You never really appreciate your plumbing until it stops working. One minute everything seems fine and the next you’re standing in a puddle of water wondering where it’s coming from. At Inner City Plumbing, we’ve responded to hundreds of plumbing emergencies across Melbourne, and while every call is different, there are a few things we see time and time again.
If you’re dealing with a plumbing emergency, don’t panic. A few simple actions before your emergency plumber arrives can make a huge difference to the amount of damage your home suffers.
The first question we ask over the phone is usually, ‘Can you turn the water off?’
It’s surprising how many homeowners have never needed to find their water meter before. Then, in the middle of a burst pipe, they’re searching around the front garden while water continues pouring into the house.
If the leak is significant, turning off the mains water is almost always the best first step. We’ve arrived at homes where a small split in a flexible hose has flooded an entire kitchen simply because the water was left running while people searched online for solutions.
Not every leak is as bad as it looks.
One thing experience teaches you is that water has a habit of travelling.
We’ve seen water dripping through a dining room ceiling that actually started from a bathroom on the floor above. We’ve also traced puddles in hallways back to leaking dishwasher hoses tucked away inside kitchen cabinetry.
That’s why we don’t recommend pulling walls apart or making assumptions about where the leak started. Containing the water is worthwhile, but finding the actual source often takes specialised equipment and a trained eye.
Skip the DIY fixes.
When drains block, a lot of people try the supermarket drain cleaner first.
By the time we arrive, the blockage is still there, except now we’re working around harsh chemicals sitting inside the pipe. Most of the serious drain blockages we clear are caused by tree roots, collapsed drains, wipes or years of grease build-up. A bottle of chemicals isn’t going to remove any of those.
Our drain cameras regularly reveal problems that aren’t visible from the surface. Once we know what’s causing the blockage, we can clear it properly instead of just treating the symptoms.
Overflowing toilets need immediate attention.
An overflowing toilet is one of those jobs people often hope will sort itself out, unfortunately, it almost never does.
If the water level keeps rising, stop flushing immediately. Every extra flush usually makes the situation worse. If there’s an isolation valve behind the toilet, turn it off, then give your emergency plumber in Albert Park a call.
The faster we get there, the easier the repair usually is.
One pattern we’ve noticed over the years is that the smallest plumbing issues often become the biggest repair jobs because people wait.
Calling early doesn’t always mean a bigger repair bill, usually, it’s the opposite.
Having the right equipment changes everything.
Most plumbing emergencies can’t be solved with a trip to Bunnings.
We arrive with leak detection equipment, drain inspection cameras, high-pressure water jetters and the fittings needed to carry out repairs on the spot wherever possible. That means less guesswork, faster diagnosis and a more permanent fix.
After years of working throughout Melbourne’s inner suburbs, we’ve also become familiar with the plumbing quirks that come with older homes. Galvanised pipework, ageing drains and decades of renovations often create problems that aren’t obvious until something fails.
Plumbing emergencies are something we deal with every day.
A burst pipe, blocked drain, overflowing toilet or unexpected leak – the sooner the problem is addressed, the less chance it has to cause damage.
If you need an experienced emergency plumber, Albert Park to Abbotsford, Essendon to Elsternwick, Inner City Plumbing is ready to respond. Our team understands the homes throughout Melbourne’s inner suburbs and arrives equipped to diagnose the problem, carry out lasting repairs and get your plumbing back to normal as quickly as possible.
Call 1300 668 834 now – we guarantee a 1-hour response time!