Household Tips to Prevent Blocked Drains

With us all protecting ours and the community’s health by staying safe and staying home (except for essentials) it’s important to ensure everyone in your household knows the do’s and don’ts when it comes to preventing blocked drains. Whether your house is home to one or multiple adults and children or just multiple adults, the extra demand on the plumbing can cause unexpected issues to arise.

People are often surprised to learn common culprits when it comes to blocked drains. Help to minimise the risk of the drains in your house blocking by following these tips including:

Use your FOGO bin for food scraps
Clean cooking fats and oils off cookware before rinsing
Clear hair from bathroom drains

Use your FOGO bin for food scraps

A few scraps of food left on a plate and rinsed down the kitchen sink is OK, right? Wrong! Whether you wash your dishes by hand or in a dishwasher, it’s important to ensure all food scraps are removed before dishes are washed or rinsed. Put your green Food Organics, Garden Organics (FOGO) bin to its correct use by scraping any food scraps, allowed in your FOGO bin, into a biodegradable bag and placing the bag in the FOGO bin. Kitchen scraps that can go into your FOGO bin include fruit and vegetable scraps, meat and bones, tea bags and coffee grinds, eggshells, dairy products, seafood, take away food and baked goods.

Clean cooking fats and oils off cookware before rinsing

Spending more time at home may result in spending more time in the kitchen. It’s important to remember when fat cools, it solidifies. When washed down drains it will not only cause drains to block but can be harmful to our waste waster system. Before rinsing or washing cookware such as baking trays or frypans or bakeware such a cake tins, ensure cooking fats and oils are cleaned off thoroughly.

Clear hair from bathroom drains

Did you know we lose on average between fifty to one hundred strands of hair each day? Our bathroom basins and showers are a common place for fallen hair to accumulate. If this hair isn’t cleared from drains, it eventually makes its way down the drain causing a blockage. A daily check and removal of any loose strands of hair sitting in basins or the bottom of the shower will help to prevent the likelihood of this happening.

Call Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas for all your blocked drain and plumbing, gas and hot water needs.

Do you have blocked drains in your home? Mainline Plumbing Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your local experts for all your plumbing, gas and hot water needs.

Known as the ‘trusted name in the plumbing industry’ call their team for friendly, reliable and trusted service today on 9791 1608 in Bunbury or 9759 1317 in Busselton/Dunsborough.

What Not to Flush Down a Toilet

The world is in a current state of unknown as the situation around the Coronavirus continues to develop. One unpredicted scenario this worldwide pandemic has caused is the stockpiling of toilet paper with Australian’s doing all they can to secure a packet or in some cases a single roll!

If your toilet paper supply has or does run low, it’s important to know what can and can’t be flushed. Toilets can easily block and a blocked toilet at your home or business is not only an inconvenience, but can quickly become a smelly and unpleasant experience if it begins to overflow. Blockages in our wastewater system can be extremely difficult to repair and if these blockages aren’t cleared in treatment plants, they can end up in our waterways.

You may be surprised to learn just a few items that should not be flushed down a toilet include:

Flushable Wipes
Baby Wipes
Serviettes
Paper Towel

Flushable Wipes

When you think of what can cause a toilet to block, the first object to come to mind wouldn’t be a product labelled ‘flushable’. The past few years has seen a rise in the number of pipes being blocked and plumbing issues caused by wipes being flushed down toilets. The best way to dispose of wipes is in the bin. Yes! Even if they are labelled ‘flushable’

Baby Wipes

Baby wipes are often branded or assumed to be ‘flushable’ thinking they will dissolve in water. Plumbers disagree. One or two baby wipes flushed down the toilet may not cause an issue, but as baby wipes continue to be flushed, they build up causing a nasty blockage.

Serviettes

Serviettes are other common culprits of a blocked toilet. Whether serviettes are made from cloth or paper, they don’t break down the same way toilet paper does. The result, clumps of serviettes form in pipes and lead to plumbing issues.

Paper Towel

Paper towel and toilet paper are both made of paper, so why should paper towel not be flushed? Paper towel isn’t made to dissolve quickly and easily in water like toilet paper is. You will notice paper towel is thicker and made to absorb water without breaking down.

