Plumbing emergencies usually occur at the most unwanted moments and they bring forth an immediate and unwanted threat to your entire plumbing system, home and family. Plumbing emergencies can also be costly, take time to fix and can cause a headache or two along the way.

At VIP Drains we strive to ensure that your plumbing emergency is dealt with immediately and by a professional, licenced plumber and blocked drain specialist. 

Some of the common plumbing emergencies our team sees in home’s all over Sydney include overflowing toilets, burst pipes, blocked drains, blocked main (sewer) drains and blocked stormwater drains. 

In this article, you’ll learn what a plumbing emergency is and our top tips on how to avoid one in your home.

WHAT IS A PLUMBING EMERGENCY?

Your plumbing system can witness several situations that come under the category of a “plumbing emergency”. In the case of a true plumbing emergency, the best thing to do is act fast. 

A true plumbing emergency is when you are faced with any of the below plumbing issues: 

• A burst water service or serious water service leak that cannot be isolated
• A gas leak 
• A serious roof leak 
• Burst water pipes
• Broken hot water heater
• Overflowing sewer line
• Broken or blocked toilet 
• Damage from storm, fire or natural disaster

When you are in the midst of a plumbing crisis, and you’re unsure whether it’s a true plumbing emergency, think of these questions: 

Does water need to be restored to the property? 

Is water causing damage to your property? 

Is a blocked drain preventing the safe flow of water and waste?

Is your main drain clogged?

Is the waste connection damaged/sewage is not connected to the public sewage line? 

Are you experiencing any flooding at your property? 

Can you smell gas? 

Is anyone’s safety affected by being at the property?

If you’re answering YES to any of these questions, then you have a plumbing emergency on your hands.  

Our team at VIP Drains is ready and willing to assist in your plumbing emergency. Please call our team 0480 024 323, no matter what time or day of the year.

HOW TO PREVENT A PLUMBING EMERGENCY 

The best solution to all your plumbing problems is to conduct regular check-ups and maintenance on your pipes and drains. You can ultimately avoid a plumbing emergency in the first place, and that’s always the aim for anything plumbing related!

Here are a few tips: 

• Know what can and can’t go down the drain 
• Regularly clean your gutters
• Regularly clean your drains 
• Book in a pipe inspection at least every 12 months (especially if you have a tree root issue or are fearful of tree roots growing in your pipes)
• Flush your hot water tank every year 
• If something looks or sounds unusual, book in a professional service 

KNOWING WHAT CAN AND CANNOT GO DOWN THE DRAIN

One of the most valuable ways of avoiding a plumbing emergency is preventing debris from going down or entering the sink drain all around the home. Home sinks and drains get blocked when debris tends to build up in the plumbing pipes. 

In case the drains of your home get completely clogged, wastewater can reverse in the pipes while overflowing out of sink drains. You can consider purchasing a drain sleeve from the local hardware store. It helps in keeping maximum debris out of the drain pipes. 

To keep it simple, the only material that should go down a drain is water. This includes soapy water from dishwashing and greywater from laundries and bathrooms. 

The only thing to get flushed in your toilet is Pee, Paper (toilet paper) and Poo. Anything else, including “flushable wipes”, is off-limits. 

A few big concerns that we see causing havoc all over Sydney drains include: 

Hair (yours and your fur babies)

Clumps of hair going straight down your shower drain will get stuck eventually. When you wash your pet or your hair, pet fur and hair get accumulated and washed down the drainpipe. Hair turns out to be the most common cause for drain blockages.

Food Scraps

These might include rice, noodles, eggshells, pasta, coffee grounds, and tea bags. Upon going down the drain, these can combine with other debris to clog the drains underneath your kitchen sink.

Oil and grease

Oil does not belong down a drain. It not only ends up blocking the kitchen sink, but it can also lead to significant blockages in the primary sewer line. Grease can harden upon cooling. Therefore, it starts acting like glue. It can easily bind other items like hair and debris to form clogs in the drain pipes.

Foreign Items

In some cases, items can wash down the drainpipe accidentally. Such items can include dental floss, cotton tips, tampons, teaspoons, and small kids toys.

SPRING CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS AND PIPES

You might not think about the downspouts and drains of your home too often. However, even the slightest problem with your home’s drainage system can leave you with significant issues or even serious damage to the house’s foundation.

Cleaning gutters or drains might not be everyone’s favourite activity. However, effective gutter and drainage maintenance can save a wide range of additional problems and help to avoid a plumbing emergency. Spring cleaning your gutters and pipes is the first step towards proper care and maintenance of your home’s plumbing system.

As the general rule of thumb, it is advised that cleaning your drains and gutters at the start of the spring season will help ensure that your house can handle all conditions. It also allows the gutters to last longer.

BENEFITS OF REGULAR PLUMBING MAINTENANCE

As a homeowner, wanting to avoid a plumbing emergency you should ensure proper plumbing inspection and maintenance from time to time. Plumbing maintenance is an essential service. Mineral-rich water and various other factors can take a toll on the overall plumbing performance. This is why regular plumbing inspections and maintenance activities are essential. Some more benefits to validate the point are:

Improved Water Pressure

There cannot be anything as irritating as showering under low water pressure –especially when you are in a hurry. Water leaks tend to affect water pressure across the home. It leads to reduced water pressure in sinks and faucets all around your house. You can repair faulty taps or drains to resume the proper water pressure.

Improved Lifespan of the Plumbing System

Constant plumbing maintenance can help in restoring efficiency as well as longevity of the water piping system. Excessive water shuddering or pressure can put immense strain on the joints and the entire drainage system. This could lead to major pipe bursts. Water leaks also tend to damage the significant appliances of your home. Therefore, to enhance the lifespan of your house’s plumbing system, you can ensure regular maintenance services.

Preventing Plumbing Emergencies

As you ignore common plumbing issues in your home, it could lead to extensive and expensive problems in the long run. A faulty plumbing system can lead to significant damage to your property over time. Burst Pipes create problems in your house while damaging the walls, ceilings, floors, and even the foundation of the property. 

With regular system maintenance, you can avoid a plumbing emergency and your local plumbers can continue identifying these minor problems and resolving them right away. As a result, problems are identified and corrected before they escalate into major, expensive plumbing emergencies. 

Regular plumbing maintenance can help keep your plumbing system functional and efficient throughout the year and help you avoid any plumbing emergencies. Call us at VIP Drains, and we will assist in scheduling a maintenance inspection for your home.

WHO TO CALL IN A PLUMBING EMERGENCY?

Are you a Sydneysider facing a plumbing emergency? For the best outcome, always reach out to professional help from your local plumbers or blocked drain specialists. Most professionals are well-equipped and know it well to deal with plumbing emergencies of all kinds, including blocked drains. 

Our team at VIP Drains are expert blocked drain specialists; we are also dedicated to providing the best solutions to all our Sydney customers, no matter what time of day or day of the year. You can call our team today for a hassle-free quote on 0480 024 323.