Reasons You May Need An Emergency Plumber

Regular and necessary maintenance of your home’s plumbing system will help in maintaining the strength and support of your drainage system, pipes, and fixtures. It will also allow them to be in their best condition for a significant period of time so you can ideally avoid plumbing emergencies.

The benefit of regular maintenance (especially by a licensed professional plumber) can also allow you or the professional to notice issues as they’re just starting out, fixing them before they escalate to plumbing emergencies.

Dealing with plumbing issues in their infancy means you could avoid hefty bills and interruptions to your home further down the track.

With any plumbing emergency, you should call a professional plumber to help and minimise the overall damage PLUS ensure that the issue gets fixed right the first time. 

Some of the common types of plumbing emergencies that a professional plumber will deal with on a daily basis are: 

Toilet Emergencies 

In case your toilet features a malfunctioning flow system or has become obstructed, the initial step is to shut off the water flow. 

The water tap is located under the waterline – close to the toilet. You need to turn it anti-clockwise completely. As water flow stops in the toilet, you can direct the malfunction or the block. 

Loosening the toilet block is quite simple. You can simply apply sturdy plumbing pressure with the help of a plunger. However, clogs that are highly obstructed might require the use of a gimlet. It helps in taking out the entire waste responsible for stopping the water flow. In more complicated cases, you might have to hire a professional to do the job.

As the toilet gets compressed with stopped water, it might result in the shattering of the system leading to an explosion. It is quite a risky situation for residents of the house.

Hot Water Heater Emergencies

Issues related to the heater unit might feature too cold or hot water, dripping tanks, odd-coloured or smelly water, and noisy water heaters.

In case water is leaking, you can hire a professional for help. However, when the water heating unit is not heating, you can simply flush the tank to get rid of colour and odour issues. Moreover, it also helps in enhancing the efficiency of the heating unit. 

When there are major temperature fluctuations in the water heater, it could lead to an explosion. As it turns out quite dangerous for everyone in the house and around, it is advisable to hire emergency plumbers right away!

Shower and Bathtub Blockages

Nothing can be worse than bathing in your shower area with wastewater rising up to your body levels. In case you listen to a strange babbling sound arising from the drainage system, there is a possibility of drain blockage. 

Blockage in bathtub and shower areas could lead to major plumbing issues –when left unchecked. Reach out to the emergency professionals in your area. 

Obstructed Roofs, Gutters and Downspouts

Gutters are an integral component of most Australian homes and buildings. The primary function of your home’s gutters is to provide a channel for rainwater to move off your rooftop and away from the foundation of your home. This channelling ensures that the water doesn’t seep beneath your home’s foundation, weakening it and causing serious issues in the future. If your home is exposed to prolonged periods of moisture it can weaken and deteriorate parts of your home’s structure.

We don’t want that!

If you’re living off rainwater (fully or partially) you will know the value of a clean gutter because every drop of water needs to find its way into that tank, undisturbed by debris or dirt. That’s why it’s important that your gutter system is clean, clear, and working properly at all times.

Obstructed gutters, downspouts, and roofs could lead to water build-up in areas like gardens, kitchens, bathrooms, and even bedrooms. Ultimately, it might drench the furniture as well.

Even when there might be minimal water damage, sweaty roofs and walls serve as breeding grounds for different types of moulds – giving rise to illness. Therefore, you should deal with the situation quickly.

Sewage System Backups

It is one plumbing emergency that is never pretty. Still, you may face it if you are not attentive to the warning signs. 

The sewer system backups are troublesome, dirty, and expensive. You can know about a sewer backup when you witness multiple drainage clogs, unpleasant odours emanating from the drainage pipes, pooling water around the drainage area, and babbling sounds. 

As soon as you witness such signs, it is recommended to reach out to a plumbing expert.

When a sewage issue occurs, a professional plumber will need to be called in to take over legally. A professional plumber has trained for years and is certified at handling wastewater in the correct manner to ensure the safety of your family and to prevent further damage from occurring. A professional plumber will also help in diagnosing where the issue originated and how to prevent it from happening again.

Poor Water Pressure

Poor water pressure can be a sign of various other similar concerns, including:

• Blockages: In case the pipes of your drainage system are blocked, water cannot run through them easily. It results in reduced water pressure out of the taps. It could also be the result of other factors like rust or debris accumulation.
• Expansion During Installation: If your area receives the inflow of hard water, the accumulation of dregs can increase on the spiles of installations of the plumbing units. This will not allow water to flow out easily.
• Closed Water Valves: If the water’s main or meter valve is not opened properly, you will have to face insufficient water flow. 
• Pressure Relief Valves: If the pressure relief valve is not functioning properly, you might have to witness poor water flow. Ultimately, it damages the entire plumbing system. 

If you are in an emergency right now, you can Google the best ‘emergency plumber near me’ or call our team on 0420 102 394 and we can help.

Burst Flexi Hoses

A ‘flexi hose’ is a flexible hose made from versatile and malleable rubber pipe armoured in braided layers of stainless steel.

They’re part of many Australian homes and can be found in connections from the wall outlet to sinks, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, taps connected to home mains, plumbed fridges and more. You’ll mostly find your flexi hoses underneath the basin or bathroom sinks. 

