· 3 min read
How to find your main water shut-off valve, before you need it
When a pipe bursts, the first minute matters most. Find the valve that turns off all the water to your house today, test it, and label it.
Leaks and emergencies
What to do in the first minutes of a burst pipe, a frozen pipe or a leak you cannot find, and how to be ready before it happens.
Plumbing emergencies are rarely as bad as the first minute makes them look, provided you know one thing: where the water shuts off. Everything else follows from that. This topic covers the preparation that turns a disaster into a nuisance, the winter problem that Rockland County houses are most prone to, and the everyday leak under a sink that quietly does more damage than a burst pipe ever will.
The order of things
- Stop the water: the main valve, or the small valve at the fixture.
- Make it safe: stay clear of water near anything electrical, and if you smell gas, leave and call from outside.
- Contain it: buckets, towels, and move what you can.
- Record it: photographs, for the insurer.
- Get help: a licensed plumber, and a restoration company if the damage is large.
What lives here
The tips below take each of those in turn. If you read only one, read the guide to the main shut-off valve, and go and find yours today.
What this topic covers
- Finding and closing your main shut-off valve
- Frozen pipes: thawing them safely, and preventing them
- Tracking down a leak you can hear and cannot see
Common questions
Water is coming through the ceiling. What do I do first?
Close the main water shut-off valve, then open a tap on the lowest floor to drain the pipes. Keep away from water near outlets or the electrical panel. Photograph the damage for your insurer before you clean up, then find a licensed plumber.
Does home insurance cover a burst pipe?
Sudden and accidental water damage, such as a burst pipe, is usually covered. Damage from a slow leak that went unnoticed for months often is not, which is one more reason to fix small leaks promptly.
Tips on this topic
· 3 min read
Frozen pipes: how to thaw them safely, and how to prevent them
A tap that gives a trickle on a bitter morning usually means a frozen pipe. Here is how to thaw it without starting a fire or bursting it, and how to stop it happening again.
· 3 min read
A leak under the sink: finding where it comes from and fixing it
Water in the cabinet under a sink comes from one of four places. Work out which, and most of the fixes take a wrench and ten minutes.
· 3 min read
A stain or drip on the ceiling: is it plumbing or the roof?
A wet patch on a ceiling can come from a pipe, a bathroom above, or the roof. A few observations tell them apart, and each has a different first step.
Need a professional?
Some jobs are not for a weekend. Here is how to find a plumber near you in Rockland County and check the license before work starts.