You’re excited to go return after a long weekend in the country. While you had a great time away, it wasn’t quite home, you know?
After all, there’s no place like home, as they say!
But as you open the door and step into your living room and kitchen, you notice something off. Hold up… is that… water?
The last thing you want to come back to after a relaxing holiday is a plumbing disaster.
So before you head off on your well-deserved break, our Bayside plumbers suggest you take the following steps to protect your plumbing before you leave.
And should the worst happen, you can always reach our emergency plumbers on 1300 156 650 for rapid-response plumbing assistance.
But first: the most common causes of burst pipes
While there are many plumbing problems that can occur while you’re away, most of them don’t really cause major problems.
After all, there’s nobody around to use your plumbing.
The exception? Burst pipes.
It doesn’t matter whether anyone is currently using your plumbing or not. A burst pipe will leave water everywhere regardless.
Some of the most common causes include…
Damaged pipes
Burst pipes don’t happen randomly. In most cases, it’s the result of damage, or wear and tear.
This can be for a number of reasons:
- Age
- High water pressure
- Bad installation
- Poor choice of pipe material
Whatever the cause, the outcome is the same: damage, resulting in a burst pipe.
Old, worn-out and damaged pipes will need to be changed immediately – whatever you do, don’t wait until it becomes rusty and brittle.
Such conditions lead to sudden bursting.
And sometimes, they might finally give way while you’re on holiday!
External causes
Does your home feature external pipes?
If so, you’ll also have to worry about external problems causing bursts:
- Tree roots
- Stones
- Extreme weather conditions
- Exposure to the elements
These external factors can damage your external pipes, to the point of causing small cracks and openings to form, or even resulting in a burst altogether!
While the problem may not be inside your home per se, external bursts can still cause a major headache, stopping water from flowing inside your home.
High water pressure
We touched on this before, but it bears repeating: high water pressure isn’t automatically a good thing!
That’s because your pipes are designed to take a certain amount of pressure. Excess pressure puts an extreme strain on your pipes, to the point where they can burst.
The solution? Tackling your pressure problems head-on.
Water valves, pressure regulators… problems with any of these can cause the pressure to run higher than it should. And that in turn leads to your pipes bursting.
Poor pipe installation
Faulty pipes. A bad joining job. Weak connections. All of these can cause your indoor plumbing to burst prematurely.
This is why it’s so important that you choose the right Bayside plumber right off the bat, instead of opting for the cheapest option!
Freezing temperature
While not really something Bayside residents need to worry about, for people living in colder parts of Victoria, this is something you’ll need to think about, especially as winter approaches.
Extreme cold temperature can cause water to freeze in pipes. And as water freezes, it expands, creating pressure and weakening your pipes.
How to prevent burst pipes in empty homes
Prevention is better than cure – especially when it comes to costly repairs to your plumbing and plumbing replacements.
Before you head off on holiday, there are a couple of simple ways to ensure that your pipes don’t burst on you while you’re busy enjoying yourself on holiday.
Tip 1: Shut off the water source
Leaving home for a long holiday? We suggest shutting off your water at the main water valve and draining your pipes.
In addition to eliminating burst pipes while you’re away, this also protects your health. Still water can become contaminated when it sits for long periods.
Leaving water in your pipes can lead to an upset stomach if you take a drink immediately after a couple of weeks away!
Tip 2: Leave cabinet doors open
During extremely cold weather, it’s best to leave cabinet doors open to allow warmer air to enter.
This is especially important for sinks installed in exterior walls, as these tend to get a lot colder than interior walls!
Tip 3: Seal leaking pipes
“Oh, it’s just a small leak. What sort of damage could it possibly do?”
If you’re going to be away for a long period, it could do a lot!
A small leak can cause considerable damage if it’s allowed to continue. Short of draining all the water in your pipes, we recommend sealing any pipes you know for a fact are leaking.
Duct tape can be a huge help, since it’s tough and waterproof. For other temporary band-aid solutions while awaiting a professional Bayside plumber, click here.
Tip 4: Call an expert plumber for pipe maintenance
If you’re going to be away from home for a long time, we suggest getting your plumbing inspected before you leave by our team of Bayside plumbers.
We’ll look over your pipes before you go, identifying issues including cracks, wear and tear and other problems.
Our home plumbing inspections are 100% free. Once we’re done, we’ll give you an inspection report certifying what condition your plumbing is in.
And should we uncover any issues while we’re there, we’ll fix them for you on the spot.
Burst pipes? Plumbing emergencies? Call a Melbourne plumber today!
Avoid the disaster while you’re away from home by ensuring your home plumbing is healthy and well-maintained.
And you can’t do that without the assistance of a Bayside plumber!
No one wants to deal with flooding and damaged pipes. Not only is it costly, but it can make you forget all those positive memories you built while you were away.
Watermaster Plumbing offers immediate, long-lasting plumbing solutions to burst pipes and other plumbing emergencies.
You can trust that we deliver prompt, efficient and reliable emergency plumbing services wherever you are in Bayside:
Call Watermaster Plumbing’s Bayside plumbers today on 1300 156 650 or fill in the form to contact us today.
You can also visit us for domestic plumbers in Melbourne: pop into our headquarters at 9/22 George St Sandringham, VIC 3191, if you prefer a more hands-on approach.