Plumbing Nightmares: 5 Tips for Avoiding Them
Most plumbing nightmares revolve around a leak which can quickly cause a problem in your home. A sudden leak in the supply pipes can cause a surprising amount of water to accumulate in your home in a short space of time. It is possible to go to bed and wake up in several feet of water.
That’s not a pleasant feeling and one situation that will warrant a call to the insurance company.
The biggest problem with any plumbing nightmare is that you never know when they are going to happen. You don’t usually get any warning signs!
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Know Your Valves
The biggest issue with plumbing is water damage in your home. It can ruin furniture and memories. To avoid this it is essential that you know where all your valves are. Specifically you need to be able to shut off the water to your entire house quickly. This will prevent the plumbing issue from causing any more damage.
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Get The Professionals
Check out your local Sydney plumber and get them to pay you an annual visit. They’ll inspect your home and water system to ensure there are no issues. By undertaking yearly inspections you’ll be able to find the majority of issues before they become a major problem. This can save you a considerable sum of money.
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Don’t Block The Drains
This sounds like common sense but it comes down to what you put down your drains. It should be water and not much else, although toilet paper and human waste is fine.
Other items, such as female hygiene products, wet wipes, and even kid’s toys are known to cause blockages in your pipes. Grease is also a problem as it cools in the pipes and creates a blockage.
You’ll then need a camera and specialist tools to clear the blockage properly.
Simply avoiding putting the wrong things down the drains can help to avoid this happening.
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Avoid Chemical Cleaners
Many people pour chemical unblockers down their pipes to eliminate blockages. In general these products are effective. However they are also harsh and will damage the interior walls of your pipes.
Over time the interior walls will become more and more damaged until they are thin enough that they can split, causing wastewater to pour into your home. That’s not a pleasant sight or aroma!
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Know Your Bill
It’s a good idea to check your bill and your water meter regularly. By understanding your usual consumption you’ll be able to spot any sudden changes and identify the issue. This is a particularly good way of spotting a leak that is happening but not visible.
Of course, finding the leak can be harder, you may prefer to make this a job for the professionals. That’s the bottom line when dealing with plumbing nightmares, ensuring you have the right support when you need it can make a huge difference to the damage caused and the speed of the repair.
