News has it that a possible earthquake can hit the state of California at any given time. The biggest question right now is, “Are we prepared?” Your home is most likely to get affected the most by an earthquake. When an earthquake is said to happen soon, you should take necessary precautions to ensure that your home is a safe for you and your family.
Earthquakes affect your property and your assets greatly. Your plumbing system is the first thing that will be severly damaged in an earthquake. Any type of damage to your plumbing system can instantly cause flooding and disrupt your home. It’s your responsibility to make sure your plumbing system is robust and stable. Making the house’s plumbing system earthquake-proof is the first thing you should do when preparing for an earthquake.
Here’s how you can ensure earthquake-proof plumbing systems:
Gas leaks: Make sure the gas is turned off. The last thing you’d want is a gas leak. They can be extremely toxic and can cause serious health issues to you and your family. You should be familiar with operating the gas line. If you have an automatic gas shutoff valve, then that makes it easier for you. The shakeup from the earthquake can shut off the gas valve automatically so there’s no possible chance of a gas leak at any time. If there isn’t an automatic shut off valve then you might have to manually shut it off by using a wrench.
Know where the valves are: You need to know the locations of all present valves in the system. In cases where you don’t have an automatic shut off valve, you need to know where the water and gas valves are located so you can manually shut them off. This can lessen the damage caused by the earthquake since the water valve is switched off and there’s no flooding or rupture caused.
Slab leak: Slab leaks are a source of extreme damage. You need to know how to spot a slab leak so you can be prepared beforehand. Any leak found underneath the physical slab of the house is known as a slab leak. You can identify slab leaks in the following ways:
Several cracks found in walls
A major drop in the pressure of normal and hot water
Wet spots found on the floor
unusually high water bill
the constant sound of running water
mold or mildew
As soon as you see these signs, you should contact your plumber and get qualified advice from them after a serious diagnosis.
Make sure there isn’t any broken pipe in the system as this may cause some serious issues during the repair. The first step to making sure your plumbing system is earthquake-proof is by calling a certified plumber or plumbing agency to come over and diagnose the whole system, from the tanks and pipes to the valves. A plumber would give more insight into areas that need more attention. A professional assessment of your plumbing system and possible threats to it will give you a more clear idea of how to tackle those issues. Make sure your home is as safe as possible in such an emergency.
