subject: Basic Plumbing - 3 Things You Should Know [print this page] Plumbing can be a challenging job depending on the type of plumbing work that you are doing. There are a number of things that you want to keep in mind when trying to tackle any type of plumbing job. You always want to make sure that the water in your home is turned off to prevent accidents. In older homes or homes that are attached to the gas line you always want to make sure that the gas is off well. Then if you are still experiencing issues with the plumbing issue you need to know when to call in the professionals.
The water shutoffs are located in different places depending on the type of home you are experiencing the issue in. You need to decide if it is worth shutting only off the affected appliance or if the leak is large then possible shutting off the main water line would be the better option. Once you have decided on which shut off values you are going to use go and shut them off and call in a professional plumber before any further damage is done to the surrounding area or plumbing.
If you are experiencing a water leak that has hot water chances are your hot water heater is controlled by gas. Knowing where the main gas shutoff valve is goo do to know to prevent any further damage or accidents. So always know where the main shut off value is in your home for the Gas line. Gas lines are not always easily acceptable and you may still want to call in a professional to have them turn it off for you if you are unsure about anything.
Once you have shut off the necessary gas and water lines it is a good idea to then contact a professional plumber. Most professional plumbers are available 24 hours a day. So they can be at your home in an emergency to repair the damage that has taken place. If you are experiencing replacement issues with large projects such as tub replacements, shower fixtures or even hot water heaters it is best to call the professionals in for these types of repairs. They know the type of plumbing to be expected and in some cities there are very specific city codes that need to be followed before these can be properly replaced. If you have a main line that is frozen or stopped then calling a professional will prevent the spread of the damage into other areas.
