It's well past midnight when you get up for a glass of water and step into something cold on the kitchen floor. A small pool has spread out from under the sink, and there's a muffled drip somewhere behind the cabinet. Right now you need two things, in this order: stop the water before it soaks into the wood and the walls, then get a plumber who can track down the source without tearing half the kitchen apart.
Before the plumber gets there, do this in order
- 1Close the right valveIf the leak is from a faucet, the toilet tank or a mixer, there's usually a small shut-off valve right beneath it. Close that one and keep water running to the rest of the home. If you can't tell where it's coming from, or water is seeping out of a wall, close the apartment's main valve, often found near the water meter, in the kitchen or in the bathroom. If water is close to a socket, cut the power to that area first.
- 2Protect the floor and furnitureRoll up rugs, lift anything sitting on the floor, and put towels or a bucket under the drip. Clear small appliances and boxes out of the lower cabinets. If water might be reaching the neighbor below, let them know quickly so they can protect their things too.
- 3Film a short clip before you mopBefore you dry anything, film the water as it drips or pools and add the clip to your order in the Aman Fix app. The plumber sees how big the leak is and where it sits before setting off, so they're more likely to bring what the job needs.
- 4If the water won't stop, make it an emergencyIf water keeps coming after you've closed the valve, or the leak is on a main pipe, choose an emergency request. It skips the scheduling step and goes straight to plumbers working in your area, and you can message the plumber from the order chat while they're on the way.
Signs of a hidden leak or a drainage problem
- A damp patch on a wall or ceiling that grows day by day, or paint that bubbles and peels.
- The water meter keeps turning while every faucet is closed.
- The sound of running water inside a wall at night, when the house is quiet.
- A shower drain or kitchen sink that empties slowly, or gurgles as it drains.
- A sewage smell coming up from the drains, especially first thing in the morning.
- A toilet tank that refills by itself every so often without anyone flushing.
What a plumber fixes in the kitchen, the bathroom and on the roof
- Replacing dripping faucets and mixers, or just the worn washers inside them.
- Fixing a toilet that leaks or won't flush properly, and installing a new one.
- Clearing blocked drains, sinks and waste lines.
- Locating hidden leaks and replacing the damaged section of pipe with as little opening up as possible.
- Installing and renewing supply pipes in the kitchen and bathroom.
- Fitting water pumps and filters, and connecting rooftop tanks.
- Hooking up washing machines and dishwashers to water and drainage.
Leave the pipes to a plumber. Order a verified one on the Aman Fix app, and the video you shot travels with your request.
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