For those of us who work in plumbing, there are a number of questions that we get asked over and over again. Here are some the most common of them, which can help you save money and reduce the chance of plumbing emergencies:
Why does my drain get clogged?
Drains get clogged due to things other than water that go into them. In kitchens, this is usually bits of food, in bathrooms, often hair or even oil from shampoos or other products and outside drains can get blocked by leaves, mud, stones or rubbish. The only real way to ensure that your drain doesn’t get clogged is by ensuring that these substances don’t get into your drain.
You can buy plug filters for your household plugs, which only let water or very small objects through, and drain filters for your outdoor drains. Regular cleaning with drain cleaner also helps to avoid build up. If, however, you continually get blocked drains, it is worth getting a plumber to take a look to see if there is something that is facilitating the repeated blockages.
Why are my water bills so high?
When water bills start to come in higher than before, and you have already taken into account factors which might impact water consummation (such as the season, the number of people in the house, etc.), you need to start looking for plumbing issues. Problems such as leakages, running water in the toilet, or dripping taps can cause a huge amount of water wastage, and as a result, give you higher water bills.
How can I make my plumbing appliances last longer?
Replacing plumbing appliances such as water heaters can be expensive and disruptive. Often the deterioration of these appliances is due to the build-up of scale. By installing a water softener, you can help to prolong the life of not just your plumbing appliances but also your pipes and other parts of your water system.
How can I prevent my pipes from leaking?
Pipes do break or crack from time to time, resulting in a leak. Therefore, it is important to protect your pipes. Replace them when they are getting old and use the most modern material if available. If you live somewhere that gets very cold, insulate your pipes to reduce the risk of the water in them freezing, expanding, and bursting them. You should also regularly inspect pipes for damage, and if you notice rust or lime this is an indication that there is water leaking.
How do I stop my tap from dripping?
A dripping tap usually means that there is a part that needs to be replaced within the faucet. It is usually easy to find the part and fix, and if you aren’t comfortable doing it yourself a plumber can do it quickly and inexpensively.
There are, of course, many other questions that we get asked frequently, but these are amongst the most common. We hope that with this information you can help to reduce the possibility of plumbing problems and save money on fixing them, however, if you have more questions that remain to be answered, contact us today and our team will be ready to help.