At Watermaster Plumbing, our plumbers in Brighton have dealt with all sorts of small, big, and plain bizarre plumbing jobs over the years.
But as you’d expect, the vast majority of the plumbing problems we get called to fix are of the routine variety.
When our Brighton plumbers attend these jobs, we often get asked a lot of questions about plumbing and how it all works – and importantly, what has gone wrong.
We’d like to remind you that if you have a problem with your plumbing, it’s best to call our domestic plumbers to fix the problem for you – don’t chance it with DIY!
That said, there’s nothing wrong with understanding the reason your plumbing isn’t working – at the very least, it’ll help you diagnose the issue.
In particular, here are a couple of questions we get asked a fairly regular basis – we thought we save some time and clear up the answers for you right here and now…
Need a rapid-response plumber in Brighton or Melbourne’s Bayside? Don’t let a seemingly small issue magnify into a huge disaster – call our plumbers today on 1300 156 650.
Got a less-urgent issue or want to organise an on-site visit? Give us a call or contact us today.
Our domestic plumbers explain: what to do when your toilet won’t flush
There is nothing worse than your toilet not flushing. It’s an absolute nuisance – not to mention, it means you can’t use the loo until it’s fixed!
There’s more than one reason that it won’t flush, however. And because there’s no clear-cut diagnosis, people sometimes run into trouble when they have flushing problems.
Just to be clear, these aren’t the only reasons that a toilet won’t flush. However, they tend to be the most common reasons.
1. You’ve got a clogged toilet
This is the most common reason your toilet won’t flush.
A clogged toilet is caused by a build-up of waste in your toilet that blocks the pipes and stops water from moving through it.
The best way to prevent this from posing any sort of problem is to make sure that you’re only flushing – ahem – waste and toilet paper down your toilet.
You should never flush anything else down your toilet – even the stuff that claims to be “flushable” – including tissues, floss, cotton balls, and paper towels.
2. There’s not enough water in tank
While blockages are the most common reason for a toilet that won’t flush, this is a close second.
Our domestic plumbers very often show up to a house and find that the answer is as simple as “you need more water in the tank”.
Sure, you can get by manually topping the cistern up with a glass of water – but frankly, who has time for that?
Luckily, this is something our plumbers in Brighton can fix. Normally, we find that the issue lies with:
- Faulty inlet valves
- A float arm that needs to be readjusted
- Low water pressure
Each of these problems can be fixed by a skilled plumber.
A while back, our friends at H2-Pro Plumbing did a piece on the mechanics behind your flush – click here to read it.
3. Problems with your overflow tube
Peek inside your toilet cistern, and you’ll see a large cylinder tube – this is the overflow tube.
Don’t let the misleading name fool you – this tube is a mini tank that’s part of the flush valve, responsible for controlling and regulating the flow of water into your toilet bowl.
Needless to say, problems with your overflow tube can result in too little water coming out when you flush.
You may even run into the opposite problem – too much water!
If you need to get this fixed you should call on of our Brighton plumbers to help you do it.
Our plumbers in Brighton explain drain problems
Drains can be very tricky things to clean. After all, it’s not like you can scrub the inside of a drain clean short of taking it apart first!
Not to mention, how often do you think about your drains? Not that much, we’ll bet! If you’re like most homeowners, your drains are something you don’t even think about cleaning… until something goes wrong, of course!
Not to mention, just like toilets, there are certain things that can make their way into your drains and result in blockages.
One big culprit is oil and grease.
Why these two? Simple: many of us simply our them down our drain willy-nilly, assuming our drains will carry them away.
This doesn’t always happen – sometimes, it pools up or gets stuck. Over time, it solidifies, and as such, can result in blocked drains.
One technique for getting rid of them is the classic vinegar and baking soda combination – in many cases, it’ll get the job done.. For now, at least.
If drainage issues persist and your DIY remedy isn’t providing a long-term solution, we suggest calling our plumbers in Brighton to help out!
Our team of domestic plumbers break down the causes of low water pressure
As domestic plumbers we get asked about water pressure a lot. Trust us when we say we understand the frustration of a low-pressure shower.
There is nothing worse than stepping into your morning or evening shower, only to be met with a slow drizzle rather than a strong, steady stream of water. Doubly so if it’s winter, like it is right now!
Just like with most plumbing problems, our Brighton plumbers want you to know there could be multiple causes.
Two of the most common include…
1. Check the pressure regulator
Many people choose to install a pressure regulator to reduce the pressure of water entering their pipes.
This helps to protect your pipes from potential damage caused by excessive water pressure – yes, it’s possible to have too much water pressure!
If your pressure regulator is faulty however, it could result in either very high water pressure or very low water pressure.
You can see where this is going!
A plumber can analyse your pressure regulating valves and determine whether a fault here is what’s causing your water pressure problems.
We’ll then fix the issue, or replace your valves altogether if adjusting your pressure regulators aren’t doing their job.
2. Check the house shut off valve
Every home’s water supply has a shut off valve. You’ll usually find this valve inside your home, but sometimes it is located outside.
If water pressure is low, it’s possible that this might be because this valve is not fully opened.
A wheel handle needs to be turned as far as it will go counterclockwise to be open all the way.
If low water pressure is present throughout your home, your shut-off valve is the likely culprit.
Be sure to check it first – you might save yourself a lot of frustration!
Hire our plumbers in Brighton to take care of all your plumbing needs
Need a reliable plumber to take care of your home (and office, and commercial property, and investment property…) plumbing? Look no further than Watermaster Plumbing!
Our team of friendly plumbers in Brighton have the skills and qualifications needed to provide truly Masterful service, no matter your plumbing needs:
We pride ourselves on providing a higher level of service than other plumbers. We respect you and your property, clean up our mess after a job, and leave your space exactly as we found it.
Get in touch with our Brighton plumbers today: give us a call on 1300 156 650 or fill in this form and we will be in touch!