Choose the right pipe

The majority of builders when constructing a new home will give little attention the stormwater. Although it is perfectly legal, they will often install stormwater grade pipe underground. As plumbers, we do not recommend this. To cut costs the  pipe grade they  is for the lack of a better word weaker and more susceptible to breaks. It is fine to use for downpipes, but when used underground it can cause serious problems in your home. When the ground moves, pipes can crack and tree roots can easily invade the pipe, causing severe blockages and damage to the pipe. If you opt to get your stormwater pipes cleaned using the hydro jet drain machine, the jet can easily break more holes in your pipework due to the brittleness of the stormwater pipe. with all this said when building a new home or renovating, ask your builder or plumber to install 100mm DWV pipe for your underground stormwater. The initial price is higher for DWV, but you’ll thank us in the long run.

The more inspection points the better

Another form of cost cutting is not placing enough inspection openings in downpipes. This becomes a major concern when downpipes become blocked as there’s less places to access and remove the blockage. To avoid this ask your plumber or builder for several Inspection Points on the downpipes.

Stay on top of preventative maintenance

To avoid unwanted issues from arising conduct a monthly maintenance check, especially during autumn winter when there’s a lot of leaf matter from deciduous trees.  This includes removing debris from any grates and sumps as well as cleaning out the gutters.

We hope this has been useful, and will help save you money in the long run. For more tips visit SA Water.