Common Australian Plumbing Problems

Plumbing problems are a part of life for businesses and homes in Australia and just about every building or residence is going to encounter an issue from time to time. Minor issues homeowners might be able to fix themselves but anything more major will need to be resolved by a licensed plumber. Let’s look at the most common plumbing problems encountered by everyday Australians and what causes them.

#1 – Blocked Toilets

Unfortunately, blocked toilets are all too common and they can be one of the messiest and most undesirable plumbing issues of all. An overflowing clogged toilet is far from hygienic and with the toilet not working, it becomes a serious inconvenience.

Step one would be to try and release the block and clear the pipe by using a good quality plunger. If that doesn’t solve the problem, then a toilet snake can be used to snake down the pipe and clear the blockage. Any serious blockage would need the assistance of a plumber.

Toilets don’t magically clog up all by themselves. Usually, it’s the result of people in the household flushing things down the toilet that they shouldn’t be. Examples would be paper towel that was used to clean the toilet, baby wipes that don’t degrade, sanitary napkins or any other object other than toilet paper. Foreign objects don’t degrade and can collect somewhere in the sewer pipe until the toilet becomes fully blocked.

#2 – Dripping & Leaking Taps

While certainly not as serious or gross as a blocked toilet, a dripping or leaking tap can be annoying and is possibly the most common plumbing problem in homes and businesses alike. Dripping taps waste water, especially if you have more than one tap that’s not sealing properly. The water in the sink from a leaking tap can also attract pests such as roaches and scores of ants lining up for a drink.

Some taps are easily fixed by simply replacing the tap washer. It’s still advisable to call in a plumber to resolve the issue though, especially if the taps and fittings are a little more complex than a standard tap.

#3 – Issues With the Hot Water System

Even during summer, a lack of hot water can present problems but the situation is made far worse if you happen to lose your hot water system in winter. No one wants to have to have a cold shower, emerging on the verge of hypothermia.

Hot water systems can encounter a number of issues. Sometimes, they still work but fail to really heat up the water the way they used to. This could simply be due to age and the system needs replacing with a new one. Other times the hot water system just dies completely.

A plumber might be able to save the hot water system with a repair but more often than not, it will likely need to be replaced. Everything wears out over time.

#4 – Slow Or Clogged Drains

A slow or blocked drain is a plumbing problem in Australia that’s extremely common. With such a vast wastewater piping network in many homes, the blockage could be occurring anywhere within the system and sometimes it can be difficult to pinpoint where the block actually is.

This is where your plumber can really help. They’ll be able to investigate the drainage system with a CCTV camera, locate the block and then remove the debris in the pipe to clear it.

The most common areas of the home where a blocked drain will occur are the kitchen, the laundry and the bathroom. In kitchens, food scraps and oil flushed down the drain are usually the culprit for the clog, while in bathrooms it’s mostly due to a build up of hair and soap. Laundry drains can become blocked from lint build up and foreign objects left in pockets going through the wash.

#5 – A Toilet That Continually Leaks

This isn’t the same as the blocked toilet issue. This is about the cistern continually leaking water into the toilet bowl. This is a major waste of water as well as reducing the system’s capacity to fully flush away human waste. Even the sound of a continually leaking toilet can become annoying.

It could be possible to resolve the issue yourself by replacing a rubber seal (if you know what you’re doing) but to be on the safe side, call on your plumber to fix it for you. Toilet systems are not complex but they do need to be precise to function properly.

#6 – Low Water Pressure

Many Aussie homes and businesses suffer from low water pressure problems. The first thing to check would be that the mains water tap is turned all the way on. Another candidate for causing low water pressure is that there is a leak somewhere in the system.

Unless you can spot an obvious water leak somewhere, it will likely take the trained eye and knowledge that a plumber has to work out what’s causing low water pressure and to get it resolved.

#7 – Leaking Water In the Yard

Have you noticed a patch of soggy ground in your backyard somewhere lately that never dries up? Or an area of grass that’s exceptionally green and longer than the rest of the lawn? It’s probably due to a leaking underground pipe.

Leaking pipes in the yard are often damaged by tree roots trying to access the water in them. The pipes crack and everything starts to spill out and soak into the earth. Old pipes can also eventually develop cracks and holes. A leaking underground pipe can become a major problem, so you’ll want to get it rectified by a plumber ASAP.

The Wrap

These are some of the most common plumbing issues experienced in Australia. Some issues can be a minor inconvenience, while others can present serious and very messy problems. No matter what the issue is, it’s always wise to get a plumber in to check it out, fix it and perform an inspection of the premises.