This is the plumbing scenario nobody wants to deal with: turning on a water faucet and finding nothing comes out, and then finding out this is true all over the house. Usually, this comes as a morning surprise when you step into the shower, and it’s about as bad a way to start your day as you can come across.
What can you do in cases like this? We’ve already offered one suggestion, which is to try other taps around the house to see if it is indeed a problem with the whole plumbing. Once you know it’s a broad issue, we recommend taking the following steps. (If it’s only at one tap, you’ll still need to find out what’s wrong and have it fixed, but it may not be an emergency.)
Test the cold water
If you turned on the shower in the morning, it was most likely the hot water side. Be sure to test the cold water as well. If you can get cold water but not hot water, you’ve already narrowed down the possibilities—and chances are high you have a busted water heater. Check if the water heater has shut off. If you can’t see an obvious reason for the water heater’s failure, call our plumbers to investigate and fix it.
See if the water main valve is open
The water is where you get freshwater from the municipal system. The shut-off valve lets you turn off the water to the house in emergency situations, or the plumber can turn it off while doing repairs. The valve could be stuck on its own, however, especially if it wasn’t fully turned off the last time. You’ll find the valve beside the water meter, which is located near the edge of the front of your property under a plastic or concrete lid. Test to see if the faucet can be opened up further. If the valve seems stuck, you may try to turn it with a wrench, but don’t force it too hard. If it’s stuck fast, you’ll need professional assistance.
See if it’s a municipal problem
Now that you know all the water is stopped and it isn’t the valve, find out if the problem comes from outside your house. Check with neighbors to see if they also have lost water. This will inform you if there is a municipal water issue. You can also call the water company yourself to inquire about whether there has been a shut-off to your neighborhood and when water service will be restored.
Look for signs of a leaking water main
Check over your lawn and property to search for unexplained patches of water. This can indicate the water line is leaking—and that requires having professionals on the case right away.
Call our plumbers
At this point, you’ve exhausted the choices for diagnosing the problem on your own. Now it’s time to turn it over to the 24-hour plumber in Santa Barbara, CA who can get the trouble fixed, and fixed fast!
Husted Plumbing serves the greater Santa Barbara and Ventura County Area. Call us for plumbing help anytime of the day or night!