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot are your local plumbing professionals and available for plumbing emergencies 24/7

If you have a blocked toilet at your home or business and need it inspected and repaired, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your local experts.

Call us today to discover why we are known as the ‘trusted name in the plumbing industry’ in Bunbury on 9791 1608 or Busselton/Dunsborough on 9759 1317.

Why Does My Toilet Keep Blocking?

A blocked toilet is one of the most common household plumbing issues. If your toilet keeps blocking and you are at a loss as to why, it can be surprising to learn the cause. A blocked toilet is a problem that needs to be inspected and repaired. If your toilet keeps blocking, it’s time to call the team from Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas.

The Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas team can help find the cause of your blocked toilet. Common causes include:

Age
Foreign Objects
Sewerage Issues

Age

If your toilet continues to block and you have ruled out all the other possible reasons why, it may be time to replace it with a more up to date model. Many older toilets are first generation low flow toilets and don’t have enough pressure when flushed to effectively clear their drain and trap. As a result, despite doing everything right they still regularly become blocked.

Foreign Objects

Toilets are designed to only flush toilet paper. Why? Toilet paper is made to dissolve quickly in water. Any other object, even if it says it’s flushable, should not be flushed down toilets. Recurring blocked toilets in a home can simply be as foreign objects unknowingly continue to be flushed. Items such as tissues, paper towel, cotton tips, flushable wipes, food scraps, cooking oils and chemicals should not be flushed down a toilet. It is important to ensure all your family understands this too. Children are fascinated with flushing items down the toilet. If you have an inquisitive child in your home, keeping the toilet lid shut and toilet door shut is a good idea.

Sewerage Issues

If several toilets in your home or workplace continue to block or you have blocked drains plus a blocked toilet, a sewerage issue may be the culprit. Main sewer lines can become blocked due to a build up of waste, foreign objects or even tree roots in the main drain and sewer lines.

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water are your local toilet specialists

With over 35 years’ experience, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your trusted and reliable professionals, servicing the Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough and surrounding areas.

Mainline have the correct tools and equipment to clear and repair blocked toilets. If you want to get to resolve your blocked toilet issues, they are ‘the trusted name in the plumbing industry’.

Contact the team today in Bunbury on Bunbury on 9791 1608 or Busselton/Dunsborough on 9759 1317.

My Water Pressure is Low – What Do I Do?

Water is a precious resource many take for granted and it’s often only when there is an issue we realise how dependable on it we actually are. Low water pressure is an issue most homeowners face at some stage. Daily activities like showering and watering the garden become frustrating and time consuming, leaving homeowners frustrated until the issue’s resolved.

There are many culprits when it comes to the cause of low water pressure. No matter the reason, it’s an issue best left to the professionals at Mainline Plumbing Cheap Hot Water and Gas to investigate and repair.

3 of the most common causes of low water pressure include:

A Build Up In Pipes
Plumbing Leaks
Corrosion

A Build Up In Pipes

A fractured water main can cause sand and dirt to freely enter your homes piping causing water pressure issues. Even without a fracture, minerals naturally found in water, build up and leave deposits as water flows through pipes. It only takes a small amount of sediment to cause a blockage. Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas have the correct equipment and tools to manoeuvre deep down into pipes to investigate and clear blockages, allowing water to freely flow again.

Plumbing Leaks

A costly water bill and low water pressure are good indicators there is a plumbing leak somewhere in your home. Some leaks are easier to detect than others. A leaking toilet can often be identified as the sound of water running can still be heard after the toilet has been flushed, while an outdoor leak is often visible by water pooling in a certain area.

To test for a plumbing leak, shut off your water supply and record your water metre reading. Come back an hour later and see if the metre reading has changed. If the water usage has risen, there’s a good chance you have a plumbing leak and are in need of a plumber.

Corrosion

Plumbing piping is built to last with most homes getting more than 20 years out of their pipes. Despite this timeframe, corrosion still naturally occurs and begins to build up over time. Although each case is assessed individually, often replacing the pipes is the best solution.

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water – the trusted name in the plumbing industry

With over 35 years’ experience, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your trusted and reliable professionals, servicing the Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough and surrounding areas. The team are fully equipped to investigate and repair all aspects of plumbing plus hot water and gas. Contact the team today in Bunbury on 9791 1608 or Busselton and Dunsborough on 9759 1317.

