There are problems and there are emergencies. These two may be similar but with emergencies, any delay in responding to the problem could result in much more serious issues. Many water and drain issues are not treated as emergencies and sometimes, the consequences are serious.

When you have a plumbing issue, you should be able to decide quickly if what you're looking at is a problem that you can fix at your convenience or one that you need to respond to immediately.

Burst Water Main

When your water main bursts, you'll have no option but to turn off the water to your entire home. This means that unless the problem is fixed, you will not be able to use running water inside your home. This is more than an inconvenience because water is something you make use of every day in one way or another. Therefore, this is a problem that has to be fixed ASAP.

Burst Sewer Line

If one of the drain pipes in your home is damaged and you're not able to fix it immediately, you can simply avoid using the associated fixture or faucet until the problem is handled. Unfortunately, if it's your sewer line that has burst, you'll have to stop using all fixtures and faucets inside your home. That means no sinks, toilets, showers, bathtubs or appliances that use water.

This is enough to render your house uninhabitable. Therefore, this problem will have to be corrected as swiftly as possible. Additionally, the contents spilling out of the sewer will not just be an eyesore, they'll also constitute an environmental hazard. People, animals and plants could get sick by being exposed to sewage. This means that even your neighbors may raise an official complaint.

Clogged Toilets

When you have one or more clogged toilet in your house, it's a good idea to have it fixed as quickly as possible. The odors from a blocked toilet can make it difficult to live inside your home. Additionally, if the contents of the clogged toilet overflow, you'll have a health hazard in your hands.

Broken Pipe Inside a Wall or Near Structural Parts

Water doesn't mix well with structural parts of a house. Water can weaken these structures and compromise your home's structural integrity. When you notice a water leak in these sensitive areas, have the problem fixed as soon as possible or you could end up making very expensive repairs.

For more information, contact a company like Roto-Rooter.