If you’ve ever had a plumbing emergency at your home or office, you know how much of a hassle and expense it can be.
From water damage to costly repairs, it can disrupt your daily routine and be incredibly overwhelming.
That’s why our team of skilled plumbers in Cape Town at Absolute Plumbing has compiled 7 valuable tips to help you save time and money by preventing plumbing emergencies altogether.
7 Tips From Plumbers in Cape Town on How To Prevent a Plumbing Emergency
1. Inspect Your Toilet Regularly For Leaks
One of the most common leaks plumbers in Cape Town find is a leaking toilet. While this may seem like a minor inconvenience, it can have serious consequences. The City of Cape Town estimates that a leaking toilet can waste as much as 100,000 litres of water annually, which is enough to take 3 full baths per day! Besides this being a massive waste of potable water, a leaky toilet can also increase your water bill exponentially and put extra strain on the plumbing system; that’s why it’s crucial that you regularly check your toilet for leaks.
Fortunately, there is a simple method to determine if your toilet cistern is leaking. Just add a few drops of food colouring to the tank and allow it to sit for approximately 30 minutes. It is important to inform everyone in your home or office not to use or flush this toilet during this time. If the water in the toilet bowl changes colour, it indicates a leak.
It is essential to fix leaks immediately, so don’t wait! Call our professional plumbers in Cape Town at Absolute Plumbing for fast, affordable and reliable general plumbing services. Taking the time to check for leaks may seem inconvenient, but it can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
2. Plumbers in Cape Town Recommend Repairing Leaky Pipes and Taps Immediately
The cost of a dripping tap or leaky pipe may appear insignificant, but the cumulative expense of wasted water can escalate rapidly. In fact, a single dripping tap has the potential to waste as much as 60 litres per day or 1,800 litres per month.
Water leaks also have the potential to cause significant damage to your home or office’s infrastructure, leading to costly repairs. Besides property damage, leaks can cause mould growth, which is a health hazard to your health and can cause respiratory issues (especially for people with asthma), congestion, coughing, sneezing and skin rashes.
Calling out professional plumbers in Cape Town to repair leaks swiftly not only saves money but also helps conserve precious natural resources. Water shortages are becoming increasingly common globally, making it crucial to conserve this limited resource when possible. By fixing water leaks, we play a small but valuable role in protecting our planet’s clean water supply. It may not seem like much on an individual level, but every drop counts in the larger effort to preserve and sustain our precious water resources.
3. Never Ignore a Gurgling Toilet
Plumbers in Cape Town warn that you should never ignore a toilet that gurgles and sucks down when you flush. When your toilet gurgles at the end of a flush, it might indicate that your bathroom plumbing has a blockage or clog somewhere, causing air to become trapped and creating a gurgling sound. In some cases, it could also signify that wastewater is backing up in the pipes and finding other ways to escape. If your plumbing has been poorly installed, sewage may well back up into your shower!
No matter what’s causing your toilet to gurgle, it’s essential to address this issue as soon as possible before it becomes a larger problem that is expensive to fix. Our team of plumbers in Cape Town can assess the situation and determine the best course of action for fixing the issue and preventing future issues with your plumbing. Don’t wait until the problem escalates; call a plumbing company to perform a drain cleaning immediately if your toilet starts making unusual noises during or after flushing.
4. Beware! Plumbers in Cape Town Warn FOG Causes Plumbing Issues
What is FOG? FOG are the fats, oils and grease that we use for cooking or are a result of cooking meats. Some examples of these products include butter, margarine, cooking oil, nut and seed oils and lard. All of these byproducts can cause major plumbing problems if disposed of improperly. FOG may seem harmless when liquid, but once it cools down, it solidifies and can accumulate in pipes, causing blockages. These blockages can result in costly plumbing emergencies such as burst pipes, septic tank failures, and sewage backups.
Besides the issues it can cause in your home or office, our actions also have consequences for local municipalities. The City of Cape Town said that over the 2017/2018 period, blocked sewers cost the taxpayer R270 million, money that could be spent on more important projects.
