When an emergency occurs for the first time, it’s far too easy to panic. Far too often, people end up paralyzed with fear, unsure of how to react to the situation at hand, panicking about what to do or how to cope.
Often, questions like ‘what should I do next?’ and ‘should I try and fix it myself or call someone?’ are commonly asked. What it’s important to realize is that the best response to these kinds of concerns always depends on what the issue is.
What is crucial to remember is that most household or vehicle emergencies that you will come across are fairly common and happen a lot more frequently than you might think, so there really is no need to panic. That being said, it’s not always easy to stay calm when something goes wrong in your home or in your car, is it?
To help you combat three of the most common household emergencies, below are a few simple tips.
Burst or Broken Pipes
Coming home to find that a pipe has burst in your bathroom and there is water everywhere is always going to be extremely distressing. However, it’s important to stay calm and try not to panic, because panicking will just make the situation a whole lot worse. Your home has a main water valve; to turn off the water, you need to find it – it’s usually in your basement or attic. This will stop the water flowing out of the broken pipe and causing more damage to your home.
As well as worrying about the pipe itself, you may also be stressing about how you can repair your bathroom on a small budget. You might find that resources, such as this blog from CashLady.com about budget bathroom makeovers, could help to put your mind at ease as there are lots of ideas to consider.
Car Breakdown
Whether your car has broken down on the side of the road or you’ve got up for work and found that it won’t start, it is a stressful situation. When it comes to dealing with a car breakdown, unless you’re somewhat of a mechanical pro, then the best step to take is to call a mechanic. If you have recovery cover in place, including home start cover like RAC offers, then you can call them to restart your car whether you’re on the road or at home. Just make sure that you get your car to a garage as soon as possible for a check-up.
Power Cut
It is easy to panic during a power cut; however, it’s essential to stay calm. The first step is to grab your smartphone and turn on your torch so that you can see a little more easily. Check everyone is okay, and then check nearby properties and streetlights.
If your neighbors still have power, this is a sign that it’s a problem with your home, but if everyone has lost power, it will be to do with the power company. In this instance, it’s best to give them a call as soon as possible to find out when you can expect the power to come back on. If it’s just your home that lacks power, it could be to do with a switch tripping or if this doesn’t seem to be the case, you should call out an electrician to determine the problem.
When these kinds of situations occur, it’s not always easy to deal with them. However, by staying calm and thinking rationally, you can make these kinds of incidents easier to manage and fix.
