Barrie and Newmarket in Ontario are beautiful places, bounded by water and not far from the bright lights of Toronto. In fact, the area is among the top five of small towns in best places to live in Canada—but even the ideal community and location cannot prevent the occasional need for an emergency plumber.
More often than not, a dripping tap just needs a new washer, but sometimes it can be a sign of something more serious so it is best to get it sorted out quickly. Usually a dripping tap can be handled without calling out an emergency plumber, but if a leak is rapidly increasing in severity, do not attempt to do-it-yourself or wait for a friend or family member to call it in—have it assessed as soon as possible.
Frozen Pipe Emergencies
Frozen pipes occur when the weather becomes so cold that the water in pipes, whether exposed or underground, freezes. As everyone knows, water expands as it freezes. This expansion is not a problem unless the freezing occurs inside a confined space—like a water pipe! The pressure of the expanding water not only stops water from flowing into your home, but it also presses on the inside of the pipe, causing splits and breaks.
Such pipe damage can easily go unnoticed (especially if you have gone away for some winter sunshine) until the pipes thaw again, and then wreak havoc by flooding your home and destroying carpets, furniture, and appliances. Prevent your pipes from freezing by insulating them with lagging and, in the event of particularly cold snaps, leaving a small flow of water running from the taps. This keeps the water moving so that it is not static enough to freeze.
Precautionary Measures
All the precautions in the world cannot prevent the occasional household disaster, so try to have an up-to-date list of emergency repairmen and suppliers, including Newmarket or Barrie drain contractors amongst others. Trying to source a reputable workman in the midst of a crisis is unlikely to be conducive to your finding the best people for the job: so make the list long before you need it. To paraphrase the saying: better to have the list and not need it, than need it and not have it.
Sources
How to Prepare for an Emergency, Real Simple
Preventing and Thawing Frozen Pipes, American Red Cross
