Blog

My Toilet is Running Constantly Should I be Worried?

You open your mail to a larger than expected, costly water bill. Panic sets in as you wonder how this could happen. It’s winter so there are no sprinklers turned on and you have been keeping your shower times to the minimum. If this is a scenario you have faced, a leaking toilet is the likely culprit. No matter the style, design or brand of toilet, it is often not audible or visible your toilet needs repairs and it is only once a costly water bill arrives you know you have an issue.

Here are a few signs to be on the lookout for to identify a potential toilet leak: 

• The Sound of Running Water Coming from the Toilet
• Visible Water around the Base of the Toilet
• An Unpleasant Odour near the Toilet

The Sound of Running Water Coming from the Toilet

After flushing a toilet, all sound should shut off after approximately thirty seconds. If you find a toilet is making noise after this time, particularly a sound like running water, then a leak is possible. Sounds in the home can be drowned out by other noises so if you suspect an issue, it’s a good idea to make the house quiet then listen carefully to see if you can hear a noise.

Visible Water around the Base of the Toilet

It isn’t normal for water to leak anywhere from the toilet system, base or bowl. If you notice water on the toilet floor or a damp toilet map, a leak could be the culprit. If your toilet has been leaking for a long time, the flooring around the toilet may become water stained or depending on the type of flooring may be damp to touch.

An Unpleasant Odour near the Toilet

Sewage is an unpleasant smell that can’t go un-noticed. The smell of sewage normally means a plumbing problem and can be caused by leaks in pipes around your toilet or your toilet bowl itself. Some gases from sewage can be harmful, so call a plumber at the first trace of a sewage smell. A professional will ensure yours and your family safety plus repair the issue so your home will return to smelling pleasant again.

Call Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas for all your leaking toilet repairs

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 toilet is showing signs of a leak or you have any plumbing issues, call the team for expert advice on 9791 1608.

Who Can Unblock my Drains in Bunbury?

Blocked drains are a problem that can occur in all areas of the home. The bathroom, kitchen, laundry and garden drains can all cause grief to homeowners when clogged. If you have tried the trusty old- fashioned remedy of plunging or used endless products from hardware stores to unblock your drains but had no success, then it’s time to call in the professionals.

Most people are surprised to find the culprits that are causing their drains to block. Here are just a few of the items that can block your drains:

• A Build-up of Hair and Hair Products
• Debris and Roots of Plants and Trees
• Food Scraps and Cooking Oils

A Build-up of Hair and Hair Products

Most people lose on average between fifty to one hundred strands of hair each day. Bathroom basins and showers are a common place for fallen hair, bobby pins and small hair ties to accumulate and eventually be washed down drains. Regular cleaning of the shower and basin drains can capture loose hair sitting on the surface, but unless it’s cleaned daily there is no avoiding hair making its way deep into your pipes. Over time as the hair continues to build up it will eventually block your drains. A professional who has the correct equipment is often the only way to unclog the drains and retrieve those thousands and thousands of hair strands that have built up over time.

Debris and Roots of Plants and Trees

As the wind blows and seasons change, trees and plants lose their leaves. These leaves are often left lingering in the garden and eventually make their way into drains. A build up of leaves (and sand and grass) in drains will cause them to block and stop the free flow of water. Regular raking and sweeping of your gardens are the best way to stop garden debris making its way into drains.

While large trees look beautiful and keep us cool by providing shade in summer, their roots can cause issues by damaging pipes beneath the home. Be aware of large trees on your property and avoid planting vegetation with large, thick roots too close to pipe work.

Food Scraps and Cooking Oils

The kitchen sink can unintentionally become home to food scraps. Before washing dishes it’s important to clear any food scraps left on plates or bowls into the compost or bin. If these food scraps make their way down the drain, they can cause drains to block. The same can be said for cooking oils in pans and baking trays. Ensure the oils are cleaned off and disposed of before washing the pans and baking trays as a build of oils down your kitchen drain will most certainly cause a blockage. 

Call Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas your Bunbury Professionals

With nearly 40 year’s experience servicing Bunbury and the South West region, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your trusted and reliable professionals. Contact the team in Bunbury on 9791 1608 for all your blocked drain repairs and plumbing needs.

Why Is My Water Bill Suddenly More Expensive?

Nobody likes bills! So when a utility bill, such as that for your water, comes in significantly higher than usual, it can not only hit you hard in the hip pocket, but also cause a lot of stress.

Why Is My Water Bill So Much Higher?

Is damage being done to my property that I cannot see?

If you have no idea why your water bill is so high, it’s time to call in a professional.

Servicing the South West for over 40 years, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your trusted name in the plumbing industry and offer fast, effective workmanship to both residential and commercial properties. Whether it be a large plumbing emergency, a broken hot water unit or issues with your gas lines, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas have the cost effective solution for you.