How Much Water Is a Leaking Tap Wasting?

While the sound of a dripping tap seems to echo through the house at night, there are more important reasons than it being annoying to have it repaired. Water is precious and saving water helps to preserve our environment. There are many small things we can all do to help save water in our homes, one of them being having leaking taps repaired.

Ever wondered just how much water a leaking tap is wasting? Read on to learn the amount of water a leaking tap can waste over periods of time including:

A day
A month
A Year

A day

A leaking tap which leaks 10 drips of water a minute may not seem serious. Right? Wrong! 10 drips of water a minute adds up to 600 drips an hour and 14,400 drips a day. That is the equivalent to about 3 litres of water.

A month

A dripping tap leaking 10 drops of water each minute, adds up to 90 litres or more over a month. How much water is 90 litres? To put it into perspective a running tap can use 10 litres of water per minute. Imagine turning on your shower or a tap and leaving it running for no reason for 9 whole minutes! The result, a big waste of water and a spike in your water usage.

A Year

The longer a leaking tap is left, the worse the leak can become. The worse the leak, the more times a tap drips each minute and the more precious water wasted. In some cases, a dripping tap that is left for a year can lose up to 20,000 litres of water. That is enough to fill a small pool.

Do you have leaking taps? Call Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your local experts when it comes to plumbing maintenance and repairs. They have the expertise, tools and equipment required to assess and repair your leaking taps and plumbing problems.

Call the team today on 9791 1608 (Bunbury) or 9759 1317 (Dunsborough) for trustworthy advice on all your plumbing needs and a FREE quote.

When Should I Call a Plumber?

Many homeowners trust their ability to “do it yourself” to fix a plumbing problem around their home. While some issues are straight forward to take care of, at the first sign of a plumbing problem, a trusted and reliable plumber is the first call you should make. The sooner an issue is assessed and repaired, the less chance of extensive and costly damage occurring.

Here are a few instances when you know it’s time to call a plumber:

No Hot Water
A Burst Water or Sewerage Pipe
An Overflowing Toilet
Visible Water Pooling in Your Garden

No Hot Water

Hot water is a luxury we take for granted so when it disappears, it can cause great despair to homeowners and their families. If you turn on your hot water taps and hot water is no longer freely flowing, it’s time to call in the professionals. A lack of hot water can be caused by many issues including a blockage, leak or damage to the heating element in your hot water system.

A Burst Water or Sewerage Pipe

When a water pipe is broken, water begins to leak into places where significant damage can occur. A burst pipe has the potential to flood your home so no matter the time of day, call a plumber for emergency help.

The bad smell produced by a burst sewerage pipe can enter your home causing discomfort to you and your family. If the burst pipe is close to your home, it has the potential to make it unbearable to even be indoors.

An Overflowing Toilet

A blocked toilet can begin to overflow resulting in an undesirable scenario. Not only will your house smell unpleasant, but waste may even overflow onto the floor. Yuck! To avoid this nasty scenario, call in a plumber at the first sign of a blocked toilet. This way you can clear the blockage and prevent the toilet from overflowing in the first place.

Visible Water Pooling in Your Garden

If you notice water pooling in an area of your garden and not sure why then it’s time to call a plumber. The cause of this issue can include cracked or damaged pipes, a reticulation issue or a sewerage problem.

When water is visible, it can mean extensive damage has already occurred.

Do you need a plumber? Call Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your local experts when it comes to plumbing maintenance and emergencies. They have the expertise, tools and equipment required to assess and repair your plumbing problems.

Call the team today in Bunbury on 9791 1608 or Dunsborough/Busselton on 9759 1317 for trustworthy advice on all your plumbing needs and a FREE quote to have your plumbing issue repaired.

Can Hair Block My Bathroom Drains?

There are numerous culprits when it comes to the cause of blocked bathroom drains, however did you know one of the most common causes is hair? Whether it be human hair or pet hair, short hair or long hair, all types of hair can contribute to a bathroom’s drains becoming blocked.

