Leaks And Burst Pipes
Leaks and burst pipes are a pain to deal with, here are some solutions to fix your problem.
I. Leaks Around Your Property
Arrange your pipework to be fixed:
As a property owner, you own the responsibility for the maintenance and repairs of your pipework if there is a problem. If we find that there is a emergency plumbing situation on your property, for example, Leaks And Burst Pipes, we are able to provide you with services on getting the problem fixed as soon as possible. It is important to check the home emergency coverage that you have. Furthermore, you can look through our approved plumbers’ list.
Appointments, Quotes and Consultations
When you get booked in with a leak, our team will ask you questions in order to analyse and provide the best services. Our team will also explain to you the entire process step by step and they will run through any conditions or terms that might be a part of the process. You should keep in mind that there is a high possibility that we would need to do a little digging around your property as we must access the pipework to fix the leak. We will try to minimise the damage done on the surface and will resurface using the exact material that has been used before. Another element to keep in mind is that we will resurface only the area which has been dug, so you might be left with a patch effect. On the day of your appointment, our plumbers will discuss the whole process of work with you and will let you know of everything that needs to be done.
II. Turning Your Water Off And On
When you have a leak in your house or when you wish to undertake DIY plumbing services, it would be advisable to turn off your water supply.
Turning the water off
With the help of the inside stop valve, you are able to control the water that is entering your house. It can be located inside or outside of your property.
How to use the inside step valve
There would be no problems for you to operate the valve by yourself. You need to turn it clockwise to close the valve which will decrease the water which is passing through. Sometimes a few minutes might be needed in order for the water to stop completely. Turning the valve anti-clockwise ill turn back on your water supply.
If you have problems…
You might not be able to find or use the inside stop valve. Another possible situation is that the inside valve isn’t working properly or it cannot be located, so in such situation you should find your outside stop valve. It is usually located close to your property’s boundary under a small CD case size cover. For any guidance you may require, don’t hesitate to contact the experts in Melbourne in emergency plumbing.
III. Locating And Using The External Stop Valve
Also known as a stopcock, the external stop valve is controlling the supply of cold water which is going inside your home. Situations in which you might need to use it include the improper working of the inside stop valve (inability to find it) or when repairs must be made on the supply pipe. This is essentially a part of the pipe which is connecting the water main in the road to your home.
Locating the external stop valve
You can usually find it close to the boundary of your property or if you have a water meter in your home, the valve would be located in the same chamber or pit as the water meter. You should keep in mind that some properties do not have a stop valve located on the outside and usually those are homes which are very old. Another reason of a missing outside stop valve is that your home and a few of your neighbors might be served by the same incoming water supply.
How to use the valve
Turning the valve in a clockwise direction will close it and thus turn off your home’s water supply and you can do that by yourself. Sometimes you may need to get a universal stopcock or valve key from a plumbers’ store or a DIY chain. You need to turn it very carefully in order to prevent any damage done to the valve. You need to keep in mind that is that if you a part of a shared water supply, you will stop the water supply of your neighbors when you turn off the valve. You must turn the valve anti-clockwise in order to turn it back on. If you have problems with your outside stop valve or if you cannot locate it, you should contact the expert emergency plumbers in Melbourne.
IV. The Way We Repair Leaks
It is not as easy as it seems
One of the most important things when repairing leaks is that we have to work alongside the local authorities in order to reduce the disruptions of day to day life and traffic.
We want to thank our customers for informing us for leaks that they have bumped into: we have an online form with which you can report a leak and you can also reach us via Facebook, email or phone. When the leak is serious, we try to reach it as soon as possible and we know that sometimes it looks like we have fixed it in a very short time.
After you inform us of Leaks And Burst Pipes:
Diagnosing and planning
When you report a leak, it immediately gets booked for investigation. After our technicians have reached the site, they find and identify the cause of the problem. If the leak is coming over the boundary of property, we make an appointment for a visit. we do a thorough analysis, this way we can find the source of the leak without major disruptions.
While analysis is taking place, the team that deals with assessment of the risk are checking the number of people who would be affected by the leak. If the leak is located in an area with a large number of properties (plus hospitals and schools), we need to plan in such a way that we find a way to bring water from different network parts. We might also use tankers in order to pump the water into an area while we are repairing the leak. You should know that this process might take some time.
Sometimes we must receive the local authorities’ permission to access the pipework. This is important as they often are located underground in a pavement or a road and we must work alongside the authorities to minimise the disturbances of traffic diversion or bus routes. Sometimes we receive a date on which we can start working on a site as there might be more than one project taking place in areas that have a lot of traffic.
Repairing the leak and repairing the site
When we receive the permission for repairing the site, we immediately dispatch our qualified plumbers to repair the leak. Sometimes the process might involve digging up the pavement. The water can be shut off temporarily in order to reduce the risk of more significant problems for our customers.
After all repairs are completed, the water will be turned back on. Then we will fill in the hole and fix the footpath. Keep in mind that in certain situations, we might need to come back later to complete the repairs as we are working with the local authorities and we must have a permission for repairs of the road or footways.
V. Dealing With Leakages
We always consider that dealing with emergency plumbing services such as leaks and burst pipes, is the most important thing both for us and for our customers.
The challenges of the winter freezing weather conditions are the reason why we need to work harder than ever to reduce and even prevent leakages. It is normal for our pipes, especially the cast-iron ones, to burst when the water stored in our reservoirs reaches a temperature below 5 degrees. When the almost freezing water passes through the pipes, they shrink and if they have any weaknesses, they will break. In those situation, the number of bursts and leaks jumps high, so it is of extreme importance to stay ahead of things in order to be sure that we will be able to deal with the challenges when they come. Staying ahead of events Apart from dealing with the leaks that are visible, we also engage in finding ͞sneaky leaks͟ across the country. This is important as if we leave them be, the possibility of them growing to visible leaks is very high. This is why we try to repair them before they get bigger and thus we try to reduce the risk of serious problems. It is true that our work will cause disruption to residents and road users so we want to apologise in advance and ask you to bear with us because this work is a must-do.
If you need professional help contact us on 0412 738 874 or leave a message.
We are the experts to call for blocked drains in Melbourne, leading sewer plumber in Melbourne, blocked toilet Melbourne, emergency plumbing and drain cleaning experts.
Helpful details for a Blocked Drain, Emergency Plumber and Drain Cleaning situation:
Triple zero – 000
City of Melbourne – Floods and Storms
VicWater
Yarra Valley Water
Victoria State Emergency Service
