Common Household Emergencies – And How to Handle Them

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Imagine living in a world where nothing goes wrong. No traffic jams to make you late, no viruses to cause your computer to crash, and no rain during your child’s all-day sporting event. Sadly, but that kind of “perfect” doesn’t exist.

So, what’s the good news? Well, with a little forethought and preparedness, you can prevent common household mishaps from becoming costly, damaging, disasters. Here’s how.

Burst Pipe. A burst pipe can cause severe damage in very little time. The second you see or hear water gushing, close the valve closest to the pipe in question, then shut off the main water supply valve. Once you’re certain the main valve is completely closed, grab some buckets, reopen the smaller valve, and slowly drain any remaining water.

Power Outage. Disconnect all appliances and electronics so that once power is restored, the electrical surge won’t damage them. Use flashlights and LED candles for illumination. If you must use real candles, do so with extreme caution and blow them out before leaving the house or going to bed.

Gas Leak. The second you suspect a gas leak, whether or not your carbon monoxide detector alerts you or a gas or rotten egg odor, evacuate the house immediately and call your local gas company from a safe location.

Flooded Basement. Resist the urge to run into your flooded basement to gather valuable belongings. Turn off the circuit breaker to the house or call your utility company and ask them to do it for you if you can’t reach the breaker without stepping in water. Also, put on rubber waterproof boots and gloves to protect against toxins in the water.

Damaged Roof. If a section of your roof suffers storm damage, nail down a tarp with wood strips once the weather passes to prevent water damage. Better yet, contact a pro to handle the job for you for safety’s sake and a more permanent fix.

Furnace Malfunction. Before calling an HVAC company for repair, make sure the thermostat wasn’t accidentally shut off or that the batteries don’t need replacing. Then check to see if a clogged filter or tripped circuit breaker is the cause; if so, you’ve just saved yourself the cost of a repair visit.

Getting Locked Out. Not only is getting locked out of your home inconvenient and time-consuming, but it can also be quite embarrassing. Leave a spare key with a trusted neighbor or friend instead of hiding one under a fake rock or under the side porch door mat. Better yet, convert at least one lock to a combo lock that can be accessed with a code.

Kitchen Fire. Keep a handheld fire extinguisher nearby and educate yourself and all adult members of your household on proper use. Otherwise, you could end up spreading flames instead of extinguishing them. If you don’t have one, douse a stovetop pan or toaster oven flare up with baking soda. You can also extinguish small flames with a pot lid. Don’t pour water on flames or try to smother them with a dishtowel or anything else flammable. And never leave cooking food unattended.

Flush Failure. Your first line of defense is prevention, so don’t use your toilet as a trash can. If you do encounter a clog, remove enough water so that the bowl is only about two-thirds full. Then, using a quality toilet plunger, give it a series of forceful thrusts until you hear things loosen up. You can also try pouring a tea kettle of piping hot (not boiling) water in the bowl, waiting 15 minutes, and trying the plunger again.

How can we help? Zaman Roofing is your full-resource service company for all things roofing – maintenance, repair, replacement, and new construction. Don’t take chances with Zaman Roofing on hand to take care of business.