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A plumbing emergency can strike at any time – burst pipes, overflowing toilets, or sudden water leaks can quickly turn into a disaster if not handled properly. If you’re in Melbourne, knowing what to do in those first crucial moments can save you time, money, and stress. Whether it’s a late-night pipe burst or a blocked drain threatening to flood your home, fast action is essential.

Understanding Plumbing Emergencies – Common Scenarios

One of the most frequent plumbing emergencies found in Melbourne homes and businesses is a burst pipe. This is mainly due to the number of ageing pipes in and around the inner city suburbs. This situation can lead to significant water damage if not addressed immediately. Signs of a burst pipe include sudden drops in water pressure, unexplained puddles, or water stains on walls and ceilings.

Another common scenario is a clogged toilet or drain that cannot be easily resolved with standard plunging techniques. If multiple drains in your home are backing up simultaneously, this may indicate a more serious issue within your plumbing system that requires professional attention.

A gas leak is one of the most dangerous plumbing emergencies faced by Melbourne homeowners. Unlike water leaks, which cause property damage, gas leaks pose an immediate threat to your health and safety. Natural gas is highly flammable, meaning even a small spark from a light switch or appliance can ignite a fire or explosion. Additionally, exposure to gas fumes can lead to serious health issues, including dizziness, nausea, headaches, and even unconsciousness in extreme cases.

By familiarising yourself with these common plumbing emergencies, you can take proactive measures to mitigate damage and ensure your home remains safe and functional. Always remember that when in doubt, seeking professional help is important for resolving complex plumbing issues effectively.

Immediate Actions to Take When a Plumbing Disaster Strikes

First and foremost, if you ever smell gas – often described as a rotten egg odour – act fast: turn off the gas supply, open windows for ventilation, avoid using electrical devices, and immediately call a licensed gas plumber. Do not re-enter the property until your emergency plumber arrives. Never take chances with a gas leak, quick action can save lives.

If your emergency is a water issue, locate your main water shut-off valve and turn it off to prevent further flooding – this is vital in minimising water damage to your property.

Next, if safe to do so, assess the situation. Identify the source of the leak or blockage – this could be a burst pipe, overflowing toilet, or malfunctioning appliance. Documenting the issue with photos can be beneficial for insurance claims later on. If you have access to towels or buckets, use them to contain any water and protect your belongings from further damage. It’s also wise to move any valuable items out of harm’s way.

Once you’ve taken these steps, contact a professional emergency plumber who can provide expert assistance in resolving the issue effectively. Remember that while plumbing disasters are stressful, staying calm and acting quickly will help you navigate through the situation with greater ease.

Preventative Measures – How to Avoid Future Plumbing Emergencies

Regular maintenance can go a long way in keeping your pipes, drains, and fixtures in top shape. Start by regularly inspecting your home for water leaks, no matter how small – those dripping taps and tiny pipe leaks can worsen over time. Make sure you regularly clean out your gutters and assess your roof for any signs of damage too.

Another important practice is to be mindful of what goes down your drains. Avoid flushing items that can cause blockages, such as grease, sanitary products, or non-biodegradable materials. Educating your household about proper disposal methods can significantly reduce the risk of blockages.

Gas appliances should be regularly tested (at least yearly) by a licenced gas fitter to ensure they are operating safely and efficiently. Regular inspections help detect gas leaks, carbon monoxide leaks, and faulty components before they become serious hazards.

You should also keep an eye on your utility bills for any sudden increases as this may help you catch leaks early on.

Stay Prepared and Act Swiftly in a Plumbing Emergency!

Understanding potential plumbing issues that can arise and having a plan in place can save you time, money, and headaches when an unexpected situation occurs. Regular maintenance of your plumbing system can help prevent emergencies from happening in the first place, but knowing how to act swiftly when they do is equally important.

If you’re faced with an urgent plumbing problem, call an Inner City Plumbing emergency plumber – South Yarra to Spotwood, Albert Park to Altona, we have fully equipped vehicles on the road ready to assist all over Melbourne, 24/7. Call 1300 668 834 now.

Shortlist to the Prevention of Plumbing Emergencies

Nobody really wants plumbing emergencies to occur at their home. But if they do here’s some tips that could save the day.

Test Your Main Water Valve

The water system in your home is controlled by your main water valve. The first thing to do when you have a burst pipe is to turn off the main water supply. This will help you to prevent further leakage or damage until a qualified plumber can assist. The water supply valve is usually found close to the main water supply to your home. It’s important that this valve is always in working condition.

