A Pipe Burst
Shut off the main water, reduce pipe pressure by opening the faucets at the lowest level of the home, usually the basement. Then identify the exact location of the problem. If it's the hot water line, turn off the water supply into the water heater. Turn the main line back on so cold water can be used while the pipe is being fixed. If the water will be off for extended periods of time, turn off the water heater.

Frozen Sink Drain
Fill the sink with very hot water and a handful of table salt. If the ice is close to the sink, the salt can penetrate to melt the ice.

Clogged Kitchen Drain
Most sink clogs are due to grease. Simply pour boiling water down the drain. Wait a few minutes then use a plunger. For double-bowl sinks, hold down a drain stopper in one bowl while you plung the other side.

Bathtub Clogs
Try plunging the drain, but stuff a rag in or cover the overflow so as not to blow the air out.

Sewer Problems
Sometimes drains back up due to a sewer problem. To check, flush the toilet. If water bubbles up in the basement sink, the sewer is backed up. Use water sparingly to allow ample drain time. If the sump dump pumps into the sewer, unplug it or sewage will pump through the sink.

Plugged Toilet
For a small to moderate clog, use a plunger. For a more stubborn clog, it is possible, although slighty risky to use a closet auger. If the toilet is clogged and overflowing, do not try to flush. Turn off the toilet's water supply using the knob on the water supply pipe under the toilet.

No Hot Water
When there is no hot water, one of three things is probably wrong with your water heater. If there is no loss of water pressure, but the water supply is cold, it's probably a burned out pilot light or a blown fuse. Check a gas-fired unti to see if the pilot light is off. Follow the unit's instructions to relight. For an electric unit, check the fuse panel and flip the correct circuit breaker to "on".

Reduced Water Pressure
If there is a reduction in water pressure, check your water heater for leakage. If leaking, turn the valve on the top of the unit off. Next, shut off the fuel. Turn the gas control valve off for a gas-fired unit, or flip the circuit breaker off for an electric unit.

Have leaky faucets and toilet tanks fixed or replaced.
An average leak in either of these can waste up to 1,000 gallons of water every month

Drain a bucket or two of water from the valve at the bottom of your water heater.
This will eliminate any sediment that may have settled at the bottom of the heater. Also, examine the valve and pipes for any signs of water leakage.

Change your furnace filter every 30 days.
Trim any shrubbery that may have grown too close to the unit. Accumulated dirt, leaves, and other debris can increase electricity consumption while decreasing efficiency.

Examine your duct work closely for air leaks.
Repair any leaks with duct tape.

Avoid rainy day surprises by checking your sump pump to make sure it's in working order.
Keep the pit-debris-free, and test the pump by running a garden hose into the pit. The pump should kick on as soon as it senses the water.

Clear your home's rain gutters and downspouts of leaves and other debris.
So that excess water does not collect around your home's foundation and seep into your basement or crawl space.

If pipes freeze, they could stop the flow of water into your home, and if they burst, you're in for a messy, expensive repair job. To avoid this homeowner headache, take the following steps when temperatures dip below freezing:

Prevention:
Keep temperature inside the house at a minimum of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Let a trickle of hot and cold water run from the highest faucet in your home, or the faucet furthest from the water meter. Or, if a faucet has frozen before, let that one run. Open cabinet doors under sinks. This allows warm air from the room to circulate around pipes. During extremely cold temperatures, place a protected light bulb near exposed pipes.

Remedies:
You may thaw a pipe using a hair dryer, but do not, under any circumstances, try to thaw a pipe with an open flame. Try wrapping the frozen pipe in a towl soaked in boiling water on the frozen area with a turkey baster. If you cannot thaw your pipe, call a licensed professional contractor. They have the skill and knowledge to thaw the pipe safely.