Water can be one of the most destructive forces known to man. It's everybody's friend when it's instantly available for cooking, washing or cleaning, but it can be a nightmare scenario if something breaks and you get an extensive flood. Most people tend to take their plumbing systems for granted, but what should you be bearing in mind if you want to stay away from such a nightmare?

Getting Prepared

Firstly, you need to look at the worst-case scenario in order to plan your best to prevent it. A catastrophic failure can lead to an extensive flood and water is not respectful of boundaries, so this could involve your neighbours – up, down or sideways – in the worst-case.

You need to have a good look at your home insurance policy to see what the small print says. The insurers know the potential liability involved and will try and ensure that you are focused as well. How much attention has been paid to the integrity of the pipes in your home, and are you making sure that they cannot freeze in those rare but devastating winter events?

Urgent Action

Always move quickly if you see that any part of the system has sprung a leak. Shift everything that you can out of the path of any escaping water, while you try to stem the flow and call the emergency plumber. Remember that the more things that you can save from infiltration, the less cost you will have to meet down the road.

Warning Signs

While plumbing disasters can happen out of the blue, often there are tell-tale signs that something is going wrong before. If you can see even the smallest leak, do something about it. You should never ignore taps that are dripping incessantly, or turn your nose up (quite literally) at a damp smell in your bathroom. Always ensure that vulnerable pipes are lagged, if there is any risk of freezing and bursting.

Where's The Shut-off?

If you're not familiar with its location, find out where the main shut-off valve is (often called a stopcock), so that you know where to go to at a moment's notice. Typically, you will find this underneath the kitchen sink. This ought to stem the flow from the mains, and therefore keep the total volume of water in check.

Being Proactive

If you're not sure how long it's been since you had a complete once-over, call out your plumber now to get an evaluation.

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