Read on to learn more about why hair and bathroom drains are not a good combination including:

Why Hair Blocks Drains
Stopping Hair from Blocking Drains
Clearing Hair from a Blocked Drain

Why Hair Blocks Drains

When washed down the drain, oils from our body, soaps and shampoos become trapped in drainpipes, eventually causing drains to block. When you add strands of hair being washed down drains on top of this, the severity of the blockage increases. Why? Oils washed down the drain are sticky and as such, when hair is then washed down it sticks to the oils forming a solid deposit and another surface for oils to become stuck. Like a snowball effect, as oils and hair continue to be washed down drains, deposits continue to build eventually creating a large blockage.

Stopping Hair from Blocking Drains

When it comes to blocked drains, trying to prevent a blockage is always best. While it’s near impossible to prevent hair being washed down drains, there are simple and cost-effective solutions to minimise the risk. Strainers in bathroom sinks and baths are recommended. These easily fit into your plug hole and can be removed, cleared and replaced in a matter of minutes. After washing your hair, a quick wipe of the shower will remove any strands of hair, preventing them being washed down the drain. If styling your hair near a bathroom basin, a good habit to get into is to wipe out the basin daily too.

Clearing Hair from a Blocked Drain

While there are some home remedies that may help to clear hair from a drain, it is a task best left to the professionals at Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas. The Mainline team have the expertise and experience to ensure a blocked drain is fully cleared. Special detection equipment allows them to identify where in the pipe the blockage is plus the Mainline Plumbing team have the correct equipment that can manoeuvre deep down into pipes and hard to reach places.

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your local professionals for blocked drains

The Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas team offer fast, effective and honest workmanship and are known as the trusted name in the plumbing industry. For all your blocked drain, plumbing, gas and hot water needs call their team in Bunbury on 9791 1608 or Dunsborough on 9759 1317 today.

5 Tips to Have your Plumbing Summer Ready

Summer has arrived in the South West! As temperatures continue to rise, so does the demand on our water supply. Did you know? It’s estimated that during summer, a family’s water usage can increase by up to 50%. Therefore, it’s important to ensure your plumbing is in good working order. This will not only avoid you wasting precious water but avoid a nasty surprise when your water bill arrives.

There are other areas of your plumbing that must be summer ready too. Read on to learn 5 tips to have your plumbing summer ready courtesy of Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas including:

Check toilets
Fix dripping taps
Inspect washing machine hoses
Check for water pooling in the garden
Avoid food and oils being washed down drains

Check toilets

School and Christmas holidays puts extra demand on the toilet/s in your home. A scorching summers day mixed with flood and smells from a toilet are not a good combination. If you have noticed your toilet is making strange noises, leaking or not flushing correctly have it repaired now. It is also a good idea to set some ‘toilet rules’ too including what to flush and what not to flush.

Fix dripping taps

Did you know a dripping tap can waste over 20 litres of water per day? This not only wastes precious water and can be the culprit of a spike in your water bill, but a tap left dripping will get worse over time and can even begin to stain your sink.

Inspect washing machine hoses

Days at the beach and several clothes changes each day sees a spike in the amount of weekly washing over summer. Before this extra demand occurs, visually inspect the hoses of your washing machine ensuring there are no cracks, holes or slits. The lifespan of a rubber washing machine hose is approximately 3 years.

Check for water pooling in the garden

The roots of trees and large plants go searching for water during summer. These roots can be invasive and often make their way into water pipes underground. The result can be these pipes become blocked or broken. If left, the roots will continue to feed off the water in the pipes and continue to thrive and grow, causing a major plumbing problem. An indicator there may be cracks or breaks in your underground pipes is water pooling in areas of your garden for no reason.

Avoid food and oils being washed down sinks

While you should always be careful what gets washed down the sink, summer holidays see an increase in the amount of food being prepared and consumed in the home. Fats, oils, food scraps and sauces do not belong down drains. Over time, they build up and block pipes. Ensure all food scraps are cleaned off plates and put into the compost, before rinsing plates. A great idea is to have strainers on each kitchen sink to help minimise the risk.

Call Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas for all your plumbing needs

The team at Mainline Plumbing Cheap Hot Water and Gas pride themselves on offering a friendly, reliable and professional service to Bunbury and the South West. If your plumbing needs attention before summer, call the team for expert advice on 9791 1608 in Bunbury on 9759 1317 in Dunsborough/Busselton.

What Plumbing is Needed in an Outdoor Kitchen?

