SAFETY TIPS

The most important objective is to stop the flow of water as soon as possible.

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Interior: If you have a major leak in your home, turn off your homes main water shut-off valve immediately and call a plumber.

Exterior: If you suspect there is an exterior water main break, you will need a water key to turn the water off from the municipalities connection. You can also call your local municipality and have them diagnose the issue and confirm whether the break is on their side (they will take care of the work at their cost) or on your side (you will have to hire a plumber to take care of the work).

It is important to know where your shut off locations are, especially in the case of an emergency:

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Interior: Main Water shut-off valve &  Gas shut-off valve

Interior: Boiler shut down & water supply shut off (specifically if you have in-floor heating)

Exterior: Municipality curbside connection location & Inspection chamber location

If you have a gas leak you will most likely smell rotten eggs, this can be extremely dangerous so please contact a gas technician as soon as possible.  Sometimes an exhaust leak from a gas appliance can cause headaches and nausea so make sure you have working CO2 detectors in your home. 

Burst pipes from freezing hose bibs are quite common. Although "frost free hose bibs" are a safer option than regular hose bibs - some people don't realize they are not fail proof and can still potentially split/leak if not winterized properly. One way to winterize your hose bib is to remove all splitters & hoses from the hose bib during freezing conditions.

Also, make sure to service your heating systems in the fall to avoid losing heat over the cold winter months.

This can be caused by a few issues - most commonly your PRV has failed, or there may be a build up of debris in your pipes. It can also indicate a break in your exterior watermain or an interior pipe. This can be a very costly issue so it's a good idea to have it checked out as soon as possible to mitigate any further issues.

Did you know that when you regularly maintain your plumbing & heating systems it not only lengthens the life of your equipment, but it can also help with the health of your family (poor air quality from dirty furnace filters can cause health issues), as well as save costs on your energy bills.

Make sure that your appliances and equipment (and furniture) have been anchored to your walls.  This helps avoid any equipment/appliances falling over in the case of an earthquake and can help prevent any potential injuries or damage that could arise.

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Earthquake valves can be installed on your gas meter, this will shut off the gas supply during an earthquake. Also be sure to ask your insurance agent if there are any insurance benefits by adding on these safety measures.