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Home Repair Tool
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Home Repair: Dealing with Emergencies by Rick Peters
Unlike a torn screen or a squeaky door, plumbing and electrical 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 place. 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
Hacksaw
Tubing 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 keep a plunger on hand as well as a bucket and some clean rags or towels for containing spills or leaks. Finally, in the case of a dire emergency, write your plumber's phone number on a piece of tape and attach this 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: non-flanged and flanged. I recommend keeping both types on hand: the non-flanged plunger for bathroom sinks and some tubs, and the flanged plunger for toilets and kitchen sinks.
Clogs, while unpleasant, don't create quite the excitement of water spewing out of a wall, floor or ceiling. In these instances, it's imperative that everyone in your home knows not only where the main water shut-off is, but also how to turn it off. Make sure there's a clear path to the shut-off valve so it's easy to reach. If you do encounter a leak, the first tasks are to shut off the water and then find the source of the leak. It some cases, it's apparent; the water is pouring out of a pipe that burst. At other times you'll have to do a little detective work to trace it down. Start by looking for obvious clues like a newly installed picture or an overflowing sink or toilet. If the source isn't obvious, try tracing the water flow back to the nearest fixture.
Small leaks can be temporarily plugged with epoxy putty or plumber's putty. You can find epoxy putty at virtually every home center and hardware store - and for good reason. It's easy to use and it's waterproof. Most versions come in a Tootsie-Roll like log with two different-color inner and outer layers. When a piece is cut off and the two parts are massaged together, the epoxy is activated. Just apply it to the leak and let it set up before turning the water back on. If you don't have epoxy putty on hand, plumber's putty will temporarily staunch the flow from a small leak. Pull a generous chunk of putty out of the can and roll it around in your hand until it's flexible. Then apply it to the pipe. As with epoxy putty, plumber's putty is just a temporary fix 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 onto a pipe, or vice-versa, you may be able to eliminate the leak by disassembling the connection, installing fresh Teflon tape or pipe joint compound, and reassembling the connection. Teflon tape is a thin membrane that wraps easily around pipe threads. Pipe joint compound is a paste-like substance that comes in squeeze tubes for easy application.
Electrical Emergencies
You're enjoying your favorite TV show and suddenly the lights go out. What 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 working flashlight with spare bulb and batteries
Electrical testers (like a circuit tester, or neon tester, with a bulb that lights when 110 volts passes through it)
A receptacle analyzer that will tell you the condition of a receptacle at a glance (to use one, you just plug it into a receptacle)
A digital multi-meter
Spare fuses or breakers
Replacement parts (receptacles, single-pole and 3-way switches)
Electrical hand tools
Screwdrivers
Wire strippers
Diagonal cutters
Needle-nose pliers
Fuse puller (if your home has cartridge style fuses)
Finally, write the power company's phone number on a piece of tape along with the number of your electrician (for dire emergencies) and attach this to the inside lid 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 your entire home is dark, look out the window at your neighbors' homes. If they're dark too, odds are it's the power company. If the outage appears to be affecting just your home, try flipping on various lights to identify which rooms are affected. If power is out only to a specific device (a TV, lamp, or appliance), check to make sure it's plugged in, someone hasn't flipped a switch to a controlled receptacle or the bulb hasn't simply burned out.
If the power is out house-wide, 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 breaker: flip it off, then on. If you know power is out only to a portion of your home, it's most likely a blown fuse or tripped breaker in a branch circuit. Check your fuses or breakers and replace or reset them as needed. If the main breaker isn't tripped and you still have no power, it's the power company. Give them a call to see what's up and how long it will be until they restore power.
About the Author
For hundreds of timesaving tips about plumbing, electrical work, and improvements to your home and hard, visit RonHazelton.Com, where you'll also find printable, illustrated step-by-step instructions, free instructional videos, downloadable 3-D plans, and more.