It is easy to check if this valve is working as it should. Firstly, go to your bathroom and turn on the water in a sink or bathtub. Secondly, turn off your main water valve. Once this is switched off, the water is cut off completely. The only way your water can continue to run is if your water valve is damaged or broken. If this is the case, you should consider calling out a professional plumbing company such as Inner City Plumbing to replace the control valve.

Take Care of Your Drains To Prevent Plumbing Emergencies

Plumbers can often find and remove a variety of unexpected things from drains, including hair and grease. It is important that no fat and grease is dumped down the kitchen drain, especially as drains that are not taken care of can become blocked over time. Furthermore, avoid allowing a lot of hair go down the shower drain in your bathroom. Also make sure your kids small toys are not flushed down the toilet!

In Melbourne, one of the main causes of blocked drains is tree roots. Tree roots can cause significant damage and often can cause recurring blockages. Tens of thousands of dollars are spent removing tree roots from drains across Australia every year. We recommend that before you plant trees, consider choosing where to plant them and what species of plant. Many local council websites have tips on what trees to plant and what not to plant. Its important that you spent some time planning before planting trees. This will save you money in the long-term.

 

Melbourne Plumber - Plumbing Emergencies 

 

Check For Any Leaks

Leaky fixtures and taps may indicate other, more internal problems such as missing or broken o-rings or loose pipes. Any minor leaks that are left alone can become big issues, and so we recommend that you regularly check for these leaks. The bigger the leak, the more money it will cost to repair. By removing the tap spout, you will be able to check the o-rings and if required, replace them. After this, if your sink still leaks we recommend calling a plumber to check up on it. Repairing minor damage early will save you a lot of money in the future when the problem becomes larger. Furthermore, repairing water leaks will save you money on your water bill and it also helps the environment to be efficient with water!

By doing regular maintenance on the plumbing in your home or business, you will be able to prevent major plumbing emergencies that could end up costing you a lot of money. Consider calling a plumber to fix small leaks and other such problems before they worsen as an investment in your home- and it is reassuring to you!

Maintenance is an essential part of any home or business!

 Hydro Jetting Simplified

Traditionally, a plumber would use a cable machine to snake your drain. However, this method has shown to be inefficient, as the clogs return within a short period of a few months. One of the reasons that this method is inefficient is that you can’t get to the main cause of the drain blockage. As time passes, the build up process continues, eventuating in the same problems. Hydro Jetting is a method of flushing out your drains. It uses a special high-powered water jet stream to make them extremely clean. 

 

Hydro Jetting Services Melbourne

 

 The hydro jetters used by Inner City Plumbing can deliver water at incredible cutting force and speed under thousands of pounds of pressure per square inch. Hydro Jetting will remove debris that has accumulated in the drain during past use, clearing out years of gunk. You are left with a drain system that is functioning as it should be, clear of debris and waste build up.

Hydro Jetting is also so powerful that it can even remove tree roots that have gotten into your sewer pipes. With hydro jetting technology, the tree root debris is completely removed and you are back to having a cleared sewer drain in no time.

This technology is even used in restaurants, which require Hydro Jet drain cleaning considering the grease that can rapidly build up in restaurants. In some restaurants, a sewer line can become impacted in as little as 3 months with grease causing drain blockages and even flooding. Hydro Jet drain cleaning is one of the most effective options when it comes to pipe blockages.

 How often should Hydro Jet your drains?

The hydro Jet drain-cleaning machine is engine-powered, and is on a truck or mounted on a trailer. The machine pressurises water to roughly 4000 psi, and pushes this water through a hose with a special nozzle that scours the inside of the drain pipe. This removes the build up of grease and debris that have formed inside the drain pipe over time. When the cleaning nozzle is inserted into the drain, it slowly breaks down the grease as the water pushes through it. This enables all the waste to safely drain into the sewer system.

Its important to have Inner City Plumbing’s hydro jet your restaurant or bar every 3-5 months. This will keep your business operating without any plumbing problems or interruptions.

That being said, there are times when hydro jetting is ineffective. This can occur if there are cracks in your sewer and drain pipes. Cracks in the pipes indicates that the strength of the entire pipeline has been compromised and needs to be repaired promptly before it collapses completely. 

Inner City Plumbing are your local Melbourne Plumbers. We provide Melbourne 24 hour plumbing services. We are your local Melbourne emergency plumbers.

