1. Lean how to turn your water supply off at the meter This may seem obvious to some people, but for those who don’t know how it could potentially cost you thousands. For instance, if a plastic hose running to your washing machine or dishwasher breaks and you don’t know how to turn off the water supply, your kitchen or laundry will flood causing thousands of dollars in damage. |
Turn off the tap controlling the stop valve on your meter to stop the water supply to your property.
** Note: It’s good to get into the habit of turning your water off at the meter before you go on holidays. That way if a hose does burst while you are away you won’t have a nasty surprise waiting for you when you return.
If you are worried about plastic hoses breaking, give us a call on 0410 662 469. We can replace your plastic hoses with more durable stainless steel ones.
If you are worried about plastic hoses breaking, give us a call on 0410 662 469. We can replace your plastic hoses with more durable stainless steel ones.
2. Avoid pouring chemicals down your drain, invest in a plunger instead!
Pouring liquid chemicals down your drain to clear blockages should be avoided. Not only do they have the potential to eat away and damage some types of pipes, they can be dangerous for a plumber who comes along after to fix a blockage. If you do use chemical drain cleaners and then call a plumber, make sure you tell them first what you have put down the drain. Chemicals pooled in a blockage can spit up at a plumber whilst plunging a drain and can cause serious burns.
3. Monitor your electricity or gas bills if you have an old hot water heater.
If you have a storage hot water heater that is getting on in years be sure to monitor your electricity or gas bills. As storage hot water systems age, sludge can build up on the bottom of the unit resulting in the heating element working harder to heat the water supply. This means that the unit begins to expend more energy which in turn increases your electricity or gas bills. If you notice your bills are getting higher and higher but you don’t know why, it’s a good bet your water heater is causing it. Give us a call for some advice on the latest energy efficient water heaters on the market or see our Guide to Choosing the Right Hot Water System. In it you will find information on how much energy is expended by all the different types of water heaters on the market and also a cost comparison of the running costs of each system. You will be shocked at the difference in costs between solar, gas and electric systems.
Pouring liquid chemicals down your drain to clear blockages should be avoided. Not only do they have the potential to eat away and damage some types of pipes, they can be dangerous for a plumber who comes along after to fix a blockage. If you do use chemical drain cleaners and then call a plumber, make sure you tell them first what you have put down the drain. Chemicals pooled in a blockage can spit up at a plumber whilst plunging a drain and can cause serious burns.
3. Monitor your electricity or gas bills if you have an old hot water heater.
If you have a storage hot water heater that is getting on in years be sure to monitor your electricity or gas bills. As storage hot water systems age, sludge can build up on the bottom of the unit resulting in the heating element working harder to heat the water supply. This means that the unit begins to expend more energy which in turn increases your electricity or gas bills. If you notice your bills are getting higher and higher but you don’t know why, it’s a good bet your water heater is causing it. Give us a call for some advice on the latest energy efficient water heaters on the market or see our Guide to Choosing the Right Hot Water System. In it you will find information on how much energy is expended by all the different types of water heaters on the market and also a cost comparison of the running costs of each system. You will be shocked at the difference in costs between solar, gas and electric systems.