To prevent FOG-related damage to your plumbing system and the resulting knock-on effect on the public sewage system, it’s essential that you never pour FOG down the sink or flush it down the toilet. Instead, allow them to cool and solidify before disposing of them in the trash. But if you are dealing with a clogged drain, contact our professional plumbing company in Cape Town for fast and effective drain cleaning.
5. Check your garden for signs of water leaks
Plumbers in Cape Town often note that water leaks in the garden frequently go unnoticed until they begin to affect your water bill. Unfortunately, undetected leaks can lead to significant water waste and damage to your home or office. Here are some signs that you may have a water leak in your garden and surrounding areas:
- Wet patches on the lawn that don’t seem to go away
- Unusually high water bills
- Strange sounds from water pipes or fixtures
- Damp or mossy areas on walls
- Uneven vegetation growth
It is also important to note that you may still have a leak even though you can’t see any of the above signs. Underground leaks can still waste massive amounts of water, so plumbers in Cape Town recommend you have a professional routine leak detection done regularly to check for hidden leaks.
If you suspect a water leak, it’s essential to act quickly and contact an emergency plumber, as leaks will only worsen over time. Don’t let a small leak become a big (and expensive) problem; stay proactive and address any potential water leaks as soon as you notice them.
Recommended Reading: Leak Detection Cape Town: DIY Tips & Tricks for Homeowners
6. Plumbers in Cape Town Recommend Using Sink Strainers
One small but important step to preventing plumbing problems is to use a sink strainer in your kitchen and bathrooms. A sink strainer in the kitchen will catch food particles and other debris before they enter the drain, helping to prevent a blocked drain and messy plumbing emergencies. Likewise, in the bathroom, strainers in the sinks and showers can collect hair and soap scum before they go down the drain and cause blockages.
Not only can this save time and money on plumbing services, but it can also eliminate unpleasant odours and backups that result from blocked pipes. Plus, a strainer is easy to clean and replace when necessary. So, next time you’re washing up, heed our plumbers’ advice and remember to use a sink strainer to keep your drains flowing smoothly.
7. Never Use Chemical Cleaners During a Plumbing Emergency
Plumbers in Cape Town know that the last thing you want to do in a plumbing emergency is make the situation worse. Unfortunately, that’s precisely what can happen if you use chemical cleaners on a clogged drain or overflowing toilet. These products are designed to break up tough blockages, but they can also damage your pipes and cause even more blockages.
If you’ve already tried a plunger and the blockage persists, we recommend calling our reliable plumbers in Cape Town. Professional plumbing services can quickly and safely remove the clog without causing any additional damage to your system. In the meantime, avoid using chemical cleaners on a blocked drain or toilet.
Recommended: Resolving Blocked Drains: What To Do Before You Reach For Drain Cleaner
What To Do During a Plumbing Emergency
If you have a plumbing emergency in your home or office, it’s critical that you know the location of the shutoff valve to help prevent the loss of precious water, prevent property damage and avoid a massive water bill. This valve is usually located near the water meter or where the main water line enters your home, so familiarise yourself with its location before an emergency strikes.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to keep a list of emergency numbers of plumbing companies in Cape Town by phone in case you need to call a qualified plumber rather than wasting time searching online for “registered plumbers near me”, “plumbing companies near me” or “plumbing services near me”.
Affordable Plumbers in Cape Town: How Absolute Plumbing Can Help
At Absolute Plumbing, we understand that plumbing emergencies can be stressful, so we’ll work quickly and efficiently to get your home or business back to normal. That’s why we provide the best service plumbing in Cape Town, ensuring a swift resolution to your issue. Our team of experienced plumbers is equipped with the latest tools and technology to get the job done right the first time, no matter the size or scope of the problem.
Despite your best efforts, there’s always the potential for a plumbing disaster. If you do find yourself with a plumbing problem, call Absolute Plumbing on 084 872 2758. We offer fast, affordable and reliable plumbing services in Cape Town.
Our experienced plumbers in Cape Town service the Southern Suburbs, South Peninsula, Atlantic Seaboard and the CBD and are available to assist you with any plumbing emergency, big or small. So, if you are searching for an ‘emergency plumber Sothern Suburbs’ and surrounds online, then contact Absolute Plumbing today for stress-free plumbing emergencies.
