In case of emergency you and every one in your household must know basic response to water, sewage and gas leakage. First off, locate and label main water and main gas shut off valves. Test the valves for operation. Just because the valves are there it doesn’t mean that they’re fully functional. If found that they are not operational immediately call your local plumber to address the issue. Next educate every one in the house on how to turn each off and on.
In case of water leak emergency, shut off main water and open faucet on the lowest floor to drain house. Call a plumber to attend to the issue.
If you smell gas in an area and suspect a possible gas leak you should immediately call your utility provider’s emergency service line (in Rockland it’s Orange and Rockland 877-434-4100). If you feel comfortable you can turn the gas main off to stop the leak until a professional arrives. They will provide a free test to check for leaks and are most likely be able to point out the exact location of the leak. Next you must call a local plumber to fix the problem.
If you have a backup in the drain line, you should find out if it’s a small local drain blockage or it is a main drain issue. If all drains are going down slow and the lowest drain in the house continuously overflows then it most likely a main drain issue. In this case you must stop using any and all water until problem is addressed. If all drains work properly except one or two local drains i.e. bathroom, then it’s an isolated drain issue. In this case restrain from using just the affected fixtures. Call a local plumber or sewer specialist.
By following these procedures you will be able to keep the house safer and save money by stopping the damage from going further than necessary. Please feel free to call us with any questions and or concerns, we provide free estimates and have 24-7-365 emergency service. We can address all these issues for you swiftly and affordably.
