Nothing pulls your home to a standstill quite like a piping disaster.
A piping problem, whether it’s a blocked toilet, a burst pipe, or a broken kitchen sink, may drastically disrupt your daily life and cost you a lot of money in the long run through pricey restorations or structural repairs. But you don’t have to wait until the water begins to rise around your ankles to take action. Because prevention is better than cure, we’ll teach you how to be ready if the worst happens.
Here are the top piping crises to look out for, as well as how to solve them or, better yet, avoid them entirely.
What Are the Most Common Piping Emergencies?
The most prevalent issues are frequently caused by your usage. Showerhead or hot water difficulties are more common in a busy household with several individuals using the shower each day than in a family with one or two residents.
So, while “common” is a subjective concept, here are the most common call-outs we receive from our Brisbane clients.
Overflowing, Clogged or Blocked Toilet
A blocked or overflowing toilet is an emergency scenario that you do not want to be in. Unfortunately, because the toilet is one of the most often and frequently used fixtures in your home, you’re going to encounter a problem or two.
What’s the good news? It’s a reasonably simple repair if you don’t just ignore the problem (or continually flush it in the hope of receiving a better outcome).
You only want to make sure that you either fix it yourself (if the problem is clear and not likely to worsen) or call a professional as soon as possible. This will assist you in avoiding wastewater damage or other costly issues.
However, if this problem occurs on a frequent basis, we recommend contacting a member of our staff for prompt and polite assistance.
Damaged, Burst or Ruptured Pipes
This generally occurs when there is too much water pressure, which can weaken a pipe’s junction and cause it to burst or break. However, it might also occur simply because your piping is old or rusty. A burst pipe can have serious effects, including extensive water damage, electrical difficulties, and, in severe circumstances, structural concerns.
How can you avoid this piping disaster? To begin, get your pipes examined to discover if there are any underlying concerns. You’ll also hear a pop when the pipe bursts, so keep your ears out for that, or you’ll notice instant indicators of a problem, such as water damage, low water pressure, or drooping in your walls or ceiling.
When you suspect that your pipes have been damaged, it is preferable to contact a professional. We can inspect for damage behind your home’s walls using a variety of modern techniques and technologies, saving you tens of thousands of dollars in repair fees if water is left uncontrolled.
Blocked, Clogged or Overflowing Drain
A blocked sink or tub drain, whether caused by too much hair, product, or foreign objects, maybe a genuine annoyance. This piping emergency may also take some time to detect, as the problem may begin as a minor drainage issue before escalating to a major obstruction.
What’s the good news? There are several devices on the market that you may use to try to solve the problem on your own, such as a drain snake, a plunger, or a chemical drain cleaning.
If none of these helps, you may have a larger problem that necessitates professional clogged drain services.
Backed Up Sewer Pipes
Have you recently noticed sewage or other foul odours emanating from your sink or other drains? Then there might be a sewage backup.
This occurs when the sewers become clogged and the wastewater that was meant to flow away from your property begins to flow towards it. And this may be a major problem since backed-up sewage poses considerable health dangers.
If you smell foul odours or other indicators of backup, such as brown water or worse, contact your plumber immediately (and make sure to use some bleach to clean the area after).
No Hot Water or Ice Cold Showers
Do you find yourself taking an uncomfortable and unexpected chilly shower? Have you noticed that your water has an unusual odour?
Then you might have a faulty water heater.
A faulty hot water heater not only results in a cold shower, but it can also create leaks if water seeps from the tank. Avoid this problem by performing regular water heater maintenance and calling a plumber as soon as you notice any temperature or pressure difficulties.
DIY HACK: How To Diagnose Your Own Piping Problems
We said prevention is better than cure, and we mean it!
A few basic DIY tricks can help you identify piping concerns on your own and save money on call-outs and upkeep.
Many subtle symptoms of a pipe problem, such as reduced water pressure, slightly discoloured water, little evidence of water damage (such as a bulging or twisted flow), or poor drainage, can sometimes go undiscovered for a long time. This can eventually turn a minor problem into a major piping disaster.
We recommend creating a weekly checklist to inspect your bathroom, kitchen, and laundry for indications of damage.
When you pay close attention to what’s going on, you’ll become more adept at detecting warning signals of problems before things spiral out of hand. Visit our blog to learn about our 8 Preventative Plumbing Tips.