There are a number of plumbing emergencies in a household that can send people into a panic. This is why any good professional plumbing contractor offers 24-hour service to handle these problems: we’ll put your mind at ease when a plumbing disaster strikes.

However, even before our plumbers reach you for emergency plumbing in Durham, NC, there are a few steps you can take to prevent further damage. For example, you can take charge of an issue like an overflowing toilet—a scary problem nobody wants to see happen—so you won’t be in a panic. The immediate danger will be gone, and you can relax knowing that we’ll soon be on the job to provide repairs to restore your bathroom to you.

First, turn off the feed line to the tank

What’s the “feed line”? It’s the plastic tube coming from the wall that connects to the toilet’s tank. There’s a valve on it near where it leaves the wall. Turn the valve counterclockwise and it will shut off the flow of water to the toilet. This will stop the overflowing.

What if you don’t see a valve?

Then you have an older model of toilet. Don’t panic, however. You can still stop the flow of water. Take off the lid over the tank and carefully set it down where it won’t fall over and break. (The porcelain lid is an expensive item to replace, so don’t damage it by moving too hastily.) Find the chain connected to the stopper and lift it up so that it cuts off the water flow. Find an object to keep the chait propped up until the problem is fixed.

We also strongly recommend you arrange to have a new toilet installed. A toilet this old is a major water-waster.

Call for professionals plumbers

At this point, get on the phone and contact our emergency plumbing professional, and they’ll head on out to help.

Soak up the water

While we’re on the way, place newspaper or towels around the area where water spilled. Soak up as much water as possible so it doesn’t seep down into the flooring material. This is especially important if there are bacteria and contaminants in the water.

Bud Matthews Services is here in the Durham area for all your home service needs.