A few simple reasons your water usage (and bill) has increased can include:

• Reticulation/Garden Taps Left On
• Water Leak
• Dripping Taps, Toilets and Showers

Reticulation/Garden Taps Left On

It’s a common occurrence; you finish watering the pot plants and turn the hose off at the attachment but not at the tap. That built up pressure often escapes out of the fitting, at either end, resulting in wasted water. Reticulation left on can also leak into the ground (where you cannot see it). Or if you are working on a automatic system, it’s very easy to ‘set and forget’, resulting in very well watered lawns and garden beds, but a significant amount of water used unnecessarily, especially in winter.

Water Leak

Usually invisible to the everyday naked eye, water leaks anywhere in the home will cost you in water usage. The easiest way to tell if you have a water leak is to turn off all water in the house and check the water meter. If the numbers are still ticking over when you know that no water is being used, you have a leak. If this leak is hidden in your walls, it needs to be idenitified and repaired immediately before it causes further, more costly damage.

Dripping Taps, Toilets and Showers

You may think that little drip, drip, drip is no big deal, but all those little drips add up to a lot of water wasted in a very short time. Dripping taps, toilets and showers can not only damage the unit, it can indicate a small issue that can become a very big problem, very quickly.

Who Can Assist Me With Keeping My Water Costs Down?

The team at Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas have over 35 years experience in inspecting, maintaining and repairing plumbing in the South West, keeping bills low and customer satisfaction high. Call Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas today on 9791 1608 (Bunbury) or 9759 1317 (Dunsborough) for a free quote.

Low Water Pressure! What Do I Do?

There’s nothing worse than turning on a tap, shower or hose and getting nothing but a dribble. The strong burst of water that usually sprays from your water outlet is nothing compared to what it was. When your water flow has lost its volume and force, the likelihood of a problem laying deep within the pipes is pretty high.

No matter how big or small the plumbing problem may be, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your first point of call. With local, friendly service, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas have been servicing the South West for over 3 decades and have the knowledge, equipment and expertise to assist you with all your water pressure issues.

The most common culprits when it comes to a drop in water pressure include:

• Damaged Pipes or Water Meter
• Hidden leaks
• Mineral Build up

Damaged Pipes or Water Meter

If your drop in water pressure is sudden, it’s very likely that the issue is a damaged pipe or water meter. If you live in an older home, tree roots are often found invading water pipes and newer homes can suffer unintentional damage from construction equipment in developing neighbourhoods.

Water meter damage is unlikely but worth a look. Damage or blockage within the meter itself can cause a drop in pressure, but best off inspected by an expert.

Hidden Leaks

A serious problem that can lead to a myriad of other issues within the walls of your home is the internal burst or leaking pipe. Not only is it causing the drop in water pressure, it’s damaging the walls, electrics and supporting structures of your home. You can check for a leak yourself – record the number on your water meter, go out or do not use the water for a few hours and then check the number on the meter again.

If it has gone up significantly when no water has been used in the house, you know you have a leak – and this problem is one for the professionals. Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas have equipment that quickly find where the problem lies and let you know what cause of action is needed.

Mineral Build up

A less serious problem but one that can turn into something nasty is mineral build up. In areas where the water is particularly ‘hard’, calcium and other chemicals that float around in the water can lodge in the pipe and cause a blockage. Home remedies and shop-bought products can be tipped down the drains to attempt to dislodge and/or dissolve the blockage, however if these don’t work, there may be extensive mineral or rust build up further down the pipes.

Who Can Help Me Get My Water Pressure Back?

Regardless of the reason for your drop in water pressure, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your local experts to call. With no penalty rates or call out fees and availability 24/7 for emergencies throughout the South West, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your affordable and reliable choice for all of your hot water, plumbing or gas needs, call 9791 1608 today.

What to Do in A Plumbing Emergency?

When you own a home or business, at some point attention to certain areas can become apparent, especially if maintenance has not been kept up or warning signs have been ignored.

It is no fun at all for anyone if there is flooding in toilets, burst pipework or leaks showing through wall cavities. Cabinetry, flooring may need to be replaced or wall cavities accessed to find the source to the problem.

Preparation is always the key but sometimes we are not so lucky and are caught short and could be left in a puddle of mess.

Got a Puddle to Attend to

• Water Supply Shutdown
• Water Heaters
• Contact Your Plumber
• Attend to Leaks

Water Supply Shutdown

Quickly turnoff the closest water source to the problem. If it’s the toilet the tap down the side of the cistern. When there is a flooding coming from certain areas it is best to turn off the water mains usually found at the front of the home.

Water Heaters

To protect your water heaters, it is best to switch off to stop the re heating as this can cause heat build up and could destroy the unit. If you have a gas hot water system, switch the gas off first.

Contact Your Plumber

When you call the plumber, you can be guided on how best to deal with the emergency until a professional arrives.

Attend to Leaks

If you can see where a leak is coming from place buckets, containers or rags to soak up the leak. Another option could be to open up drains and spigots as this will help to release the water build up that is still in pipes after the mains have been switched off.

When You Have A Plumbing Emergency

No matter what the emergency is, Mainline Plumbing Cheap Hot water and Gas are available to you 24/7 to attend to your plumbing needs. Contact the team today at Bunbury 9791 1608 or Dunsborough on 9759 1317.