Is Plumbing Maintenance Important?

Did you know a badly leaking toilet can waste over 750 litres of water per day? Or that a tap leaking one drop per second will go through 12,000 litres in a year? You could be wasting a lot of water, energy and money if your plumbing is not well maintained.

Murphy’s Law states whatever can go wrong, will go wrong, and this applies to plumbing just as much as to anything else. Preventative plumbing services can greatly extend the life of your plumbing and fixtures. It can also save you energy and money, as well as protect your family from harm.

Save Energy, Water and Money!

It seems counter-intuitive to spend money on plumbing maintenance in order to save money in the future. This can very much be the case though. A well-maintained plumbing system is efficient and only uses the energy that is required to get the job done. An electric hot water system with a faulty part might use up more electricity than it would if it had been maintained. Likewise, a gas system might use more gas.

If your water pressure is too high thanks to a broken pressure limiting valve, or you’ve got a few leaking taps and shower heads, you’ll run through water at an alarming rate. Not only will you be hurting the environment by your excessive water use, but you’ll also hurt your wallet with the extra money you’ll have to pay on your next water bill.

The money you saved for not maintaining your plumbing might end up going towards your energy and water bills instead!

Prevent Entire System Replacements

When you have problems with your plumbing which are left unattended to, they put a strain on your fixtures and pipes. This strain, if left unattended for some time, can cause damage to your entire plumbing system. If the damage is severe enough, replacing the damaged parts might cost you more than to have the entire system replaced.

While more cost-effective, having your existing plumbing system completely removed and replaced with a new one will be a longer and more disruptive process for your home. Having a plumber out for routine plumbing maintenance means they have a greater chance of detecting the early signs of these problems. This way you only need specific parts of the system repaired or replaced.

Maintain Water Purity

When your storage hot water system is left unmaintained, you put your family at risk of drinking rusty water. Anodes are inserted into storage tanks in order to sacrificially rust and oxidise before the tank itself. Once the anode is rusted over, your tank starts to rust. This rust transfers to your water and you might be showering in or drinking rusty water well before you even realise it.

Rusty water is largely an aesthetic and taste problem and doesn’t pose a health risk. Unless you know where the rust in your water has come from though, it’s best not to drink it in case there are other harmful contaminants too. However, the best reason not to drink it is the taste.

Having a plumber out to maintain your plumbing can allow them to detect the early signs of rusty water. They can also find the cause and fix it before it becomes a problem.

Air Quality

How your plumbing affects your air quality is not immediately obvious but is definitely something to consider. Leaking pipes that cause direct water leakage in your home create a moist environment where mould and mildew can thrive. If mould spores are breathed in they can cause irritation to your eyes, nose, throat, skin and more. This can be especially bad for asthmatics.

Plumbing maintenance can help you stay on top of leaks which can lead to this and help keep your air quality at a healthy standard.

Prevent Disasters and Emergencies

Often there are warning signs and minor problems that lead up to more disastrous messes or plumbing emergencies.

Burst pipes can flood your home and lead to major water damage. They can also cause unsightly and unhealthy mould and mildew we discussed above. Burst pipes can be caused by a number  things, but most of these can be caught by your plumber during routine maintenance before your pipes rupture.

Most homes have at least one gas appliance. Left unmaintained, these can become ticking time bombs. If the pressure relief valve of your gas water heater is malfunctioning, or the temperature is set too high, heat and pressure can build up in the tank. Left unattended, this water heater could explode and cause serious damage to your home and family.

Regular maintenance could also pick up on small gas leaks that would otherwise go unnoticed. Carbon monoxide is a colourless and odourless gas that can be a silent killer if it builds up enough. Early detection is key to prevent your family from experiencing carbon monoxide induced symptoms including headaches and nausea.

At-Home Plumbing Maintenance Fails

To save yourself some money, you might think to do your own regular plumbing maintenance and repairs. While there are some simple fixes which don’t put your family or home at risk, we don’t recommend making any big DIY plumbing plans for a few reasons:

• It is illegal to install and renovate plumbing, and in some cases even maintain it!
• DIY plumbing will void your insurance and warranty
• You can’t sell a home that doesn’t meet plumbing standards

Unless you’re a licensed plumber, you’re unlikely to know what Australian plumbing standards are.

Here at Metropolitan Plumbing, we want your plumbing to last as long as possible at peak efficiency. We offer plumbing maintenance services that will help to prolong the life of your plumbing system and protect your family and home from the potential side effects of bad plumbing.

Get ahead of the problem before it becomes a disaster. Contact Metropolitan Plumbing for our plumbing maintenance today!