Home emergencies typically happen when you aren’t prepared for them. All of a sudden, you could be faced with an issue that could cost you time and money. Let’s consider some of the more frequent household emergencies and how you can respond to them.
Overflowing Toilet
Your toilet may overflow when it doesn’t drain properly and cannot stop running. The first thing you need to do is to look for the valve on the back of your toilet, located near your wall. Turn it to the right to shut off the flow of water. Mop up any standing water before it can damage your floor. When you’re done, check for problems in the fill tube and float. If you don’t see anything, you likely have a clog. Always have a quality toilet plunger and snake on hand for these issues.
Kitchen Grease Fire
Home fires can often be avoided with a few safety precautions, but the number one rule for a grease fire is to never use water on it. Water will cause the grease to splash up and often out of the pan, making the fire worse. If you can get to a metal lid in time, cover the entire pot until the fire goes out from lack of oxygen. You can then carefully remove the lid. If you don’t have a lid nearby, grab a box of baking soda to douse the flames. It’s a good idea to keep a box near your stove at all times, just for this purpose.
Ant Infestation
If you see any ants in your home, get rid of them before cleaning up the area they were in. Use a vinegar spray to remove any scent they may have left behind. Next, check for any gaps or cracks in your doors, floorboards, and windows where the ants could be letting themselves in. If you keep having a problem, set out ant traps. You may need to call in a professional if the traps don’t solve the infestation. Remember, an infestation of black carpenter ants can cause damage to your home, so call a professional right away if this is the type of infestation you have.
Flooded Basement
You should never enter your basement if it is flooded with water before calling your utility company first. After they have shut off the gas and electricity to your home, carefully venture into the room to survey the damage. You may need to call in a professional to help you clean up, especially if the water damage is extensive. Be prepared to throw things out that you aren’t able to clean and disinfect.
Broken or Burst Pipes
Your home will have a main water valve that will control the flow of water into the entire house. You’ll often find this in your basement or alongside your home. If you find a bad leak, make sure your first order of business is to turn this valve off. Leaving it on will cause extensive water damage to happen. Check out your pipes to find out how bad the damage is and what you will need to replace them. If your pipes burst due to freezing water, look into pipe insulation.
Carbon Monoxide Leak
Carbon monoxide can cause severe illness and death quite quickly. Unfortunately, it is a colorless, odorless gas that you won’t be able to smell until it is too late. Always use a quality carbon monoxide detector in your home on every floor. Test the batteries once a month. Make sure your fireplace, water heater, and gas furnace all vent outside of the house correctly. You should also have every gas appliance professionally inspected once a year.
Paying for Emergency Repairs
Home emergencies can take anyone by surprise. More often than not, you’ll end up shelling out a good chunk of change to pay for an emergency home repair. It’s important to remember that homeownership comes with this responsibility. One way to make sure you have the money to pay for unexpected repairs is to have an emergency savings account just for this issue. Put a little bit of money away every payday until you have enough to cover a problem. If you can’t save money or are caught off-guard, consider using a credit card. You may also consider emergency loans for bad credit when you don’t have the money on hand to take care of a home emergency. If your credit is poor, you’ll still be eligible for this type of loan. It will give you the money you need to quickly take care of the problem.
