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Plumbing issues are known to occur out of the blue without much warning. Read on to know how to deal with plumbing emergencies at home. This way you can try to minimise the damage caused.
When dealing with any plumbing issue, the main thing to remember for any house owner is where the home’s main water shut-off valve is. This way, you can avoid major damage by shutting off the water supply when a problem occurs. While this isn’t necessary in all cases, it is still vital to know the valve’s location to protect your home from further damage. After you have shut off the water supply, give a licensed plumber a call to make any necessary repairs, or at the very least, to give professional advice on how to deal with the situation.
Emergency plumbing services can sometimes come with a higher price tag due to the time and effort put into the work, which is why you should be mindful of what counts as an emergency and what can wait until the next day or so to get fixed.
So, what are plumbing emergencies, and what can wait until the next day?
– Blocked sewer drains
– Blocked stormwater drains
– Burst water pipes
– Gas leaks
– Flooding on the property
For problems of this nature, call a professional plumber straight away to ensure the problem gets treated the right way from the get-go.
– Leaking taps
– Gurgling sounds
– Slow draining
– Flushing issues
As mentioned above, not all plumbing issues require immediate attention. While it’s good to tackle these issues as soon as possible, emergency services are often not required. For instance, if you have a dripping or leaking tap, you could be wasting hundreds to thousands of litres of water over the course of a year. Because of this, it pays off to address the problem promptly.
Whether you intend to repair the tap yourself or call a professional, turn off the water supply to save money while you wait for the issue to be fixed. Similarly, if you’re dealing with a toilet or washing machine constantly running water, the first step to take is to turn off the water supply to stop wasting water. Other common problems include slow draining and gurgling sounds, which often mean you have blocked drains. Read our dedicated blog post for blocked drains for more information on what causes the issue and how it can be treated.
Although these kinds of emergencies may often seem sudden, there are certain precautions you can take, such as conducting routine checks around the house, to ensure you catch any issues in time before they lead to a bigger problem. For more information on general plumbing and how to conduct a routine check, read our blog post on the basics of plumbing.
If you have any questions about emergency plumbing services, give us a call. We’d be happy to tell you more about how you can try to tackle plumbing issues yourself, and about how we work to eliminate problems with plumbing and gas, no matter how big or small.
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A blocked drain is one of the most common plumbing issues. Read on to know its causes, how to clear it, and when you should call a professional to clear it.
If left untreated, blocked drains can cause major damage to your property. For instance, they could be leaking sewage underneath your house causing mould and also weakening the foundations of the dwelling. In general, it’s a health risk having any overflowing sewage due to hepatitis B and other known forms of pathogens. So what causes your drains to block?
Tree roots cause blockages by entering the drains seeking water and nutrient. The tree will continue growing larger and thicker once the root has entered the drain.
It’s worthwhile to note, however, that roots tend to grow back even after being cleared if they have entered the drainage system. Other common causes for blocked drains include debris and silt building up from garden materials and washing into stormwater sumps and open drains, as well as fat, oils, and foreign items getting into the drainage systems.
In some circumstances, the trouble can stem from incorrect installation and the earth moving from underneath the pipe. This can remove support from underneath the pipe, resulting in collapsed pipes.
Blocked drains are an incredibly common nuisance. It’s something all of us are bound to come across from time to time. Slow drainage, bad smells, gurgling noises, and overflowing are common signs that indicate your drain is blocked. So, if you notice a sudden change in your drainage speed, any unpleasant odours, gurgling sound, or overflows, or raised water levels, it is time to give a specialist a call.
If you think the blockage is only minor and an easy fix, you can have a go at clearing the drain yourself. Check the inspection openings to your drains outside the property dwelling. You can see here blocked sewer drains.
If, however, the above-mentioned tricks don’t work, or you’re dealing with a bigger problem, get in touch with our team and we’ll have a fully qualified and licensed team member there on the same day. We use our specialist tools to find out where the problem is, what’s causing it and how we can fix it for the most cost-effective solution. Depending on the cause of the blockage our team will give advice and treatment options, as well as general knowledge, so your drains can keep running clearer for longer.
Other measures you can take to prevent blocked drains in the future are quite simple. Plant trees and shrubs as far away from your pipes as possible so their roots won’t disturb the drainage system. You should also use strainers over drains of sinks, bathrooms, and so on to catch any foreign items, debris, hair, and other common things that cause blockages. Lastly, you should learn the signs of a potential blocked drain so you can spot one and treat it before it becomes a bigger problem.
