6 Common Emergencies and Their Solutions

 

There are many emergency situations that happen commonly in our household. The main reason why an emergency situation ends up becoming a disaster is that you were inadequately prepared or weren’t knowledgeable about the solution. Sometimes a special piece of equipment is required to solve the problem. In other cases, it is necessary to know the correct method of mitigating the effects of the problem. To help everyone avoid major disasters in their day to day lives, this article is a guide to 6 common emergencies and their solutions.

1. Power Outage

There are various reasons why your home might experience a power outage and particularly if it lasts a long time, it can put your family and household in real danger. During and after natural disasters like hurricanes, people can be cut off from power, supplies, and medical assistance for days or even weeks. A backup generator is highly recommended for every household, especially those in areas that experience a lot of bad weather. The folks at https://krugerpower.com.au/ told us that a generator has a great number of applications in a power outage. You can use your backup generator to power your refrigerator to store food and medicine, to power cooking equipment in order to feed your family and purify water, and to power heating and AC equipment in order to maintain healthy temperatures in your house. A reliable, portable generator only costs a few thousand dollars and can provide invaluable peace of mind during a power outage, no matter how long it lasts.

2. Grease Fires

Grease fires are very, very common as many of us fry french fries, chicken and all kinds of other food. If you’re not paying close enough attention, you get distracted momentarily by the kids or you leave that dish towel too close to the pan, grease can easily catch on fire and you need to know instantly what to do. The first thing that you need to try and do is to actually suffocate the fire by cutting off its oxygen supply. If you have the lid for the skillet or the pot, go ahead and cover it immediately. If you don’t have a lid or that doesn’t work, the next thing that you can do is simply grab some baking soda and douse baking soda all over the fire. This should kill the fire right away.

3. Burst Pipes

Burst pipes are another really common problem, especially if you live in a really cold place. The first thing that you need to know in preparation for a pipe bursting is where your main water shut-off is. A lot of newer homes built after the 2000s have their water shut-off in the garage. If you have a basement, normally you’ll find that the water shut-off is in the basement on the front side of the house. By knowing where to find these water shut-off valves, if you have a broken pipe, you’ll be able to stop the water to prevent any further damage happening to your home. After you have shut off the water, contact the correct plumbing professional to come out, inspect and make any repairs that may be needed.

4. Furnace Breakdown

This is a very common problem and one that needs to be addressed quickly as a broken furnace can carbon monoxide leaks which can have fatal consequences. Furnaces are vital in so many households as especially when it gets cold outside you need your furnace to keep your family safe and warm. If your furnace stops working, make sure that you have the unit turned off as you serve it for any damaged wires or anything else that is out of place or broken in there. You may notice that some wires are burnt out or it’s time to replace the wires themselves. If you have a gas furnace, it is vital to ensure that you have the gas shut off  so you don’t intoxicate yourself. Likewise, if you have an electrical furnace, make sure that you shut off the electricity so that there is no risk of electrocuting yourself.

5. An Overflowing Toilet

This is a big problem in a lot of homes and can cause a lot of damage if not addressed quickly and effectively. Rule number one is to kill the source which is right behind the toilet itself. If you look right behind your toilet, you will notice a little valve that looks almost like a crescent piece. The first thing you must do if your toilet is overflowing is to turn off the flow of water to the toilet. The next thing to do is grab a mop or throw down some towels really quick to dry up all that water so it doesn’t cause any other damage to your house. The third step is trying to dislodge anything that may have become lodged in the toilet. If that fails, then you must call a plumber out to get it fixed right away or the problem can just happen again.

6. A Rodent Infestation

Rodents like to live not only in the walls but also in your attic or basement. One of the telltale signs of whether you have rodents, whether it be rats or mice, is simply to look for their droppings. Another thing you can do is to look for holes or put your ear up to the wall and see if you can hear any scratching or scrabble around. If you have a dog, you may notice them bark at a wall and if you go to that wall where they’re barking, you will probably be able to hear the rodents. If you do have a rodent infestation, the best practice is to contact a pest control specialist because they can get rid of it and make sure that all the rodents are out of the house. The last thing that you want to have is a rodent infestation in your house with their feces making you and your family sick.

There are many common emergency situations that can easily spiral out of control if you don’t address them correctly and in good time. Make sure that you know the correct solutions to all the emergencies that commonly occur in our households. Check out this guide and it will help you to prevent a bad situation from becoming a major disaster.