Call (330) 302-2992 Emergency Plumbing in Youngstown
Water from a burst pipe spreads quickly, and sewage backing up through a floor drain gets worse with every flush and every load of laundry. The first steps need no tools: close the main valve, keep away from electricity, and keep people and pets away from sewage.
When you call, say what is leaking or backing up, where it is in the house, and whether the main valve is closed.
Stopping the Water at the Main Valve
The main valve sits where the water service enters the house. Find it before it is needed; how the service line, the meter and the valve fit together is covered under Know Your System.
- Go to the main valve, usually low on the foundation wall facing the street, near the water meter.
- Turn a round wheel handle clockwise until it stops, or a lever handle a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe.
- If the handle will not move by hand, leave it for a plumber rather than force it, since an old valve stem can snap; the water utility can close the shutoff at the curb.
- Open a faucet on the lowest floor and one upstairs to drain the pipes and take the pressure off the leak.
- If the leak is at the water heater, or the water will be off for long, switch off an electric heater’s breaker if the panel can be reached on a dry floor, or turn a gas heater’s control to the pilot setting.
In a basement, look low on the front wall where the pipe comes through the concrete, sometimes behind shelving or paneling. Without a basement, check the utility room near the water heater or the crawl-space hatch. A valve left unturned for years can stick or leak at the stem, which is better found on an ordinary day than in a flood.
First Moves for Three Plumbing Emergencies
| Emergency | Do right now | Do not do | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burst or split pipe | Close the main valve, then open the lowest faucet to drain the line. | Wade into water near outlets, cords or appliances, or touch a switch with wet hands. | Move belongings off the wet floor, photograph the damage for the insurer, and call for the repair. |
| Frozen pipe, no water at a faucet | Open that faucet and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or warm towels, starting nearest the faucet. | Use a torch, an open flame, or a space heater left running unattended. | Watch the pipe as water returns; a drip or spray means a split, so close the main valve. |
| Sewage coming up through a floor drain | Stop running water and flushing anywhere in the house, washer and dishwasher included. | Pour chemical drain cleaner into the drain, or let children or pets near the water. | Clean up in rubber gloves and boots, and have the main line cleared and checked with a camera. |
How do I thaw a frozen pipe safely?
Open the faucet the pipe feeds and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer, a heating pad or hot, wet towels, working back from the faucet. Never use a torch or any open flame: it can start a fire inside the wall and turn trapped water to steam that splits the pipe. If the frozen section is inside a wall, or a leak appears as it thaws, close the main valve and call.
Is it safe to walk through water near electrical outlets?
No. Keep out of standing water that touches outlets, cords or appliances, and do not unplug anything while wet. Switch off the power to the area only if the breaker panel can be reached on a dry floor; otherwise keep away from the water and call the electric utility.
What makes a sewage backup hazardous?
Sewage carries bacteria and viruses and soaks into drywall, carpet and anything on the floor. Keep children and pets away, wear rubber gloves and boots, and wash any skin it touches. Do not run water or flush until the line is cleared, and expect soaked carpet and padding to be thrown out rather than cleaned.
Once the water is off and nothing is spreading, the repair need not be rushed: describe what happened through the Book Service form, and the work can be arranged.
Where and When Pipes Freeze
Pipes freeze where cold air reaches them, not where the house feels coldest. In older Youngstown houses that usually means supply lines in exterior walls, pipes under a sink on an outside wall, an unheated basement corner by a drafty rim joist, and the crawl space under a porch or an addition, where pipes often run bare.
The risk peaks in a cold snap, when nights well below zero follow a mild spell, and a split usually shows only once the ice melts.
- On the coldest nights, open the cabinets under sinks on outside walls and let those faucets drip, which keeps pressure from building behind the ice.
- Keep the heat at 55°F or higher in a house or rental unit left empty.
- In the fall, close the inside valve to each outdoor faucet, drain the faucet and disconnect the hose.
- Wrap exposed pipes in the crawl space and close the gaps that let wind in.
A pipe that has already split needs the damaged section replaced, covered under pipe repair.
Close the Valve, Then Call
With the main valve shut and everyone clear of standing water near power, call and say what has burst, frozen or backed up.