Hints and Tips

Burst Pipes

The water damage from a burst hot or cold water pipe can be substantial so it's important to turn the water supply off as quickly as possible.

House

In a house the shutoff valve is located at your water meter.

Once you've found the meter you can turn off the "stop valve". Turn the valve in a clockwise direction until off.

As well as turning off the water at the meter also turn on the front garden tap to stop any excess water from reaching the house. As well as the front garden tap turn on any other tap that is below the level of the burst pipe.

Home Unit

In a home unit the shut off valve can be found either under the kitchen sink near the "waste stack" or under the laundry tub or above or below the cistern valve in the main bathroom.

Once found, turn the valve in a clockwise direction to turn off the water supply. Then turn on all taps to drain any excess water from the pipes.

Water flowing from a burst pipe in a home unit is almost always more serious than a burst pipe in a house due to the close proximity of other units to the side & below.

Until help arrives your only course of action will be lots of towels a mop & a bucket.

Leaking Taps

The main cause of taps leaking are either the tap washer has split or has disintegrated, or the spindle washer or the "O" has perished, or the "seat" of the tap has cracks in it.

The remedy is to simply reseat & rewasher the tap.

Blocked Drains

If your sewer becomes blocked immediately stop using all fixtures and make sure the surcharge gully outside is unobstructed - refer to FAQ

 

Money Saving Ideas

These are just a few ideas which can save you money:

• Choose only a reputable plumbing company using highly trained staff who specialise in the particular job you want done.

• Ensure your plumber offers you a guarantee on their workmanship, this may save you paying to have the job done again.

• Use a plumbing firm who will show up when promised, your most valuable asset is your time - don't waste it waiting around for a serviceman who never shows up.

• Ensure your sewer and stormwater drains are checked periodically for any obstructions or tree root growth, roots left growing in your piping system for a long period is a good way to destroy your pipes to the point where renewal is the only option. Also blockages in stormwater drains during heavy rain can cause extensive damage by flooding.

• Never let your plumber dig and renew your sewer or stormwater pipes just because the obstruction cannot be cleared, ask for the problem to be diagnosed with a CCTV camera if unsure. Using a specialist drain cleaning firm can actually save you money by having the correct equipment on hand to carry out the job. 98% of blockages in sewer lines can be cleared without digging or renewing.

• Don't waste your time calling around every plumbing firm in the phone book just to find the cheapest quoted rates, 90% of the time the plumber with the cheapest rate will be the least experienced and more than likely will not be the cheapest job.