Flexi hoses can cost as little as ten dollars yet 4 out of 5 households in Australia have damaged, over-pressured or perished flexi hoses. This means there are many Australian households that could experience a burst flexi hose and subsequent flooding or water damage from that burst flexi hose at any moment.

If a flexi hose bursts and water spurts out from the hose, it can cause hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of damage in minutes. To give you some perspective, if a flexi hose bursts while you’re out of the home and it’s left to run for hours, your entire home will be flooded with hundreds of litres of water when you return. 

What to Do in a Plumbing Emergency?

Plumbing emergencies should be dealt with IMMEDIATELY to try and avoid further damage. In case you have a plumbing emergency in Sydney, you can implement some effective steps until help arrives from a professional. With the guidance of an experienced emergency plumber, you can be assured that everything is taken care of effectively.

The aim of the game in an emergency (especially if there is leaking/flooding water) is to shut off the water supply. Then, try to call a professional to come and assist. 

Here are some steps to take when you’re in a plumbing emergency: 

Shut Off Water Supply Immediately

As soon as you encounter some major problem in the plumbing system of your house, like a burst pipe, you should turn off the main or water value immediately. The water main or the value is mostly situated outdoors on the water meter. Water meters are usually situated somewhere close to the front-side boundary line of the property.
If you are renting in a unit, the water main can sometimes be hidden around the toilet or under a basin. Whenever you move in to a new unit you should ask where the water main is, so in the event of an emergency you understand where to go.

When you shut off the main water supply, it will not solve the plumbing problem at hand. However, it will prevent unnecessary water run-off and flooding of your property.

It is not always necessary to shut off the main water valve – depending on the location of the problem in the house. For instance, if there is water leakage from the toilet or a tap in your house, you can only turn off the water supply of the given system. It will allow you to get access to water in other areas of your house – until emergency help arrives. 

Call Your Local, Emergency Plumber

If you’re in the eastern suburbs, that’s us! Call our team on  0420 102 394 now. Any time of day or night, we have someone in our team of professional plumbers on standby to assist you. We will also provide you with tips you can do whilst we are on our way to make sure we save valuable time. In an emergency, we have an on-site guarantee of 30 minutes within the eastern suburbs.

Clean The Mess The Best You Can

By the time the plumber reaches your property, you can simply clean the area in case it is wet. It is recommended to keep the floor dry. As such, professional plumbers are able to work efficiently as soon as they arrive.

Analyse the Damage

Go through what is going on such that you are capable of explaining the problem to the local plumber. In case you have burst pipes, it is critical to shut off water instantly. Then, you should analyse what happened. The more knowledge you have when you book a plumber, the easier it becomes to diagnose the main problem. The plumbers can come well-prepared with the right plumbing tools to help you out. Once your local plumber has handled the emergency situation he or she will take you through the reasons why the issue has occurred and propose solutions to ensure it won’t happen again. 

Ongoing Maintenance

Once the emergency plumber has left and the issue has been resolved, there will be some ongoing maintenance to help prevent any futher emergencies.

Speak With Your Insurer

Depending on your cover, the cost of the emergency plumbing call out and the cost of any repairs can be covered by your insurer. Most home and contents insurance in Australia does cover for flood damage however you need to check with your insurer and your specific policy.

Tips To Help Prevent Issues Becoming Emergencies

• Repair Any Leaks Instantly

In case you notice a dripping or leaking tap in your house, whether it is in your kitchen or bathroom, you should reach out to emergency plumbing services right away. It is because even smaller leaks can result in increased water bills and even though it might not appear a major issue, it could still escalate quickly.

• Keep a Note of the Plungers

As a homeowner, you should indeed own a plunger. These handy tools can definitely help you in saving hundreds of dollars in the long run. 

In case you are experiencing water build-up in sinks, you can simply place the plunger over the drain for creating a seal. Then, push and draw the plunger continuously up and down over the existing waste. Most minor blockages will give way to the pressure and go down the pipe system. In case the problem persists, you should call a plumber to avoid further problems. 

• Avoid Using Chemicals

It is highly tempting to head to the local store and purchase chemicals to pour down the drainage system. If you are facing clogs, you should consider calling our 24/7 plumbing experts to diagnose and treat the problem. 

The chemicals you use can potentially damage the internals of the pipes. Moreover, you might also not know the main cause of pipe blockage. Plumbers are easily able to identify the problem while making use of the right tools to resolve the problem. 

• Manage Small Leaks

For most leaks that you come across, try controlling them at your best possibility with easy steps. You can easily manage smaller leaks until the plumber comes for professional plumbing repairs. 

You can consider wrapping duct tapes around the leakage to prevent continuous water loss. If it is not sufficient, you can also think of using some heavy-duty tool like a sleeve clamp or a C-clamp. Not many homes in Sydney have access to such advanced tools. Therefore, you can hire professional help for handling your plumbing emergencies seamlessly. 

Skilled and expert Sydney emergency plumbers like our team at Proximity Plumbing have ample experience at handling and managing plumbing emergencies. Our team is able to assess the situation effectively while diagnosing the cause of the problem, dealing with the problem at hand and providing solutions to ensure it won’t happen again.