An outdoor kitchen is a place outside of the house where you can prepare food and cook a meal. It is the ideal way to enhance your lifestyle as it allows you prepare and cook food while entertaining or enjoying the outdoors. An outdoor kitchen really serves the same purpose and functions as an indoor kitchen, therefore has the same plumbing needs.

Many appliances and fixtures in an outdoor kitchen need to be connected to a water supply, sewer drains and gas line. Plumbing must also comply with applicable sanitary, safety and plumbing codes in your area. The Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas team of professional plumbers can provide expert advice and handle the plumbing requirements of your outdoor kitchen including:

Sinks and Tapware
Ovens and Stoves
Dishwasher

Sinks and Tapware

When installing an outdoor kitchen, a sink is a must. In terms of plumbing, decisions must be made including do you need hot water and where will the sink drain to? Depending on where it is placed, an outdoor sink may be able to be connected to an existing water line or a new water line may be needed. It is also imperative to consider correct waste disposal of what gets washed down the sink too.

Ovens and Stoves

When it comes to gas appliances, inside or outside the home, experienced and qualified gas plumbers are the only people who should be installing these. There are many strict rules and regulations that must be adhered to. In most cases, if gas appliances aren’t installed by a professional it voids their manufactures warranty.

Dishwasher

When installing a dishwasher in your outdoor kitchen, correct drainage is crucial. Failing to provide the proper drain connections can result in incorrect drainage, which can damage your dishwasher. It is also important when pipes are newly installed, they are flushed so any debris is washed away. If not, debris can block the filter in your dishwasher and cut off the water supply.

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your local professionals for your outdoor kitchen plumbing needs

The Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas team of professional plumbers and qualified gas fitters have the correct tools, equipment and experience with all aspects of outdoor kitchen plumbing. They take pride in their work to ensure all plumbing is installed correctly. The team offer fast, effective and honest workmanship and are known as the trusted name in the plumbing industry.

Call the team in Bunbury on 9791 1608 or Dunsborough on 9759 1317 today.

Can I Do My Own Plumbing Repairs?

While many of us fancy ourselves as a DIY enthusiast, there are some jobs around the home best left to professionals. One of these jobs are plumbing repairs. Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your local experts in all facets of plumbing through the South West and are known as the ‘trusted name in the plumbing industry’. Leaving your plumbing repairs to the Mainline team, not only guarantees the job will be completed properly, but will minimise the impact a plumbing problem has on your daily routine. With a same day service available or a 24/7 service in a plumbing emergency, the Mainline team will also ensure if the repairs are covered under insurance, they are claimable.

Read on to learn common plumbing problems and why they are best left to a professional plumber to repair including:

Leaking Water Pipes
Hot Water Issues
Blocked Drains
Gas Leaks

Leaking Water Pipes

Water pooling in an area inside or outside your home is a good indication of a leaking water pipe. A leaking pipe is a repair that can’t be left and repaired little by little over time. A water leak is wasting precious water and can cause significant damage to the structures of your home. It is also a potential health risk to you and your family as it can lead to mould growing and spreading.

Hot Water Issues

If your supply of hot water is inconsistent, inspecting and repairing your hot water system is a job for a professional. Hot water units are dangerous to repair if you don’t know what you’re doing. The fixtures and fittings within hot water systems are delicate and if attempting to inspect and repair a problem yourself, you can cause further damage to the system or injure yourself.

Blocked Drains

A blocked drain is a common plumbing repair that most DIY enthusiasts think will be easy to fix. However, most blockages require more than just a plunger or drain cleaner. While a few hearty plunges and a few doses of drain cleaner may provide a short-term solution to a blocked drain, blockages normally lay deep within pipes and require special equipment to detect and clear.

Gas Leaks

When it comes to a gas problem, safety must be the top priority. If you have issues with your gas or can smell gas, then call a plumber immediately. When dealing with inspecting and repairing gas appliances, there are strict rules and regulations that must be adhered to and it is a job only for a professional.

Call Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water for all your plumbing needs.

Do you require plumbing repairs in your home? Servicing Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough and the South West, Mainline Plumbing Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your local experts for all your plumbing needs.

Call the team in Bunbury on 9791 1608 today for friendly, reliable and trusted service.

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