Which is the Most Economical Hot Water System

Depending on where you live and the number people in your household the most economical hot water system will fall into two categories.

Economical Hot Water System Melbourne

There are Two Types of Hot Water Systems

Systems that store hot water until it is used and systems that heat water as it is needed. People have speculated as to which kind of system is the most cost effective. One argument is against the use of fuel to heat and store water, as it is not always needed. Alternatively, the other argument asserts that using fuel during off-peak times is more cost effective. With the increase in fuel options and the decrease of savings for off-peak usage, these arguments lose some of their validity and consumers should put more thought into what works for them. 

Store or Heat?

Water systems that heat and store hot water would be preferable families who need a consistent amount of hot water daily. However, this system does not mean that you won’t run out of hot water. Ensure you know how much hot water that you need before selecting and choosing your hot water system. 

Types of fuel that can be used for an Economical Hot Water System

  • Electricity – This is most common.  In many homes, most electrical systems also heats the water overnight to take advantage of off-peak cheaper rates. They come in various sizes and by the litre.
  • Gas – Gas hot water systems are made in both instantaneous or storage systems. These are common in areas that have access to natural gas. Running them from bottled LPG can be costly.
  • Solar – Solar is becoming a more attractive option as fuel costs increase. Solar is cost effective because once the solar units are installed, converting the sun to electricity is free. Many of these systems run in conjunction with other systems to ensure hot water is readily available regardless of the weather.
  • Slow combustion wood – these systems heat hot water using a wood fire that you may use to heat your home. This method allows you to receive double benefit of one resource.
  • Geothermal and Oil – these systems are used widely overseas but aren’t very common in Australia. In colder climates these options also provide heating for your house. 

Solar Vs Traditional Hot Water System

There are many advantages to solar hot water, both environmental and economic. The government actively encourages Australian homes to install solar hot water systems by providing grants and such, partially to take some of the load off our power usage but also because it is more environmentally friendly. Installing solar hot water doesn’t mean that you won’t have hot water on a cloudy day.

Many solar hot water systems are installed with a back-up system, such as instantaneous gas hot water heating. This means you’ll never be without hot water. If your solar panel is on your roof facing north, then you should benefit from cheaper hot water all year round. Many households use simple solar heating systems to heat their swimming pools, usually because of how cheap it is. You will often see black tubing on the roofs of houses. These are usually holding water that is being heated naturally by the sun before flowing into swimming pools to heat them.

Although solar power may be the cheapest option to run, it is also one of the more expensive systems to install. If you stay in your house for more than five years a solar system could be a worthwhile investment.

For all your plumbing work, you should consider using a professional plumbing business such as Inner City Plumbing or GO2 Plumbing.

How To Fix A Clogged Drain in Richmond

If you need help with fixing a clogged drain, keep reading:

  1. Identifying a clogged drain.
  2. Fixing a blocked drain.
  3. Preventing blockages in the future.
  4. Knowing your responsibility for unblocking public and private drains.

 

Clogged Drain

 

Find out the initial steps you’ll need to take if you face a clogged drain

  1. Find the issue
    If the water in your bath or toilet is not draining correctly, this indicates the drain is blocked. 
  2. Do not use the drain.
    Ensure you don’t put any more water into the drain! This will only make the problem worse and harder to fix. 
  3. Safety is a priority
    Before dealing with a clogged or blocked drain, ensure your safety by wearing full protective clothing (including gloves, eye goggles and overalls). Always remember to remove and clean your protective clothing after you’ve finished repairs.

Make sure you have a set of drain rods before you start. These can be hired or purchased at most hardware stores. Once you have put on your protective clothing, follow the steps below:

  1. Clear the cover
    Firstly, remove the inspection cover on the drain. If this cover is rusted closed, use a screwdriver to loosen and scrape off any rust and then lift the cover off. If your drain cover has a handle on it, fix some string or wire to it before pulling the cover off.
  2. Remove the blockage
    We recommend using a rod with a plunger attachment to remove the blockage – this may take a few minutes of hard work by twisting and turning. Alternatively, you may want to try using a regular kitchen mop handle, although this will probably not be as effective or as flexible as a purpose-made drain rod.
  3. Flush with water after removal
    Lastly, after you’ve removed the obstruction, flush the drain well with water to remove any remaining debris.

Unblocking a Clogged Drain in Richmond is best avoided as it can be a hard task.

