The summer break is a great time to follow up on home maintenance and projects, whether it be freshening up the garden, getting new paint on the walls, or rearranging your garage. What’s on your to-do list?
One thing that homeowners tend to overlook, is the maintenance of the plumbing and pipes as part of routine home maintenance. It’s easy to forget when the pipes are mostly hidden behind your walls or underground. However, over time issues such as water leaks and bursts may develop and can become a costly problem.
It is just as important to check and maintain your pipes regularly as your other home maintenance projects, here’s what to look out for:
Pipe Stress
Pipe stress is caused by the built-up pressure in pipes. To keep your pipes in good shape, you should check and reduce pipe stress as much as possible. Over-stressed pipes can cause leaks and require premature replacement. As pipes are under frequent use every day in our home, it’s natural to experience wear and tear or deterioration, however, reducing pipe stress can extend the life of your pipes and keep them healthy.
Reducing Pipe Stress
A common cause of pipe stress is having set the water pressure too high in the household. This causes strain in the system and can lead to the overuse of water as well. Homeowners are generally not aware of what the recommended pressure level should be for their home, or whether it is being set too high.
If you’re not sure, a plumber Wahroonga can test this for you and run a pipe health check at the same time for your home. You can also check the current pressure by using a gauge that is widely available from home improvement or hardware stores if you want to DIY. A great way to ensure that you keep the pressure at a healthy level for your pipes is to install a pressure reducer which is also easily purchased from your local shops. You can then adjust the level required and also save water in cleaning and washing by reducing wastage.
Pipe Stress from Blockages
While routinely checking your pipes, it’s also a good idea to check for potential blockages which can cause pressure build-up and stress in the pipes. Blockages can come from anything, such as leaves and debris, or even the build-up of natural minerals in the water. Check both indoors and outdoors including gutters. Regularly clearing blockages can also prevent corrosion and take the pressure off pipe joints. If your home has hard water which contains a high level of minerals, you can install a water softener to help reduce the build-up and clogging of your taps.
Avoid Pipe Stress with Wild Water Plumbing
If you need a professional hand in checking your water pressure, Wild Water Plumbing can help! Pipes under too much pressure can cause water leaks, bursts, or other costly problems. Prevention is the best way to avoid pipe stress. If you suspect a water leak, we can also provide leak detection services using the latest equipment and technology to locate the source to ensure peace of mind and prevent further water damage.
Get in touch with our team today.