A bathroom emergency can occur at any time of the day, so imagine waking up one morning only to find your bathroom submerged in a pool of water. Whether it's an overflowing toilet or a burst pipeline, plenty of things could go wrong at the most inopportune times. While you cannot change the situation, certain efforts can help to minimise damage to your property. If this happens to you, follow these instant steps:

Shut Down Main Water Supply

At the start, you probably don't know what has caused the flood in your bathroom because it could literally be anything. Start by shutting down the main water supply which is typically located near your outdoor water metre if you're in a freestanding home or townhouse. If you live in an apartment, it may be located below your kitchen sink. If you know exactly where the leak is springing from, you may be able to shut off water to that individual area. For example, an individual shut-off valve is available near bathroom sinks and toilets to help you prevent further leaks if that is where the water is flooding from.

Turn Off All Electrical Switches Connected to the Bathroom

Electrocution is one of the biggest risks in a bathroom submerged with water because you don't know at what point electrical wires are interacting with the flood. If possible, turn off all electrical switches connected to the bathroom to prevent the possibility of the shock once you step inside to locate the source of the leak. You should also ideally turn off the water heater to prevent electricity from flowing to the taps.  If you are worried about electrical risks from the flood, it may be a good idea to get an electrician to assess the situation to avoid any dangers for everyone in your home. 

Start Getting Rid of Water

Before the plumber arrives to repair and fix the problem, you can start slowly getting rid of water from your bathroom to minimise the possibility of long-term damage. You may need to use buckets and mops to remove as much of water as possible. Open up all windows and doors to the bathroom and surrounding rooms to allow the space to dry sooner. Use a fan and dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the room. This will enable the bathroom to dry faster with less chance of damage to the rest of your house.

While a plumber is necessary to fix the problem, you can speed up the recovery process with a few instant steps of your own.