No one wants to deal with an emergency home repair, especially when we’re already dealing with so much. In order to help keep you safe at home, it’s important to be aware of the things that can go wrong. Follow these tips to ensure you stay safe and prevent any of these common emergency home repairs from happening.
1. Clogged Toilet
One of the most common emergency home repairs is a clogged toilet. The easiest way to keep your toilet running smoothly? Only flush toilet paper down your toilet. Do not treat your toilet like a garbage can and throw anything down there. Make sure to throw any paper towels and disinfectant wipes into the trash and not into your toilet. These items can overflow the toilet, cause clogged pipes, and lead to expensive repairs. Besides these issues, every clog weakens your pipes and shortens their lifespan, meaning you’ll need to replace them sooner.
If you do accidentally clog your toilet, be sure to reach out to an emergency plumber. While you wait for them, you can turn off the water to your toilet. There should be a valve in the back near the wall that will shut off the water. You can also mop up any standing water before it causes damage as you wait for your pro to arrive.
2. Burst Pipes
Whether it’s from the cold or an unknown source, a burst pipe is a home emergency no one wants to deal with. Your best bet in keeping your pipes from bursting is to ensure they stay warm in the winter and to keep the water flowing. Be mindful of your pipes in cold months and have a plumber check them out if you have concerns. For a more thorough break down of how to prevent burst pipes, read this article.
If you do, unfortunately, have to deal with a burst pipe be sure to shut off the water closest to the source. Next, shut off the main water valve into your house. This is often in the basement or near the front of the house. If you’re not sure where yours is, take the time now to find it so you’re not searching during an emergency. Once the water is shut off you should contact an emergency plumber to help deal with the damage.
3. Furnace Malfunction
Being cooped up at home, you want to ensure the temperature stays comfortable. Of course, the times when we want to stay nice and cozy is exactly when the furnace goes out. Don’t worry, you may not have a complete emergency situation on your hands.
More often than not, your furnace malfunction is due to a dirty filter. Simply remove the dirty filter and replace it with a new one. If the heat doesn’t come back on, you may have a dead battery. Not all furnaces are connected to your home’s electrical system so check this as well. If it’s not your filter or your battery, you’ve got an emergency on your hands. Reach out to an HVAC specialist or contact your heating company.
Below are the average costs of Plumbing services across different cities in Canada:
| City | Average | Minimum | Maximum |
| Barrie | $2,330 | $100 | $14,000 |
| Calgary | $1,846 | $100 | $50,000 |
| Edmonton | $1,723 | $100 | $40,000 |
| Hamilton | $1,550 | $100 | $32,500 |
| Oshawa | $1,020 | $100 | $25,000 |
| Ottawa | $1,118 | $100 | $48,000 |
| Toronto | $1,442 | $100 | $50,000 |
| Vancouver | $2,115 | $100 | $45,000 |
*Costs based on 8637 verified Canadian homeowner reviews as of March 2022
Dealing with a home emergency is stressful and doesn’t help when you’re already in panic mode. Try to keep calm and follow the above instructions. Get in touch with an emergency pro so things can get back to normal as soon as possible.
Article updated June 2022.
