What to do first in a plumbing emergency in Newcastle (and when to call a plumber)

It is 2 a.m., there is water coming through the ceiling, and your first instinct is to panic. Do these things in order and you will limit the damage before help arrives. This guide is from Flow Plumbing Solutions, a 24/7 plumber in Mayfield West.

Step 1: Stop the water

Know where your main stop tap is before you need it. It is commonly near the water meter at the front of the property, or where the main pipe enters the house. Turn it clockwise to close. If only one fixture is the problem, use its own isolation valve: under the sink, behind the toilet, or beside the washing machine tap.

Step 2: Make it electrically safe

If water is near power points, appliances or the switchboard, turn the power off at the switchboard first (if you can reach it without standing in water). If you cannot do that safely, stay out and call 000.

Step 3: Deal with hot water leaks

A leaking hot water system needs its cold water supply isolated, and the power or gas to it turned off. Do not touch the relief valve. Hot water can scald.

Step 4: Sewage and overflowing toilets

Stop flushing and stop running taps and the washing machine, because everything leads to the same blocked pipe. Keep children and pets away from any overflow and avoid contact with the water. It is a health risk, not just a mess.

Step 5: Smell gas?

Leave the building, do not operate switches or flames, and call 000 if there is any danger. Use the emergency number for your gas network (on your bill), then call a licensed gasfitter for the repair.

Emergency or can it wait?

Call now: burst pipes, water you cannot stop, sewage backing up, no water at all, gas smells, water near electrics. Book a time: slow drips, a single slow drain, a running toilet, a worn tap washer.

What to tell the plumber

• Your suburb and street address
• What you can see or hear, and where
• What you have already shut off
• Whether anyone is at risk

Take photos of damage before you clean up. Your insurer will want them.

Flow Plumbing Solutions answers calls around the clock across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Maitland. Ring 0461 408 283.

More from us: Flow Plumbing Solutions on Google Maps.

Read more: Blocked drains in Mayfield West: what causes them and how they get fixed