Unlike a cracked screen or a squeaky door, electrical and plumbing emergencies demand immediate attention. Here’s how to handle common plumbing and electrical emergencies in your home.

plumbing emergencies

One of the best ways to be prepared for a plumbing emergency is to have a plumbing repair kit located in an easily accessible location. This kit should include the following:

A working flashlight and spare batteries.

A few rolls of teflon tape

plumber’s putty

epoxy putty

Pipe Joint Compound

silicone caulk

A pipe repair kit.

A set of plumbing hand tools:

screwdrivers

adjustable wrench

Sliding Jaw Wrench

Locking Jaw Wrench

Mountain range

tube cutter

It’s also a good idea to have spare faucet washers, as well as spare copper and PVC fittings. You’ll also want to have a plunger handy, as well as a bucket and some clean rags or towels to contain spills or leaks. Finally, in the case of a dire emergency, write your plumber’s phone number on a piece of tape and stick it to the inside lid of your repair kit.

Most plumbing emergencies can be classified into one of two categories: clogs and leaks. Many clogs can be cleared with a plunger. Plungers come in two styles: flangeless and flanged. I recommend keeping both types on hand: the flangeless plunger for bathroom sinks and some tubs, and the flanged plunger for toilets and kitchen sinks.

Clogs, while unpleasant, do not create the excitement of water gushing off a wall, floor, or ceiling. In these cases, it is imperative that everyone in your household knows not only where the main water shutoff is, but also how to shut it off. Make sure there is a clear path to the shutoff valve so it is easy to reach. If you find a leak, your first tasks are to turn off the water and then find the source of the leak. In some cases, it’s obvious; the water is coming out of a pipe that burst. At other times you will have to do a little detective work to locate it. Start by looking for obvious clues like a newly installed picture or an overflowing sink or toilet. If the source is not obvious, try to trace the flow of water to the nearest fixture.

Small leaks can be temporarily plugged with epoxy putty or plumber’s putty. You can find epoxy putty at just about every home center and hardware store, and for good reason. It is easy to use and is waterproof. Most versions come in a Tootsie-Roll type log with two different colored inner and outer layers. When a piece is cut and the two parts are massaged together, the epoxy is activated. Just apply it to the leak and let it sit before turning the water back on. If you don’t have epoxy putty on hand, plumber’s putty will temporarily stop the flow of a small leak. Take a generous piece of putty out of the can and roll it in your hand until it’s pliable. Then apply it to the pipe. As with epoxy putty, plumber’s putty is only a temporary solution until the pipe can be properly repaired. That is, until the damaged section of pipe is removed and replaced with new pipe.

Finally, if you notice a leak where a fitting threads into a pipe, or vice versa, you can eliminate the leak by disassembling the fitting, installing new Teflon tape or pipe joint compound, and reassembling the fitting. Teflon tape is a thin membrane that easily wraps around pipe threads. Pipe joint compound is a paste-like substance that comes in squeezable tubes for easy application.

Electrical Emergencies

You are enjoying your favorite TV show and suddenly the lights go out. To do? First, stay calm. Second, grab your electrical emergency kit and start troubleshooting.

Your electrical emergency kit should be located in an easily accessible place.

Items to include in the kit:

A flashlight that works with a spare bulb and batteries.

Electrical testers (such as a circuit tester, or a neon tester, with a light bulb that lights up when 110 volts are passed)

A receptacle tester that will tell you the condition of a receptacle at a glance (to use one, simply plug it into a receptacle)

a digital multimeter

Spare fuses or circuit breakers

Replacement parts (receptacles, single pole and 3-way switches)

electric hand tools

screwdrivers

wire stripper

diagonal cutters

needle nose pliers

Fuse puller (if your house has cartridge type fuses)

Finally, write the phone number of the power company on a piece of tape along with the number of your electrician (for extreme emergencies) and tape it to the inside cover of your kit.

When lights go out or devices stop working, your first step is to determine the extent of the outage. If you notice that your entire house is dark, look out the window at your neighbors’ houses. If they are also dark, it is most likely the power company. If the power outage seems to be affecting only your home, try turning on several lights to identify which rooms are affected. If there is a power outage for only one specific device (a TV, lamp, or appliance), check to see that it is plugged in, that someone hasn’t flipped a switch to a controlled receptacle, or that the bulb hasn’t simply burned out.

If there is no power to the entire house, check the main breaker to see if it has tripped; there’s usually a visual indicator for this (you’ll see orange in the indicator window). Restore power by resetting the circuit breaker: turn it off, then back on. If you know there is a power outage in only one part of your home, chances are a blown fuse or tripped a breaker in a branch circuit. Check your fuses or circuit breakers and replace or reset them as necessary. If the main breaker doesn’t trip and you still don’t have power, it’s the power company. Call them to see what’s up and how long it will be until power is restored.