Preparedness and knowledge are your first line of defense.

By far the most common issue. If water is trapped in your pipes during freezing temperatures, freezes and expands. With nowhere to go, it can burst your pipes.

Most vulnerable are uninsulated plumbing lines along your exterior walls and pipes in uninsulated areas. Exposed to colder temperatures, there is an increased likelihood of freezing when the temperatures fall too low. To prevent pipes bursting, it’s helpful to:

Let One Faucet Drip: During periods of extreme cold, let the one faucet drip that is furthest from the entry point of the water into your house.  This relieves pressure and helps prevent bursting pipes. A small drip will do. You can catch the water in a bowl and use it, so it doesn’t go to waste.

There are a lot of different ways to insulate pipes, from foam sleeves to heating tape, all of which are easy to install. Focus on your home’s most vulnerable pipes, the ones that are along exterior walls, as these are the ones closest to the cold outside.

Open up the cabinet doors under your sinks to exposed closed-off pipes. This exposure allows warm air from the home to circulate through the cabinets and helps prevent frozen lines or pipes bursting.

It’s no surprise that the plumbing outside your home is particularly susceptible to freezing temperatures. You can reduce the risk of damage with a few simple preparations prior to the cold arriving.

When sprinkler season ends, it’s a good time to have your pipes blown out. This process eliminates any water sitting in the lines, so it can’t freeze up in the winter. Once the pipes are cleared, shut off the valve that serves the outdoor spigot to prevent any more water or moisture from accumulating in the pipes.

Disconnect any hoses that are attached to your outdoor plumbing fixtures and bring them inside for the winter.

Insulate outdoor pipes the same way you insulate indoor pipes protect the lines that carry water to the outdoor spigots.

If a pipe bursts in your home from the freezing temperatures, it can create some pretty costly damage, so the sooner you can catch it, the better. If the pipes are frozen, you’ll tell right away from the lack of running water. You’ll need to call a licensed plumber to help thaw them out before they burst.

If you aren’t able to catch the pipes before they burst, there are some key signs to let you know that it’s happened, such as:

• Damp drywall
• Rings on ceilings
• Bubbling paint on the walls or ceiling
• Musty smells
• Banging, clanking, or whistling sounds

If you notice any of these issues around your home, call a plumbing professional immediately.

With the winter months comes the holiday season, and with the holidays, more guests potentially stay in or visit your home. This increased traffic leads to one of the most common winter plumbing issues: clogged drains.

The increased number of people in your home puts additional strain on the plumbing. With increased food waste going down the drains from holiday meals, more hair accumulating in the shower drains, and more toilet flushes, it can all add up to the potential for more drain clogs.

A clogged drain in your home, though frustrating, is an easy fix for a skilled plumber. If you’re thinking about saving money by using a liquid drain cleaner, don’t. These cleaners contain caustic chemicals that can make the problem worse.

If your drain is backed up, call in a professional to make sure it’s cleared correctly the first time. The only thing worse than a clogged drain is a damaged one, so don’t take any chances.

If multiple drains in your home are clogged, it’s not a coincidence. It’s likely a clog in your plumbing’s mainline that requires a professional plumber to fix.

If you’re expecting an influx of family and friends in your home during the holidays, you can also get ahead of the game by making sure your drains are ready for the additional strain. Professional drain cleaning is the best way to make sure your plumbing is clear prior to the increased workload.

Drain cleaning should be done annually to keep your pipes clear of grease build-up and debris, but if it’s been a while, or you feel the lines are due for a cleaning, call the pros to help avoid any unexpected plumbing problems this holiday season.

An increase in people staying in the home isn’t just hard on the pipes. It places an increased demand on your water heater as well. You may begin to notice that showers aren’t lasting as long as they used to or that it’s taking a lot longer for the water to heat up.

Problems with water heaters during the winter months aren’t uncommon, but that doesn’t make them any less frustrating.

You can avoid some of these issues by having your water heater serviced prior to the busy holiday season. A plumbing professional can help to eliminate any sediment build-up in the tank and inspect it for any signs of wear or damage that may become amplified with the upcoming increased usage.

Toilets also see an increase in usage during the holiday season, which means more chances for potential clogs. You can avoid some of these issues by making sure your guests know what’s safe to flush and what isn’t to help prevent clogs.

NEVER flush feminine hygiene products or “flushable wipes”. Even when products say they’re flushable, they really aren’t and can lead to sewer line clogs and back-ups.

Limit what goes down your toilets to waste and toilet paper as best you can with the increased traffic in your home.

If you do encounter a clog that a plunger or snake can’t fix, it’s time to call in a professional. Avoid the home remedies you see online such as hot water (which can shatter your toilet bowl) and drain cleaners, which can do more harm than good and are terrible for the environment.

A professional plumber can get the situation handled quickly and in a manner that’s safe for your plumbing system, your septic suystem, and the groundwater.

The role of your sump pump is to drain water in low areas away from your home. Snow can make it challenging for your sump pump to keep up, making sump pump trouble one of the most common issues for plumbing in winter.

In years where the snowfall is particularly heavy, your sump pump may not be able to keep up. As it becomes overwhelmed, the moisture builds up, causing backups as the water freezes.

If you’ve seen this before during periods of heavy rain or snow, you may already know that preventive measures are the best course of action. Call in a plumbing professional before the winter weather starts to clean and inspect the sump pump in your home.

A frozen sump pump doesn’t just quit working. It tries to keep doing its job, ultimately causing it to overheat and burn out. If your sump pump freezes during the winter months, call in a professional plumber immediately.