The emergency services in most places consist of police, fire service and ambulance, with the lifeboat included in certain coastal areas, but that is not to say other help isn’t needed urgently either. A plumbing emergency, for instance, is a situation where water is causing a problem that could be dangerous or destructive to property or that causes a highly unpleasant state of affairs. But exactly what is considered a plumbing emergency?
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines an emergency as “an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action”. The widespread image of an emergency situation involves fast-moving response vehicles with sirens blaring, and while an emergency plumber may not arrive at your door with such drama, they will get there as quickly as they can, armed with the equipment and the skills needed to rectify matters decisively. It is a combination of excellent training and experience, along with a desire to help.
The plumbing is a basic component of any home or business premises, old or new, and the plumbing may be in good condition, or it may leave a lot to be desired. If it was installed long before your time, you may need to upgrade it at some stage, but for now, you have to live with it. Even if you were there when it was installed, the chances are you let the experts get on with it and do what they thought best, rather than weighing in with your well-intentioned contributions to the proceedings.
The plumbing is a carefully designed system that can be all over the building, with bathrooms on any floor we want them, even if there is usually only one kitchen and it is located by the back door. The idea is to harness the power of water for washing and use its life-giving properties as well as its ability to cook things when boiled. But it is strictly controlled so that it serves our purposes and does no harm in the process.
Water Leaks Inside
When water gets out of the plumbing system and into the house, through a burst pipe or a leaking joint, it can cause untold damage to the structure of the building. It can ruin furnishings and clothes, and destroy books and electronic equipment. It can wreak havoc in lives that depend so heavily on computers and the internet and, more dangerously, get into the electrical system and introduce the possibility of electrocution. And all this trouble can be caused by this essential life-giving substance. That is why it is no exaggeration to describe something as a plumbing emergency, and when it is, you need to call an emergency plumber.
Water Leaks Outside
Trouble can occur outside the building too, because there are incoming and outgoing pipes under the ground in the yard and beneath that beautifully maintained garden or that expensively paved driveway. A cracked pipe out there can cause water pressure to drop dramatically, and it is not easy for an untrained person to even know where it is. Problems can even be caused by tree roots digging into PVC pipes in their entirely natural quest for the moisture contained in the soil. The situation can escalate quite quickly and a house with no running water but a lake in the lawn can be regarded as a plumbing emergency.
Pipe or Drain Blockages
Another kind of emergency can be caused by a blockage, and in this case, the trouble is often the result of simple carelessness on the part of someone going about their daily business at home or at work. It is all too easy to abuse the part of the plumbing system that takes water out rather than bringing the fresh stuff in. Just as rivers used to be used as sewers and garbage disposal systems – and to our shame they still are in certain places – the drains and toilets in our buildings are easy to see as quick exit routes for things we don’t want in the house.
Any emergency plumber like J.O. Plumbing can keep people entertained with stories of what they discovered to be the cause of blockages over the years, and while they may be amusing in a rather disgusting way, they really are a sad indictment of general ignorance and unthinking behaviour.
What to do in a Plumbing Emergency
While not every plumber in Melbourne and across Australia has a 24-hour emergency service, those that do are not concerned with what or who caused your particular emergency. They are not there to judge, but to help, and if they give you advice about how to avoid calling on them again in the future, it is for your own benefit. We all need expert help at various times and although we may pick up tips, we don’t become experts ourselves. You may decide for yourself what constitutes a plumbing emergency, and you will be paying for the service anyway, so if it is an emergency to you, go ahead and secure the help of someone qualified to give it.
Do you have a plumbing emergency? Contact J.O Plumbing Today
If you are dealing with a blocked drain in Narre Warren or any other plumbing emergency in Melbourne’s Eastern suburbs. Contact us today to see how we can help.
