Questions (and answers!) to your most commonly asked plumbing questions

2. My toilet keeps running water. What should I do?

Let’s be clear: you do not want to have a toilet that keeps running water. Not only is it wasting precious water resources, you’re pretty much flushing money down the toilet as well.

If you flush your toilet and water keeps on running into the bowl, then something in the mechanism isn’t working properly, and you need to check it out pronto. Often, all you need to do is take a look at the workings of your toilet pump to see what the issue is (you should be able to figure it out fairly quickly), and if it’s something that you can fix, then do it yourself. If it isn’t, don’t delay in calling your plumber.

3. What can I do to prolong the working life of my plumbing fixtures and my hot water system?

One of the most common problems that plumbers deal with when they are called out to a property is lime scale that has clogged up the insides of pipes and other plumbing fixtures. This is particularly the case for properties in a hard water area, and could cause serious problems if left unchecked.

While there isn’t much you can do about the water in your area, the use of water softeners or water conditioners is one way to dramatically reduce lime scale build-up in your pipes and fittings. Doing so will not only prolong their working life, it will also ensure that all your plumbing systems are able to work more efficiently.

4. What can I do to prevent leaky pipes in my home?

Remember the saying, prevention is better than cure? Making the effort to schedule regular maintenance checks on your plumbing system is one of the best ways to keep leaky pipes at bay.

During such checks, a plumber will be able to see if lime scale or rust deposits are starting to build up, as these are often early warning signs of a potential leaky pipe. When detected early, lime scale and rust deposits are easy enough to manage, but if left unchecked for long periods, they could easily result in an inconvenient leaky pipe, or worse, a flood that will damage your property and personal belongings.

5. How can I prevent my garbage disposal unit from getting clogged up?

Besides making sure that you don’t put the wrong items down the garbage chute (only biodegradable food waste, small bones and eggshells, please) an important tip is to always run cold, not hot, water when grinding the garbage.

Cold water will help food waste move quickly through the chute and drain, and, more importantly, it will help fats and oils to congeal so that they will pass through quickly and easily. Don’t assume that running hot water down the chute will melt the fats and oils; it will only cause them to emulsify and clog up the drain when they cool down.