Adelaide Plumbing – 8 Essential Things to Know About Plumbing
Whether you own or rent, there are absolute musts to know when it comes to your plumbing.
Number one on our list;
Know what your water source is, where it is and how to shut it off.
Your meter can be located either indoors, out in the garden or out on the street. If your meter is on the street, you can turn the tap off using either a meter key or a crescent wrench and a screw driver. If by the house, a simple leaver will turn it off.
Know how to identify which is yours
You can generally find your water meter number on the water bill you receive. If a couple of houses have meters in the same vicinity, use the serial number to help identify which is yours. Know how to read these using the units of measurement per minute or cubic meter.
Watch out for water pressure
Excessive water pressure causes almost all leaks, resulting in expensive water damage. Invest in a water pressure gauge and get more information from your water district as to what the right pressure should be.
When it comes to your waste water
Firstly, know what kind of system you’re on. If it is your own septic system or if it is on the city sewer system. Know if you have an ejector pump, know where your clean outs are and where to access them.
Watch out for condensation lines
Having Air conditioning in your home means that you are creating condensation. If the condensation is trapped, it will cause moisture, it can cause mold but most importantly, it will cause flooding. It will either travel down a tube in to a bathroom sink drain or via an outlet, usually located at the base of the building. Under this pipe, you should find it very damp, wet and even mossy. If it is not and the condensation is not being let out by the eave of the roof, the moisture is being trapped and your house is most likely going to be flooded.
Avoid property damage
If your hot water heater has a leak, it is vital to find and stop that leak to avoid further damage and potential disaster. You should locate the shut off valve at the top of the water heater. This allows for other water for toilets etc. to be used whilst stopping the leak.
Avoid touching shut off valves for fixtures
Messing with shut off valves can make them deteriorate fast or even break. The valves are generally old and fragile from the constant flow of chemical water passing through. They can collapse or break and cause leaks in both the valve itself and the supply tube attached to it.
If you absolutely do
If you have no option but to shut off a valve, a quarter turn will usually do the trick. If not, be sure to turn it off, as tightly as possible and call a professional.
Make sure you know where to find these things and how they work. It will save you a lot of time, hassle and money