Winter in Australia is unpredictable, particularly on the east coast where Canberra and New South Wales lie. At one moment you are enjoying the winter sun. The next thing you know, a hailstorm or snowstorm occurs. Winter makes your plumbing vulnerable to broken pipes, blocked drains, and hot water system issues. Here are the top winter plumbing problems during the cold season, and here’s what you can do about them.
1. Damaged Sump Pump or Water Pumps
A sump pump is a specialised pump, installed in a sump pit. It prevents flooding, especially in low areas that could receive large amounts of stormwater, A sump pump needs regular yearly maintenance. You also need to insulate the inlet pipe and discharge pipe to protect it from freezing.
Water pumps for tanks and irrigation is very likely to freeze if not covered with a pump box and well insulated. If the above causes seem not to be the issue with your hot water heater, try adjusting the temperature higher by 5-10 degrees. To avoid scalding, test if the hot water temperature is to your liking by opening the farthest tap from your hot water system.
2. Frozen Pipes and Burst Pipes
To prevent freezing, it’s important to insulate or lag exposed pipes, as they are most vulnerable to this issue. By taking this precautionary step, you can protect your water pipes from the effects of cold weather, such as frosty mornings and sudden drops in temperature.
Burst pipes can be a major inconvenience, particularly on chilly days when hot water is a must-have for showering.
3. Low Water Pressure
Nothing can be more frustrating than having low water pressure when you are washing your clothes or running the hot water heater. Blocked pipes like old galvanized water pipes and leaking pipes cause low water pressure.
Check the pipeline in the area where you are experiencing low water pressure to see if there are no burst pipes or broken pipes. It will be more efficient to call a professional licensed plumber to inspect the whole plumbing system for you.
4. Hot Water Heater is no Longer Working
For some reason, your hot water heater breaks down in the midst of winter. You check to see what is wrong and you may find a number of reasons why suddenly there’s no hot water: there’s a leak in the hot water tank, the thermostat is malfunctioning, the pilot light is acting up and the list goes on. The worst-case scenario is you need a hot water replacement as soon as possible because you realise that the hot water system has already aged beyond its lifetime warranty.
Call hot water systems near you to identify and fix the hot water problem immediately lest you suffer from enduring cold showers. Your hot water specialist should be able to discuss with you the best hot water systems in the market and what your options are depending on the hot water capacity that you need and your budget.
5. Water And Sewer Backups
Blocked sewer lines normally cause water backups. You will normally notice these water backups when you flush your toilet and while taking a shower. At first, you might just think that the problems are only limited to a blocked toilet or a blocked shower drain, but the frequent reoccurrence of water backups in different areas of your home proves otherwise. Tree root infiltration is usually the cause of blocked sewer lines. It will be more difficult for you if blocked sewers act up during winter.
It pays to get your local plumber to check the sewer lines. Plumbing and Electrical Doctors, in particular, employ the use of a CCTV drain camera to check the areas of the blockage. If the blockages have affected the underground pipes connecting to your home, a pipe relining or patching might be necessary. It is a less invasive technology for installing a new stronger pipe in the plumbing line with minimal excavation required.
Are you having Winter Plumbing Problems?
Trust the Plumbing and Electrical Doctor to be available 24/7 for emergency plumbing repairs and hot water system installations. We service the areas of Canberra, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Central Coast and the Hunter Valley region.
Send a brief chat about your winter plumbing woe on our website or give us a call at 131091. Our friendly and professional plumbers and technicians give FREE inspection and expert plumbing advice and solutions.
Joe Evers
THE DOCTOR GETS IT DONE