Basement Refinishing 101Basement Refinishing 101

Do you know what to do if a pipe bursts in the middle of the night? Have you ever considered how you'd handle the situation if your only toilet suddenly clogged, overflowed, and wouldn't stop running? While it's not something that happens every day, these are still relatively common things that can happen to any homeowner. As such, you need to know how to deal with them in order to mitigate the possible damage that might be caused. Some things that you'll need to as part of your planning include:

Learn where the cut-off valve is: Everyone should know where their plumbing cut-off valve is located. On some homes, this is going to be on the side of your house. Or it may be located inside. It could also be located near the street. Whatever the case, you need to know where it is. No plumber will ever be able to get to your home instantly. Depending on traffic and the distance that they need to travel, it could be anywhere from thirty minutes to a couple of hours before they can get to your home. Between the time you call the emergency plumbing service and the time that they arrive, hundreds of gallons of water could enter your home unless you shut it off as soon as you realize that there's a problem. 

Be prepared for cleanup: The longer water is allowed to sit, the more damage it will cause. If you don't start the cleanup process almost immediately, you may be forced to pay for a lot of expensive repairs besides the plumbing issue. While waiting for the emergency plumbing service to arrive, you can start to mop up or to at least contain the water. Some things that you can use for this purpose are old bedsheets and worn-out towels. A standard mop will also be handy but will not be able to absorb as much as quickly as a pile of old towels you no longer use.

Check your insurance policy: Some homeowners insurance policies will cover needing to call an emergency plumbing service, like Marv's Plumbing, for something like a burst pipe. But they aren't going to cover the cost of a clogged sewer line that results in an overflowing toilet. Other insurance policies won't cover the cost of dealing with any plumbing issues at all, especially not any resulting damage. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with your insurance policy and to consider switching plans or providers if you live in an area where burst pipes are common and you want them to be covered.