4 Plumbing fixtures to inspect before it’s too late

Know how to turn the water off

It might not be a tip to eliminate disaster from happening, but knowing where the main water switch is located and how to turn it off can save you from flooding the whole house when an accident first happens.

Inspect the water service under your kitchen sink and vanities

Sam the Plumber, a local Brisbane Plumber states that every week he gets called out to houses to repair burst water hoses under vanities. The problem occurs when non-plumbers install these braided hoses themselves, neglecting to install them with an isolation tap. With time, the pressure will burst a hole in these hoses, resulting in water flooding out of your cupboard under your sink or vanity. Sam recommends to regularly check for wear and tear, and ultimately advices to replace the braided hose with a copper pipe that will outlast the life of your building.

In the above image, you can clearly see corrosion and rust on the braided hose, which is a clear warning sign. If your hose was installed by a handyman rather than a plumber, it is highly recommended to get it changed by a plumber immediately.

Inspect your overflow relief gully

Located on the outside of your building is an overflow relief gully. In the event of a blocked drain, the grate will overflow with sewerage, preventing it from flooding your own home. Beware of the location of this fixture and ensure that it is not blocked by dirt or vegetation to avoid sewerage flooding your home in case of a blocked drain. The top of the grate should be 150mm below the lowest plumbing fixture.