It’s 9pm on a Saturday, you’re snuggled up with your favorite blanket, watching your Handle favorite show when suddenly you notice a chill in the air. You check your heat vent, the thermostat, the circuit breaker box, everything you can think of – only to discover that your heating system has stopped working.
You know what they say – anything that can go wrong, most often will. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be prepared in advance for ill-timed household emergencies that will inevitably pop up. Here are tips on how to handle 5 such problems you’re bound to encounter – but hopefully won’t.
Kitchen Fire
Keep a fire extinguisher in or nearby your kitchen and be sure to learn how to use it. Do not try to smother flames with a towel or anything else that could catch fire. Instead, use a pot lid to extinguish stove top flames or sprinkle them with baking soda. If you’re faced with an oven fire, keep the oven door closed and carefully turn the oven off; the fire should put itself out. If you are unable to extinguish a kitchen fire quickly, evacuate your house and call 911 from a safe location.
Gas Leak
If you notice that familiar rotten egg odor associated with a gas leak, evacuate the premises and call your gas company’s emergency help line or 911 from a safe location. Do not reenter your home until you are told it is safe to do so.
Locked Out
At one time or another, you’re bound to get locked out of your house. And while keeping a spare key under the doormat or in a magnetic key hider is convenient, it can also pose a security risk. Instead, leave a spare key with a trusted friend, neighbor, or family member or, in a secret hiding place even Houdini couldn’t locate.
Animal Intruder
If an unwelcome guest finds its way into your home, keep it contained in one room or area of your home as best you can. Close all interior doors and open a window where the critter is contained, thus giving it a convenient escape route. If it chooses to linger beyond your patience threshold, contact your local animal control center.
Burst Plumbing Pipe
If you see water gushing from a pipe, prompt action is necessary to prevent damage to your property and belongings. First, shut off the water valve to the burst or leaking pipe, then shut off the main water valve. Once all water has been shut off, place a bucket or large bowl under the damaged pipe and slowly open the two valves to drain any remaining water. Then, contact your trusted plumber to assess and remedy the situation.
That would be us – Eagle Service Company. We’ve been handling plumbing, heating and cooling problems – large and small – for decades. Today, we’re more experienced and better equipped to do the same for you.
