Blocked drains
Blocked drains can be a
nightmare, whether it’s your shower drain, external sewers or storm-water
drains. DIY-ers often attempt to dislodge any blockages with mops or hoses, but
this can lead to bigger problems if the mop head or hose fitting becomes stuck.
Even worse, using hydro jet equipment to clear blocked drains is not only
dangerous, but it can cause further damage to your pipes and drains. Power
drain cleaning equipment should only be operated by a trained, qualified
plumber who will understand the likely routing of your concealed underground
drains.
If you’d like to tackle a blocked
drain yourself, make sure to invest in the correct equipment; a pole-mounted
plunger from a specialist plumbing supply store often does the trick. Even a
small one can be worth having on hand for those minor blockages in the kitchen
or bathroom sink. If the problem can’t be fixed with a plunger, call in a
professional to take a look.
Leaking taps
Leaking taps or fixtures can not
only be annoying, but they can lead to thousands of litres of precious water
wasted. The biggest mistake made by DIY-ers when it comes to leaking taps is
failing to remove all pieces of a disintegrated washer or jumper when removing
the tap body. This small error can allow debris to be flushed further into the
supply pipe, causing additional flow restrictions. Further, this debris could
then get caught in the new washers, causing damage to the washers and leading
the tap to leak all over again.
When repairing a leaking tap
yourself, make sure you turn off all the water to the building before you begin,
remove all pieces of disintegrated washer or jumper, and either replace or
clean the “O” ring and clean the spindle worm drive with a wire brush and
lubricate with silicone grease. If you need extra help, call in a professional plumber
in Beverly Hills CA to take the lead.
Burst water pipes
Many burst water pipes involve
old galvanised steel pipes that need to be taken out and replaced. It seems
simple enough for a keen DIY-er; dig up the pipe, cut out the faulty section
and insert a new short pipe connected with gland couplings. However, you need
to take great care to prevent additional damage to the already weakened
existing pipe while making the repairs. Any stress from fitting the new pipe
into position can travel down the old pipe and cause concealed damage and
further leaks along the underground piping.
If you’re looking to replace a
pipe yourself, make sure you expose the pipe completely; over-dig if you need
to allow for flooding of excess water, and try not to allow any floating debris
or silt into the open cut piping system. If you’re ever in doubt, don’t
hesitate to call in professional plumbing
services in Beverly Hills to carry out the repair for you.