For more information on our blocked drain services and the tools we use, take a look at our Blocked Drain Plumber page.
We like to pass on our knowledge on what causes them, how you can clear them, and when you should call a professional to clear a blocked drain. Our team deals with blocked drains every day of the week and we know our stuff.
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More often than not, homeowners like to do things on their own. This article is for homeowners who have a basic knowledge of plumbing Canberra. Here are some plumbing activities you can do yourself.
While there are certain precautions you can take to maintain your house in good condition, there are a number of things you should always contact a professional for.
From leaking taps and blocked drains to gas leaks and appliances. Here are the basics of plumbing every house owner should know about.
Some plumbing issues are complex enough that you shouldn’t try to fix them yourself. A licensed plumber is able to not only fix existing issues but also ensure that everything runs smoothly going forward.
– Water pipes
– Drainage
– Irrigation connections to mains water
– Hot water systems
– Blocked drains
– Gas leaks
– Gas appliances
– Evaporative coolers
– Renovations and extensions
It is important to remember, however, that you should always make sure the plumber you’re hiring is licensed and insured. The main reason why you should go with a licensed and insured plumber instead of a cash plumber, an apprentice, or a handyman is, that if things go wrong, insurance companies won’t cover the costs related to any damage to a property if they find out the work has been carried out by an unlicensed and uninsured plumber. With due diligence, you can save yourself a lot of money if water damages occur at your property.
While professional plumbers are able to help you with all issues related to plumbing, there are certain things you can attempt to do yourself. In fact, it is recommended that you have a basic understanding of plumbing, so you’ll know how to fix minor issues around the house and prevent them in the future.
– Routine checks
– Leaking toilets
– Leaking taps
– Replacing a showerhead
– Plunging a blocked toilet or sink.
Conducting routine checks around the house is a simple way of making sure your house is safe from damage. You should regularly take some time to examine all exposed pipes for any signs of moisture, and brass or copper fittings for signs of corrosion. It is also important to take a closer look at the water pressure and drain of your sinks, showers, and tubs. You should also flush your toilets and have a look at your toilet base and connections to check for running or leaking water. Lastly, you should look at your hot water unit. Check all the connections and around the unit for any signs of water. Don’t forget to also check the valves of the unit to see whether it’s time to replace them.
Leaking taps are a common, and often annoying, problem for house-owners. If left to drip, one tap could waste hundreds to thousands of litres of water per year. If the root of the problem is just the tap washer, you can replace it yourself – provided you have the right tools for the job. However, in some cases, it’s the valve seat that needs fixing, and that’s a job best left to a professional.
If you’re feeling confident, a screwdriver, a pair of pliers and a new washer are all you need to fix a leaking toilet. The problem is often caused by the washer in the toilet cistern, which can be replaced quite easily. Just make sure to turn off the tap feeding water to the toilet before you start, and check whether replacing the washer did the trick by turning the water supply back on after you’re done and letting the cistern refill, then flushing to see if the problem has been solved. If not, the problem could be with the inlet valve, but this should, again, be left to a professional to handle.
Blocked drains are one of the most common plumbing issues, which is why it pays to have a basic understanding of how to deal with one. If left untreated, they can cause major damage to your property. For instance, they could be leaking sewage underneath your house causing mould and also weakening the foundations of the dwelling. In general, it’s a health risk having any overflowing sewage due to hepatitis B and other known forms of pathogens.
Before you try to clear a blocked drain yourself, check the inspection openings to your drains outside the property dwelling to see if all your sewer drains are blocked. A good indication of this is if the water level is high in the outside drains or overflowing. If this seems to be the case, it’s time to call the plumber as they will need specialised drain clearing equipment. If not, you can try the traditional tricks of using a plunger or boiled water to clear your drains from inside your property. For more information about blocked drains, have a squiz at our blog.
It is important to remember that in some states it is actually illegal to do any plumbing Canberra work yourself, so you should be mindful of this and contact local authorities before beginning repairs yourself. We have an article on how to keep your plumbing system efficiently running if you want to know more about plumbing.
For dependable and professional plumbing and gas services in Canberra and surrounding regions, contact our team at JML Plumbing & Gas.
– Best plumbers in Canberra