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Top 10 Summer Plumbing Tips

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The summer heat has flourished in Australia. There are also plenty of entertaining going on. Several fares, holiday events and beach trips will surely crowd your calendar. Before your schedule gets hectic, our friendly advice is to take time in making sure that your home plumbing system is ready to tackle on the scorching hot days ahead.

1. Check Your Toilet For Blockage And Leaks

This is certainly one of the areas with the most traffic in your home in the summertime. If you see that the pressure is low when you flush your toilet and smell unpleasant odours from drains, contact your trusted plumber immediately. You absolutely would not want guests coming over to experience the disasters of drains blocking up, toilets overflowing or toilet leaking.

Expert Tip:

Make toilet rules that every member of the family should follow. Flush only toilet paper down the loo, other things will block it up. It is important for everyone to know and remember what can be flushed or not. If someone is going out to the beach, advise them to rinse themselves of sands in public showers this can clock up floor wastes and drains. Be also aware of snakes coiling in the bowl as cases like this can happen during summer. You are not the only one trying to cool off!

2. Install A Water-Saving Showerhead

With everyone trying to find some relief from the summer heat, it is no surprise that the shower will be one of the most utilised bathroom fixtures. Water bills might be expected to spike up, but it never hurts to find ways to save.

Quick Tip:

Sometimes, it’s your taps that can be hard to turn off, especially the old Garden taps or hose taps, it’s our recommendation you install a lever tap rather than the old style ones, If you can’t fix the leaking tap yourself, better leave it to an experienced plumber.

3. Watch Out For Dripping Taps Inside And Outside Your Home

Tighten loose taps immediately to stop the dripping. In some cases, O-rings are the culprits of leaking taps. Always remind kids to turn off the taps, especially the outdoor hoses when they are not in use.

Temporary Fix Tip:

If your outside taps are leaking and you can’t repair, then connect your hose up to it and turn off the hose nozzle, this will stop the water being wasted until we can arrive and fix the issue permanently.

4. Take Care Of The Washing Machine

With plenty of outdoor activities going on, your washing machine has to work overtime to clean up the clothes that you have worn all throughout the day. Don’t let leaks put a damper on you wearing your favorite swimmers and summer outfits to the parties and festivals.

5. Clean Your Gutters From Debris

Summer storms can grace our homes every now and then, resulting in fallen leaves and twigs that might cause potential blockage in your gutter. Sweep the debris off to make sure that you catch most of the water for your catchment system and prevent flooding your yard during the rainy days.

6. Ensure That You Are Not Wasting Water In The Garden

Leaks in sprinklers are sometimes difficult to detect because the leak can be located underground.  A defective sprinkler can hike up your water bills almost as dramatically as a leaking showerhead. It will also kill your sensitive garden plants from over watering.

Expert Tip:

Put some variety in your garden by growing plants that require less water to survive. They are easy to take care of in times of drought, too.

7. Cover Up Your Pool And Use Timers

Choose sturdy vinyl or solar covers will help retain the water in the pool and slow down the evaporation process. It will also keep out leaves, twigs and other materials from floating around – making you change the water. You can also place automatic pool timers in your old pump that filters your water so it’s not running all the time when plugged in.

8. Get Your Barbies Ready For Grilling

Summer entertaining usually involve barbies in your yard while enjoying a cold beer under the sun. It is important to check that the hoses connecting the gas to your griller are free of leaks.

Handy Tip:

You can perform a detergent soap test to detect gas leaks or when you change the gas tank. Conduct the test outdoors. Mix 10 drops of detergent with some water in a spray bottle. Make sure that the gas controls in your BBQ are switched off but turn on the gas tank valve. spray the soap-water mixture into the valve, fittings and the hose. If you see bubbles or smell gas, this indicates a leak. If you suspect a gas leak turn off the gas immediately, contact your plumber or hot water specialist to repair it. You can also apply this test on your gas stove. 

9. Manage Your Hot Water System

During this summer season, your water heater won’t work nearly as hard as it does during the colder months. However, never try and adjust your water heater’s temperature below 60 degree Celsius. You may think that you will be saving energy, but you may be actually creating an environment for bacteria to breed like legionella.  These bacteria can be harmful and sometimes deadly to humans. If your hot water system is out-dated, leaking, or too cold, it might be necessary to replace it with a unit with high energy efficiency.

10. Book An Inspection For The Sewage And Stormwater System

If your sewers have leaks, it is easy for tree roots that are hungry for water to seep through it and cause a blocked sewer. The summer weather has been volatile. When summer storms strike, water backups happen if there is a blocked storm water pipe. Backups in your yards cause flooding that may damage the foundation of the house and the properties you have inside, it’s best that you are fully aware of the condition of both your sewer and stormwater pipes.

Do not be caught unprepared while enjoying the fun that summer brings you. Protect your family and property. Talk to our friendly plumbers if you suspect any leaks or blocked drains. Contact us to book an appointment. Do not wait for a plumbing emergency.

Joe Evers

Joe Evers

Joe is the director of the Plumbing and Electrical Doctor. He has committed the past 23 years to the plumbing and electrical industry. From his humble beginnings as an apprentice to now being a respected tradesman with his own sphere of influence, he aims to support the industry and the people involved in it. Joe and his young family have so much to be grateful for and appreciate everything that the industry and the customers have given him.
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