We all take water for granted—until there’s a problem!

If the problem is too much water flowing in—if there’s a broken pipe or faucet—turn it off at the shutoff valve. Look for a pipe with valve you can turn by hand and turn it clockwise. If you can’t find it, you can turn off the main water supply near the street. If you’re in the Seattle area you can find a lot of useful information on the utilities page, including how to find your water meter.

Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home. But accidents happen!

Kitchen sink

You have drain screens and you use them. And you never pour grease down the drain. But clogs still happen. If your sink has a buildup of oils, muck, or bits of food, you can plunge it. Keep a sink plunger handy for minor clogs.

But if the clog is too far down the pipe, or the pipe is fully obstructed, call in a pro.

Dishwasher

If your dishwasher isn’t draining as well as you like, the filter could be clogged. The easiest solution is to find the filter—Google the make and model for help—and clean it out. If that doesn’t do the trick, the clog could be farther down, and a you need a pro’s help.

Garbage disposal

You throw your food waste in the compost, and never put anything starchy like potato peels in the sink. But sometimes the disposal gets jammed anyway. Run plenty of hot water over it, then duck under the sink to look for a red button near the bottom of the disposal. Push that to reset it.

Refrigerator

A lot can go wrong with a fancy fridge. Water line connections can loosen, water filters can jostle loose, and the defrost drain pan can overflow.

• Be sure to keep the door closed
• Run a fan or dehumidifier if the kitchen is too humid
• Reseat the water filter
• Make sure the fridge is level

If you’re still seeing puddles forming, call in a pro.

Bathroom

Don’t take your bathroom for granted! Take care of it.

Toilet

If there’s water around your toilet, it could mean the wax ring needs to be replaced. You can find one at the hardware store. Removing a toilet is easy—unless it’s hard. Call a pro if you aren’t confident.

If your pipes are temperamental, and in most older houses they are, switch to thinner paper. No wipes are flushable; and dispose of them and menstrual products in a trash can.

Sink and Tub

• Use hair screens. Drop one in the drain if you don’t have a plug assembly, or use a plastic cover that fits over the drain.
• If your hair is longer, brush it before you wash it away from drains.
• Sinks and tubs can be plunged, or you can pull hair that’s near the drain out with a small barbed plastic snake. But if the clog is farther in, call a pro.