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There are many reasons why it’s important to call a professional plumber for your Melbourne home. Industry trained and licensed plumbers are highly knowledgeable about water fixtures and pipe repair and maintenance. They are able and willing to do the jobs you simply don’t want to or don’t know how to do. They can fix most issues in way less time and for way less money than you would spend trying to do it yourself.
That being said, there are certain scenarios where calling a plumber out to your property is a waste of both your time and theirs because you can easily solve the problem on your own. For the untrained eye, a pipe or tap leak can seem like a huge deal, and may send you running to phone the plumber straight away.
If you know what signs to look for, however, and have methods in place of addressing them, you may be surprised at what you can achieve by yourself. Of course, there is no comparison between a DIY plumbing project and the effective work of a qualified professional. What we are trying to say is that some more simple fixes can be done without having to schedule and pay for a professional service.
If you have a water leak in your Melbourne property, here are a few factors to check for before giving your plumber a call:
- Clogged Pipes and Drains: When your kitchen or bathroom pipes and drains get clogged up with hair, oil, or other sorts of grime, water can become backed up, leading to excessive water pressure in the pipes and therefore leaks. Be sure to clean your pipes and drains out regularly as a simple way to avoid larger complications down the road.
- Faulty Valves: Often times, leaks are just a result offaulty pressure relief valves (PTR) or pressure/temperature relief valves (PTRV). Before calling a plumber, locate your valves and lift the lever a few times to clear any blockages.
- If the valve is old , or the lever has not been lifted for a year or more, then its best to call O’Shea Plumbing to replace the valve, as it may have a build up of debris in the valve that may cause it to continue to run
- If the leak stops, your problem is solved. If it doesn’t, you may need to replace your valves.
- Loose or Broken Washers and O-Rings: Sometimes, a bit of a tightening is all you need to stop a pipe leak. Washers and O-Rings have a tendency to loosen up over time, so it pays to check them and tighten them regularly. (Just make sure to not tighten them too much, as this can also be problematic.) If they are cracked or worn down at all, a replacement would probably be beneficial to help manage your leak problem.
- Worn Out Seals:Leaks from any sort of water fixture, such as washing machines, refrigerators, sinks or toilets, may be a result of old or worn sealant. Replacing your washing machine and fridge doors or installing new seals around your toilet base and sink handles may be enough to fix your leak problem.
- High Water Pressure: If you hear a banging sound when you turn on your tap (water hammer), you likely have excessively high water pressure. This can lead to leaks, as too much water is trying to get out of the tap at once and and tries to escape elsewhere. A quick fix for this problem is to utilise an anti-hammer valve, which your plumber can help you install if needed. Reducing high hot and cold water pressure will greatly increase the life of and reduce the risk of damage to all taps, appliances and pipes
While most of these sources of water leaks are simple enough to handle on your own, we do recommend that you seek the help of a professional plumber if the problem continues. If you think that you can handle your water leak by yourself but would like a bit of guidance in how to do so, feel free to reach out to the staff at O’Shea Plumbing with questions or concerns.