Here are some preventative tips to avoid future drain blockages:

  • Regularly check up on your drains
    By regularly checking on your drains, you should be able to find any minor blockages early before they worsen.
  • Throw out oil and grease correctly
    Remember to dispose of rubbish correctly. Never attempt to flush face wipes, nappies or cotton wool, as these are likely to repeatedly clog your pipes.
  • Ensure your drains are clear of plants and roots
    If your garden gets a lot of leaves in it, fitting drain guards is a great way to prevent leaves from falling in and causing blockages.
  • Regularly rinse dishes before loading your dishwasher
    Always rinse your plates and cutlery before loading your dishwasher, to prevent food from getting stuck in your pipes and can accumulate over time to cause an unwanted blockage.

Learn and research what your responsibilities are as a homeowner or renter, and who you should contact if you have problems with a public drain or sewer.

  • Drain Responsibility
    Homeowners and renters are usually responsible for the drains and pipes within their property’s boundary. Your home insurance may or may not cover you for some drainage problems.
  • Sewer Responsibility
    Public and private sewers are not your responsibility- they are taken care of by waste and sewerage companies. If you see a problem, you should immediately contact your water company.

Reporting a clogged drain
If a neighbour’s drain is overflowing and the water is starting to leak onto your property, contact your local council who can help you in taking the next steps.

For all your plumbing work, you should consider using a professional plumbing business such as Inner City Plumbing or GO2 Plumbing.

The Five Most Common Reasons For A Blocked Drain

Strange Objects or Debris

Blocked drains can occur when foreign objects or debris such as hair, soap, fats or food build up to quickly. They then become caught between the drainpipe and the pipes that flow underneath the house. This might not fully block the drain until later on. As time passes, debris will continue to accumulate, preventing water from flowing freely and could eventually cause a blockage. Common reasons for a blocked drain is your toilet. They regularly block up due to too much toilet paper, sanitary items and even nappies being flushed. Young children are often responsible for blocked toilets and drains. They can also flush a roll of toilet paper, a kid’s toy and even the toilet brush. A blocked toilet is very unpleasant and requires immediate action lest the problem worsens and causes flooding.

Heavy Rain and Storms

Outside drains may become blocked with leaves, dirt and sticks after storms or heavy rain, building up and clogging drains. Common reasons for a blocked drain can be heavy storms. As they are generally not able to negotiate huge volumes of water. Blocked outside drains can cause flooding and damage to homes and businesses.

Common Reasons For A Blocked Drain Could Be Damaged Pipes

Another reason for clogged drains can be a damaged pipe. If a pipe is broken, the water cannot flow freely and it may cause a collapse and a drain blockage. Common causes of broken pipes are poor installation, age of the pipes and invading tree roots. Tree roots can cause substantial damage underground, and so investigating this blockage with a thorough investigation is essential to identify where the problem is occurring. Underground pipe repairs can be difficult and expensive depending on how hard it is to access the issue.  

 

5 Common Reasons For A Blocked Drain

 

Incorrect pipe installation

With people’s do it yourself repairs and home renovations, there can be poorly installed plumbing and drainage pipes as a result. Pipes may become misaligned or completely collapse if not properly installed. Selecting the correct pipes is an integral part of any plumbing job, and so it is important that you have a comprehensive understanding of the pipe work required to do the job. Incorrect installation is not only dangerous but could also damage other parts of your or your neighbours’ property, leading to more expenses down the road. 

Issues with Water Flow are Common Reasons For A Blocked Drain

Water does not tend to flow uphill, as drainage and water flow is all about gravity. Incorrect pipe installation with inadequate falls could contribute to the accumulation of matter and debris that would contribute to a drain blockage. It is important that pipes are installed correctly with gravity in mind to ensure effective water flows. Drains can become blocked for many different reasons, so it is important to take the underlying cause of blocked drains into consideration. Blockages can build up over time and any early signs of a blockage indicates obstructions to the water flow. These include gurgling sounds after you flush a toilet, the water level in your sink or bath draining very slowly, and bad smells from sinks or drains.

A plunger can help clear blockages quickly; however this is a band-aid solution that may not address the underlying causes of the drain blockage. If you have ongoing drainage problems or need to repair or lay drains, ensure to call a professional plumber. Using a professional plumbing service will ensure the job is done properly and will be more cost effective in the long run. 

For all your plumbing work, you should consider using a professional plumbing business such as Inner City Plumbing or GO2 Plumbing.