Preventative Maintenance to Help Avoid a Plumbing Emergency

A plumbing emergency can be stressful at the best of times and while we can never be sure it won’t happen to us, there are a few preventative measures that can be taken to greatly reduce the risk of such an event. Like any other system, your water pipes require regular inspection and with the high pressure of modern water mains, this puts a considerable strain on pipe joints. If you would like to do what you can to avoid a plumbing emergency, here are a few things you can do.

Periodic Checks for Leaks

If there is a small leak in your water piping, it might not be evident at first glance. If there are no leaking faucets, you could still have a leak and the best way to determine if that’s the case is to do the following – Turn off all taps and any devices that require a flow of water, then check your water meter for movement. If the meter does not move, then you do not have a leak, yet if it still turns, even a little, there is a leak somewhere. If you are not able to locate the source of the leak, there are plumbers in Melbourne northern suburbs who have hi-tech leak detection devices and they will soon trace the problem and carry out effective repairs.

Drain Cleaning

No one wants a blocked drain and by regularly pouring boiling water and baking soda down the kitchen sink, any partial blockages will likely be removed. There are a few tell-tale signs that your drains might be partially blocked, which include strange gurgling noises coming from the drains and a slower than usual water drain. If the worst should happen and your drains are blocked, you are well advised to call in your local plumber who will have all the equipment to trace the blockage and carry out immediate steps to clear the blockage. Installing fine wire mesh over the sinkholes will go a long way towards avoiding a blockage, as this will stop hair and soap residue from entering the system.

Avoid Throwing Food Waste Down the Drain

Food waste is a common cause of a blocked drain and rather than doing that, you should have a small plastic bin near the kitchen sink for all food waste. You can create a compost heap in a corner of the garden, which will feed your flowers and shrubs.

Inspect the Visible Piping

Regular inspections under sinks will expose any corroded pipes and rather than wait until it ruptures, carry out immediate repairs. In the event you do have to call out your local plumber, while he’s there, you could ask him to give your plumbing and drains a thorough inspection. This would highlight any potential issues and he can replace anything that is looking a little worn.

A plumbing emergency could happen at any time, yet by following the above advice, you can minimise the chances of an emergency situation arising.