Picture this: The half asleep descent down the stairs, hoping to steal some sort of peace in the empty hallway before chaos reigns in the plains below. Your heart sinks as you enter your basement. There’s water—everywhere. It is not a swimming pool, but it could be. Your trusty hot water victimized you as it burst and flooded your peaceful early morning with mayhem. Read more now on hot water heater emergency

Until they decide to become villains, our homes have silent heroes in the form of water heaters. We hardly give them a second thought when they’re working. Then, suddenly, everyone is on a first name basis with panic, and it’s when the stops. What could possibly go wrong with their early malfunctioning, leaving you with cold showers and laundry of questionable nature.

So, what is the beginning to this waterlogged horror? Cut off the power. It doesn’t matter if it is electric or gas, you don’t want that wounded heater aggravating matters further by cooking circuits or anything more. Shut down the power source posthaste. [You will be thanking yourself later when the dust—or rather, the water—settles.]

After the fires have burned out, shrug away your fear and address the largest of the two main water valves. It may require a bit of strength and resolve to turn it off, but do it and do it quick. Imagine that you managed to not only rid the water beast but that you also let out that inner action hero, no cape or tights required.

As a drowning basement requires the cavalry, there is no shame in saying that. Despite your good intentions to fire off an email to that plumber you saved in your contacts ages ago under “Hero in Overalls,” it’s time to ring up that plumber. Sure, there’s a lot you can find on the internet regarding your problem with some DIY fix, however when to phone a professional is a skill in itself. This is your call mom when everything goes askew grown up version.

Mutha’s with a rogue water heater is no stormy, weary dance; there is some lesson or two to be snatched from the jaws of chaos. Maintenance can keep these watery ambushes regular. It’s the easier, less glarifying mechanic bills, version of think of your car for a tune up. Tinkering your slippers a little today would prevent them from becoming soggy flippers tomorrow.

While calamity is big and in the air, keep in mind that although water heaters do, in fact, have expiration dates, sometime when you least expect them. If yours is of advancing years, perhaps the time is approaching for it to retire graciously, before it ducks out of the world with a bang.

When the waters have receded again, when you emerge from your basement pond, you will probably laugh that morning you waded through home. Be especially careful, heed the advice of the elder, and cherish these words: The one who should be swimming in your house is the goldfish.