Water leaks can cause major problems like flooding and water damage. They can also cause your utility bills to shoot up. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average leak in a U.S. household loses an average of 10,000+ gallons of water. This is why you need to act fast if you spot a water leak. Here are some things you can do to contain the situation.

Find the Stopcock

This is the first and most logical step to getting things under control. If you have spotted a water leak in your home, you need to cut off the water supply so that water doesn't keep leaving the pipes. To cut off the water supply to your home and stop the water from leaking, you need to find the stopcock. Sometimes called a stop tap, the stopcock is a small tap that you can use to turn the water supply on and off. The majority of internal stopcocks are located on the ground floor under the kitchen sink. Depending on how your water system is installed, you may also have an individual stopcock for different areas of the home. However, in emergency situations, you should focus on the main stopcock. Once you manage to turn this off, switch on the faucets to drain your pipes.

Turn Off Your Water Heater

A water leak can also originate from the water heater. If you find that that's where it is, and you have a storage-tank water heater, you will need to cut off the water supply to the water heater so you can minimize leakage. There should be a valve near the storage tank water heater that you can turn off. If, however, the valve is broken, you can just cut off the main water supply. You will also need to employ the tank, and this can be done by running the hot water faucets. Because there will be no water to heat in the tank, you should also turn off the actual heater to avoid damage. There will be a circuit breaker that supplies your boiler.

Call a Professional

Trying to fix a water leak on your own is not a good idea unless you have experience dealing with such problems. The consequences of a failed plumbing job can be catastrophic. This is why it's a good idea to let a 24 hour plumber handle the leak. If the problem is linked to the mains or communication pipes, then you must contact the regional water supplier. Otherwise, find the nearest 24 hour plumber and get the issue fixed as soon as possible. Finally, if the leak originates from the roof, then you will also need to get in touch with the roofing contractor.

These are some of the things you should do when you spot a water leak in your home. A water leak should be treated as an emergency. If you end up with burst pipes, the cost of correcting the water damage will be very high. Get in touch with us today if you need a 24 hour plumber to help with a water leak.