5 Common Plumbing Emergencies and How to Prevent Them

Nothing disrupts your day quite like a sudden plumbing disaster. From flooded basements to out-of-commission bathrooms, water damage acts fast and costs a fortune. Fortunately, most plumbing emergencies in London, ON homes can be prevented with a bit of proactive maintenance. Here are the top five issues we see and how to avoid them.

1. Burst Pipes During Winter

When temperatures plummet, sitting water inside uninsulated pipes can freeze, expand, and shatter the pipe. Prevention: Disconnect all outdoor hoses before the first freeze, and ensure exposed pipes in unheated areas (like garages or crawlspaces) are properly insulated.

2. Severe Drain Backups

A slowly draining sink can quickly turn into a completely blocked, overflowing nightmare. Prevention: Never pour cooking grease down the kitchen sink, as it solidifies in the pipes. In the bathroom, use simple hair catchers over the drains and clean them out weekly.

3. Water Heater Failures

Waking up to an ice-cold shower or a puddle around your water tank is a massive inconvenience. Prevention: Have a professional flush your water heater tank annually to remove sediment buildup, which corrodes the tank from the inside out and drastically reduces its lifespan.

4. Continuously Leaking Fixtures

A dripping faucet might seem like a minor annoyance, but it wastes thousands of gallons of water a year and puts constant pressure on your plumbing hardware. Prevention: Replace worn-out washers and O-rings at the first sign of a persistent drip.

5. Toilet Overflows

Flushing non-degradable items is the leading cause of toilet blockages. Prevention: Only flush human waste and toilet paper. "Flushable" wipes, paper towels, and hygiene products should always go in the trash bin.

Caught in a plumbing emergency? ApexPlus offers 24/7 priority emergency dispatch. Use our online emergency booking tool or call us immediately to get an expert on-site!