Plumbers aren’t generally considered to be mysterious types. In fact, most tradespeople pride themselves on their ‘what you see is what you get’ approach to life. But there’s often a lot more going on behind the scenes that you might see. Here are four facts that your local plumber will not probably won’t spill the beans on. But they’ll certainly help you to keep your plumbing system performing at an optimum level for years. No more calls to emergency plumbers!
- Surprisingly, three of the main reasons that pipes clog up are . . .
The first is hair. It might look fine and harmless, but over weeks, months and years, hair can cause seriously clogging of your pipes. Get in quickly and prevent the problem by investing a few bucks on a hair snare or drain strainer. Alternatively, kindly ask whoever it is in your house with the hair-shedding tendency to clean out the drain after every shower.
Second, soap. Given that pretty much everyone uses it in pretty much every house, this can come as a surprise. The problem is that soap tends to stick to the sides of the pipes and build up after a while.
Can you pick the third? Baby wipes! The packets might state that they’re fine for flushing, but putting them down the toilet is definitely better avoided. Unlike toilet paper, baby wipes don’t break down easily.
- The busiest day of a plumber’s week is . . .
You guessed it! Monday! Why? Because according to Master Plumbers Association of Australia it’s on a Monday that people from all over Melbourne and further afield call their local plumber to discuss that DIY job that went disastrously wrong over the weekend. Even if the problem doesn’t require a call to emergency plumbers, everyone’s desperately ready to have it address first thing Monday morning. Having trouble getting in touch with your local plumber? You now know why. Can your job wait another day? You’re better off holding off on it until Tuesday if you can.
- One of the biggest insurance claims made by home owners is . . .
Fire? Flood? Theft? None of the above. Believe it or not, insurance companies get more calls from home owners in Melbourne – and everywhere else – because of burst washing machines than nearly any other issue. Surprising, but true. So, here’s a little tip from your local plumber Plumber Assist: make sure that your washing machine is set up properly. That means no cutting corners on connections. If your washing machine is currently attached to your water system with cheap or dodgy rubber hoses, it’s time to get them replaced! Go for stainless steel every time. This will decrease your chances of having to call emergency plumbers.
- If you want the best deal on a plumber, you should . . .
Pay according to the job, not per hour. A reliable, trustworthy plumber shouldn’t have a problem with this. After all, he or she will work out his/her quote knowing exactly how many hours needed to get the job done. The problem with accepting a by-the-hour approach is that you might leave yourself open to being over-charged.