Adelaide Plumber 10 Common Plumbing Emergencies

Of all the emergencies one can have, plumbing emergencies are at the top of the list with the ones that take the toilet cake. They can leave you stuck looking like a soapy snow cone, stomping in pools of water or in a stinky rut.

Here are our top 10 and ways in which to avoid plumbing emergencies or do some damage control.

Clogging 1,2 and 3

Clogging, especially in pipes is so prevalent. It is bound to happen, so be prepared and know how to deal with it.

The sink  

Washing dishes can easily clog up the drain due to the leftover food bits on the plate. If there isn’t a type of rubbish disposal and food in mounts is being thrown down, the build up will happen fast.

– Clean your plates off properly
– Never throw oil down the drain

Usually the use of the basin doesn’t go beyond face washing and teeth brushing but hair manages to find its way into all nooks and crannies. Also be sure that if you have a pop up drain, it is installed properly and can be pushed up fully when opened.

The bath/shower

The  hair situation can turn into a plumbing emergency fast with the shower and/or tub. The soap scum will generally cause a build up and depending on the hair being flushed down the drain, a lovely hair snake can be lodged firmly in the drain. This can cause the shower to overflow or the tub to fill up. Which isn’t ideal considering you’re not standing in the dirt that you’ve just washed off.

Use a strainer over the drain, this will catch the hair and make it easy to gather and throw in the bin. Also be mindful about what soap you’re using. Less creamy soaps will wash away with ease

The toilet clog

Make sure that if your toilet isn’t working as per usual- check for any damages, leaks and that the faucet leading to the tank is open. There is a lot that can happen with your plumbing being connected to every other houses so make sure you address and attempt to resolve the situation ASAP.

Another thing to remember is to not go crazy with the amount of toilet paper you’re using. Rethink the brand of toilet paper you do use- thick 1000x layers can be great but can also be unnecessary.

Always keep your plunger handy for all clogging kinds.

Sewer backup

This brings me to the dreaded sewer backup. Avoid these where possible as they’re a stinky hassle to resolve. Signs of this include multiple drain clogs, a bad of odour, gurgling toilets and pools of water around the drains.

Not so hot water

Standing there,  bare, with soap in your eyes and the water suddenly switches to an icy cold . A couple of reasons could be the cause;

– The dip tube has disintegrated and is mixing itself with the hot water causing the flow to be lukewarm or cold
– The heater is malfunctioning
– There is an electrical issue
– There is a leak
– Your utility company is at fault
– You forgot your utilities were a thing

Be wary of all of these things.

HVAC system malfunctions

To many peoples surprise HVAC and plumbing systems run together. Condensation is carried through a pipe from the unit to the outside draining system. Problems can arise with both cooling and heating aspects of the unit. If breakers are kicking out, make sure they are being properly maintained to avoid both HVAC and plumbing emergencies.

Gas leaks

For obvious reasons, gas leaks need to be addressed with utmost importance. While the gas itself is handled by the gas company, the pipes are handled by you and your plumber. When it comes to a gas leak, time is of the essence. If you are unable to, call your gas company to shut your gas off until a plumber can be called to repair the pipes.

When water lines break

Water lines, even though buried underground, are somewhat vulnerable and are susceptible to breakage. It will also be super tricky to figure out if that is the case and where exactly the waterline has been broken.

Look out for soggy spots in the yard, especially if your water quality is poor or or there is little to no water pressure.

Leaking faucets

The constant dripping is enough to drive you crazy- the water bill you’ll receive will send you over the edge. Leaking faucets rack up your water bill and cause unnecessary water waste. It is therefore an absolute pluming emergency to have the issue seen to. If you’re unable to do it, call your plumber post haste.

Leaking washing machine hoses

As sturdy as they can be, the washing machine pipe is often the weakest link. A cracked or broken pipe will cause a huge amount of water waste, your clothes wouldn’t have gone through the full cycle and the mess that the water can cause is a nuisance to mop up. Mold and rust can also become an issue if the issue is not see to.

Keep an eye out for these things. Most can be prevented and taken care of before they turn into major plumbing emergencies.