How to Deal with Common Household Emergencies

As every homeowner knows, there are occasions when things go wrong in and around the property that can be stressful and time-consuming to rectify. Many homeowners will have had experience with flooding from an appliance, a burst water pipe or a blocked toilet. These can occur regardless of the age of your home and how well maintained it is. In all common household emergencies, the key is to stay calm but to act quickly to rectify the problem. You can resolve some issues yourself, but others may require the employment of professionals to rectify them. In this article, three common household emergencies will be discussed with advice on how to rectify them in a quick and calm manner.

Roof Damage

For minor to moderate roof damage, as often caused by strong storms, the costs for repair can vary, typically between $200 and $800. This can be a significant financial outlay for many homeowners and can put strains on family budgets. Roof damage that is left untreated can result in water damage that will dramatically increase the costs of repair. One key action any homeowner can take is to regularly inspect the roof of the property. This should be done six-monthly and on the morning after any heavy storms. A thorough visual inspection should indicate the locations of any broken roof tiles and help to ascertain the degree of total damage. In cases of minor roof damage (such as a few broken or missing roof tiles) it can be an easy fix. If you are in good health and fully mobile, it can make sense to do the job yourself, saving you a considerable amount of cash. Simply ensure you have a sturdy and safe ladder and replace the broken or missing tiles with new ones. For a comprehensive description of this process see here.

Animal Infestation

It can be a distressing event to find that your home has an infestation of unwanted creatures. Mice and rats are common culprits for entering your home and taking up residence and it is imperative that they are dealt with quickly. Such animals can chew through cables and can leave waste material in water tanks which can be highly hazardous to the health of the occupants if it gets into the water supply. If the infestation is small, homeowners can often solve the problem by purchasing a range of humane rodent traps that allow the creatures to be trapped but released unscathed back into the wild. Many homeowners would not relish such a task though. For many people it makes better sense to call on the assistance of pest control experts such as Shield Pest Control who have years of experience with quickly and efficiently ridding your home of a range of animal infestations.

Minor flooding

Many homeowners will have experienced a minor flood. This event can be common in winter as the result of frozen pipes cracking or from a faulty washing appliance. The key is to remain calm and to firstly locate the shut-off valve to stop the water supply. This is located wherever the water enters the property. This can be under your main kitchen sink or in the downstairs toilet, for example. If the flooding is minimal, it can be a case of simply mopping and drying the affected area, although it is wise to seek the assistance of a plumber if the event is caused by damaged pipework to prevent further issues.