Burst pipes or hot water systems are a confronting problem when they “pop”. They cause panic as well as mess. Plumbers confront these situations every day, and there are some steps you can take before they arrive.

Turn the water off

Find the stop valve as soon as you can and turn it. This will cut water to the property. Once you’ve done that, no more water will flow through the pipes. This will stop excess leaking.

Burst pipes are also a pain from a financial standpoint. At least by shutting off the water, you’re protecting yourself from the meter reading going up, and therefore your water bill.

Electricity and heat

Electricity and water don’t mix, plain and simple. Shut the electricity off as best as you can before finding the hot water. If there’s a burst pipe around the hot water tank, this is more dangerous. If you’re not careful, you can get injuries from the scalding temperatures. You don’t want a trip to the hospital on top of your plumbing issues. Plumbers advise leaving these pipes and areas alone unless you have training.

Start cleaning

Burst pipes are messy occupational hazards. One misstep and someone can slip and get a serious injury. After you’ve shut off the water, nothing else should leak. This makes it easy for you to get a broom or mop and start cleaning out the excess water.

After the plumber is done, or even while they work, get some antiseptic and wipe the floor down. Pipe water isn’t tainted unless it comes from backflow or a septic tank. It’s better, though, to be safe than sorry.

Handling a burst pipe doesn’t mean trying to fix the problem yourself. This can lead to more damage and some serious injuries. The plumber will know what to do so that the water flows again sooner rather than later.

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People don’t necessarily think about leaks until they hear dripping noises. Once they do, it’s all hands on deck to find the source! Leaks start as little things but grow into a serious problem. You can stop them in their tracks though, if you know what to look for.

Noisy pipes

Excess air in the pipes makes banging noises from inside the wall. That’s not just scary, it’s also sign of a leak. Air doesn’t invade pipes any other way. When you hear the noises it’s time to check fixtures, toilets and the showers. When water is running down the wall it means a pipe has burst or it’s about to. That’s when you need to get the plumber.

Wet pavers or tiles

Wet paved areas or tiles are another sign of a leak. Older foundations with cracks show water leakage quickly. When it hasn’t rained recently or nobody has spilt something, chances are the wet spot is from the pipes connected to the main water line. A bust from one of these will turn into an expensive mess. Plumbers who offer concrete cutting solutions will get to the pipes quickly.

Your meter tells all

When you suspect a leak, it won’t cost anything to do a home experiment. Numbers don’t lie that often. When you find the water meter, write down the numbers you see on the reading. Don’t use water for a few hours. Leave the house if you have too. Come back to the meter and check again. If the numbers have increased only a little, it’s just a small problem. A big increase is when you need to call someone for leak detection.

Your grass is greener

Main pipes run in any direction, including under the backyard. Finding a leak this way won’t happen immediately. Over a period, the grass in one area of the yard will look brighter or grow faster than other parts. When you walk on it the soil feels damp underfoot. “The grass is greener” expression is supposed to inspire positivity, not worry.

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People often take the luxury of hot water for granted; until it stops working. Then it’s all hands on deck to get that system working again! But there are signs to prove your hot water is on the way out. You just have to know what they are.

The water doesn’t run

The most obvious sign and one you can’t deny. The cold water is fine, but it seems no matter how long you wait, the water isn’t getting any warmer.

Water pressure is unusual

One moment the stream is steady, the next it’s only trickling. Irregular water flow with varying temperatures is a sign of a bigger problem to come. Though this might also be a case of people in house using too much water at the same time.

Rusty water

Handy tip – water is meant to be CLEAR. Anything else isn’t normal. Discolouration comes from rust slowly peeling away from inside the pipes and the hot water tank. This happens with old systems and the next step is something bursting. Call the plumber to assess the tank and pipes when you see rusty water.

Your pipes are singing

…or clanging, or making a creepy banging noise when you turn the hot water on. These noises occur thanks to sediment build-up in the tank. The stuff hardens, putting more pressure on the heater to warm the water. Hot water systems are designed to do their job silently, so if you hear noise it’s time for a check-up.  

Puddles

If you see a puddle around the tank, this is thanks to cracks in the body or pipes. These come with age and are a sign to get a replacement. If you’re not sure if the situation is that serious, clean up the puddle and wait for a few hours. If it reappears, call a plumber.

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Bills are a fact of life, especially with privileges like clean running water. The cost of running a home is expensive with combined utilities. Bills hit hard when people use appliances often, like hot showers in winter and sprinklers in summer. The good news is there are ways to shave off some dollars to make that bill a little bit lighter.

Redesign your garden

Green gardens are nice, but they require a lot of TLC with watering and weeding, especially in the summer. Sprinklers and spraying the hose around will make the meter creep higher and come month’s’ end there will be an expensive shock in the mail.  

Desert and bush fauna are hardy and don’t need much care. Cactuses, succulents, Kangaroo’s Paw, Bottle Brush and Stuart’s Pea are some classics that you can plant and forget about for a little while. They’ll grow over time and some will flower. Just because you have a “desert garden” doesn’t mean it has to be barren.

Change the taps

WELS approved taps can save up to thirteen litres of water compared to regular taps. The Australian Government implemented the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Scheme to help conserve water supplies. It became law to have this rating displayed on products in 2006. Since then it’s been helping homes and businesses cut down both costs and water usage. The higher the star rating on a product, the better the efficiency.

Time your showers

Remember those little hourglass timers that came in the post? Probably not, because you forgot about them the moment you heard the drought was over. This old school method of saving water will be useful no matter how you time your shower. If you don’t have a WELS approved shower head, that’s 15-20 litres of water, per minute, down the drain.

Cutting your water bill doesn’t have to be a difficult practice. If anything, it can be an excuse for some home improvement. Plant some Stuart’s Pea, change a few fittings and use the egg timer for something other than making the perfect boiled egg. Frying your egg instead of boiling it will save you some cents, too.

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