With owning and operating a 24/7 plumbing company answering after hours calls about a plumbing emergency is something we are used to.
In the many plumbing emergency calls we have taken over the years, the two most common reasons for calling after hours are either a burst water pipe causing flooding inside the house or a blocked drain causing waste to back up and spill over, usually outside but on occasions within the home.
Not only are these situations distressing but they have the potential to cause substantial damage to the home in a short period of time. Knowing what to do in a plumbing emergency not only allows the situation to be handled calmly but enables you to quickly make it safe and minimise damage to the property.
Here at Whywait Plumbing we recommend that all adults residing in a household should at a bare minimum know:
- Where the main water isolation valve for the property is located.
- How to turn off the water at the water meter or isolation valve (usually located in a turf box on the property boundary).
- How to turn off the water at the hot water service.
- How to isolate the power to the house at the meter board.
Let’s take a closer look at some plumbing emergencies
Burst Pipes
In our 40 plus years as local Gold Coast plumbers, we have found that burst pipes are likely to cause the most damage to a property especially if they happen at night or when you are away from the property. We have seen a marked increase in the number of these incidences since braided hoses have replaced copper pipes on tapware and toilets.
Our Recommendations
When installing new tapware have isolation valves fitted at the fixture so you can quickly isolate the water should a pipe burst.
Have one of the automatic water shut off device available on the market installed.
Know where and how to turn the water of at the water meter.
Keep a wrench or shifter inside so it is handy should you need to turn the water off in a hurry.
Before going away turn off the water at the meter. If you need to leave the water on for any reason then make sure you turn off the taps to the washing machine, dishwasher, toilet cisterns and any other isolation valves to water filters, fridges or mixer taps.
Tap Won’t Turn Off
A tap that won’t turn off isn’t technically an emergency as in most instances the water can be isolated at the meter and be attended to the next day. If it’s a hot water tap that won’t turn off then it is best to isolate the water at the hot water service so that you still have cold water to the house. It is a common misconception that you can’t leave a tap running because water is expensive but in real terms with the cost of water being $3.90 per thousand litres you would need to use 42,000 litres of water overnight just to cover the fee to call out our plumber after hours.
Our Recommendations
When installing new tapware have isolation valves fitted at the fixture so you can quickly isolate the water at the fixture should a pipe burst.
Know how to turn water off to your hot water service.
Know where and how to turn the water of at the water meter.
Keep a wrench or shifter inside so it is handy should you need to turn the water off in a hurry.
Blocked & Overflowing Drains
In this day and age having fully functioning drains is something we take for granted and so when drains block it is not only inconvenient but interrupts your normal household routine.
If the drains are overflowing outside although unpleasant they are not really causing any harm to the property and is best left to be attended to in daylight. A much more distressing scenario is if they are backing up and overflowing inside which fortunately is much less common. Whilst we are always happy to come out after hours with workplace health and safety regulations we are somewhat restricted as to what equipment we can operate after hours.
Our Recommendations
Know the location on your property of the overflow relief gully to your drainage system.
If the drains are backing up inside check that the grate to the overflow relief gully is not obstructed. Remove the grate if necessary to allow waste to overflow here.
Limit the use of your plumbing.
Do not run the washing machine or dishwasher.
If necessary use the toilet but avoid flushing where possible.
Here at Whywait Plumbing we understand that not everyone wishes to or is able to deal with a plumbing emergency so our Number 1 recommendation is to have our number handy so you can contact us quickly when the need arises.
