Whether the kitchen in your home or business is used to cook meals and bake sweets or to simply make a morning cuppa, the kitchen is certainly a well-used area of a home or business. If water is no longer flowing freely down your kitchen sink, a blockage is the likely cause. While there are many tried and tested home remedies to clear a blocked kitchen sink, if these remedies are no longer working it is likely you have a blockage laying deep in your plumbing pipes.

Once a plumbing blockage has been cleared, if the issue re-occurs the culprit could be an item that is regularly being washed down your kitchen sink. Read on to learn 3 common causes of a blocked kitchen sink including:

• Coffee Grounds and Beans
• Food Scraps
• Fats, Oils and Grease

Coffee Grounds and Beans

Many homes and businesses have a coffee machine that is put to good use each morning and throughout the day. You may think washing any excess coffee grounds down your sink wouldn’t cause an issue, however this is certainly not the case. Coffee grounds also absorb water meaning once in your pipes they can become stuck and continue to build up and collect other particles washed down the sink.

Food Scraps

A common occurrence in a kitchen is to rinse any food scraps from crockery or cutlery. While this may seem like a good housekeeping habit to have, food scraps are a common culprit of a blocked kitchen sink. Scrape excess food scraps into a FOGO bag and dispose of. While all food scraps are a no go to wash down the kitchen sink, there are a few food items that are particularly troublesome including pasta, potatoes, rice, bones and meat.

Fats, Oils and Grease

Fry pans and baking trays are left with residue of fats, oils and grease after being used. You may think soaking these is a good way to clean them, however the fats, oils and grease that has accumulated is then washed down the sink.  As these liquids dry, they solidify and can cause pipes to block. Avoid any fats, oils or grease making their way down your kitchen drain by scooping into a bag and disposing in the rubbish.

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas have extensive drain cleaning equipment for clearing all major or minor blockage problems

With over 40 years experience servicing Bunbury and the South West region, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your ‘trusted name in the plumbing industry’. The team proudly service Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough and surrounding areas and offer superior service and the highest possible workmanship.

For all your blocked drain and plumbing needs, speak to the team today in Bunbury on (08) 9791 1608 or Busselton/Dunsborough on 9759 1317.

Beneath the walls of your home lie many water and drain pipes. If you notice a water stain on one or several walls in your home, it will normally be caused by one or several of these pipes leaking. A leaking water pipe may cause a water stain to appear on a wall or even worse can even cause water to leak from a wall.

At the first sign of a water stain appearing on a wall, it’s important to call a plumber like the team at Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas. A professional plumber will assess the situation, identify the damage and repair or replace the leaking water pipes.

Read on to learn more about what causes water stains to appear on a wall including:

• Other signs of water damage to a wall
• What causes a water pipe within a wall to leak?
•  Don’t delay calling a plumber if you suspect a leaking water pipe

Other signs of water damage to a wall  

While a water stain or water leaking from a wall are obvious signs of water damage, there are other warning signs to be on the lookout for. Patches of mould on walls or cornices can be a result of water damage as can paint that is bubbling or concrete that is crumbling. It’s not only damage to walls that can indicate an issue. Water pooling on the floor under walls can also indicate a plumbing problem.

What causes a water pipe within a wall to leak?

There are many reasons why pipes or their connections can leak or burst. Over time, wear and tear on a pipe or their connection can cause them to rust. This results in the small cracks and holes to appear, causing them to leak. Water pressure can also damage water pipes. If water pressure is too high, the extra pressure can cause water pipes or their connection to puncture or even worse burst.

Don’t delay calling a plumber if you suspect a leaking water pipe

 If you suspect you have a leaking water pipe, prioritise calling a plumber. The longer a leaking water pipe is left, the more extensive the damage can be. Delaying having a leaking water pipe repaired can result in an excessive water bill, more extensive damage to your home and is wasting precious water. A professional plumber will assess the situation, identify the damage and repair or replace the leaking water pipes.

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water are your ‘trusted name in the plumbing industry’ and your plumbing professionals

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 detect leaking water pipes and the expertise to repair or replace water pipes.

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

A common plumbing tip shared with homeowners is to check your washing machine hoses regularly for damage. While a damaged washing machine hose may not seem like a big problem, the result of the hose breaking can be. Imagine filling the washing machine with clothes, starting the washing cycle, leaving home and expecting to come home to freshly clean clothes however, you come home to a flooded laundry or worse still home. This could become a reality if your washing machine hose breaks. Reduce the risk of damage if your washing machine does break by turning off your washing machines taps when not using your washing machine or going away on holidays.

Read on to learn 3 signs your washing machine hose needs replacing including:

• Age
• Damage
• Leaking Water

Age

If your washing machine hose is more than a few years old be sure to check it regularly for any sign of damage. If the hose is showing any signs of wear or tear then consider having it replaced for peace of mind it won’t break.

Damage

When inspecting your washing machine hose, be on the lookout for any damage. This can include seeing or feeling any bubbles, cracks, rust or kinks. A damaged hose can burst at any time which can result in water freely flowing from the hose into your laundry and home.

Leaking Water

When inspecting your washing machine hose be on the lookout for any water leaking, even if it is the smallest drip. Just as dripping taps waste precious water, so does a leaking hose. It may be the hose itself that is leaking or the connection that is leaking.

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

Does your washing machine hose need to be replaced? Mainline Plumbing Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your ‘trusted name in the plumbing industry’ for all your plumbing, gas and hot water needs. Servicing Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough and the South West, Mainline Plumbing Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your local experts.

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

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.