Top plumbing questions

The 3 top plumbing questions we were asked this week

It’s funny, as a maintenance plumber, no two days are ever the same. Yet sometimes we get asked the same question over and over again and it becomes apparent that when you work locally, homeowners are often facing similar plumbing issues. These common questions are the inspiration for today’s blog….

1.Why does my drain block?

Ahh, the million dollar question! In the more established areas of Melbourne (like the south-east suburbs where we work and reside) it can be a result of many things, however quite commonly it can be a result of the trees that were planted 30+ years ago.

Certain trees are more aggressive at seeking out water and overtime they can infiltrate a sewer or storm water drain causing it to block. Similarly, tree roots can cause an older pipe to collapse or crack and it can become filled with soil or (common in our area) – clay-like soil. If it is not tree-roots the other primary culprit is an obstruction. Thus try to avoid washing hair down the drain or flushing anything other than toilet paper down the toilet!

2. Why does the pilot light on my hot water unit keep going out?

There are a few primary reasons why this can happen:

* The thermo-couple can burn out causing the pilot to go out.

* The gas control valve could be faulty

* The gas line may be incorrectly sized and if you have multiple gas appliances running at once, it can interrupt the supply and cause the pilot to extinguish.

3. Why don’t I have good water pressure?

There is nothing worse than bad water pressure, especially in the shower. In the older more established suburbs of Melbourne it is common for the lack of water pressure to be a result of blocked galvanised pipe. Over-time a galvanised pipe will see a build up of debris that can ultimately cause an almost complete blockage of the pipe. If it is not the old pipes, then it may be the pressure coming from the water meter – a blocked pressure reducing valve at your meter can also play havoc with your water pressure.

We hope you found this useful and my final tip would be, ask your local nursery staff about the water-seeking properties of new trees before you plant them…