Category: Plumbing tips

It’s easy to take your hot water for granted, until you experience leaks in your hot water system. You can let it run for years on end with no maintenance, and it is out of sight, out of mind. The only time you notice it is when something goes wrong.

To maximise energy efficiency and extend your water heater’s lifespan, carry out periodic maintenance just like you would for other appliances. Water heaters that are neglected may keep the hot water flowing for a few years, but eventually, they will generate higher utility bills and ultimately fail.

There are several things you can do at home to help prevent leaks from occurring. But, of course, prevention is always better than the cure, so make sure regularly inspecting your hot water system becomes part of your home maintenance schedule.

What Causes Leaks In Your Hot Water System?

Understanding the causes of leaks can help in preventing them. These are the primary causes of leaks in your hot water systems to look out for:

Age

Most parts of a hot water system will wear out with age. The water heater may become rusty and develop holes as a result. Eventually, that can result in leaks.

Your Temperature And Pressure Relief Valve Has Failed

A wrongly adjusted valve causes the tank’s pressure to rise dramatically, potentially resulting in a leak. Therefore, it is essential to regularly check the valve to see if it needs to be tightened if it has become loose.

Cracks in the tank

The hot water system develops pressure because warm water creates steam and fills the empty tank space. Due to the pressure created by the steam filling the tank, cracks appear in the heater’s tank, leading to leaks in your hot water system.

Sediment forming in the tank

Sediments accumulate at the bottom of hot water tanks as systems age. Sediment buildup inside the tank can cause cracks to form.

Why You Should Inspect Your Water Heater Regularly

Periodically checking your water heater is an essential home maintenance step that is often overlooked. Water heaters typically last between eight and thirteen years, and if your water heater is over ten years old, you should inspect it at least annually.

Inspections can help identify problems before they become more significant. The sooner you take care of leaks, rust, and other problems, the better.

An over-pressurised tank could explode if a valve malfunctions. So first, check your hot water pressure valve by turning off your hot water unit and your water supply and tripping the valve. If no air, water, or vapour comes out, the valve needs to be replaced.

If you notice any cracks, rust or other issues with your water heater, contact a licenced plumber to have it repaired or replaced.

Periodically Inspect The Anode Rod

Water heaters are protected against corrosion and rust by anode rods. Anode rods can last anywhere from a few years to the life of your water heater, depending on the chemical make-up.

When the tank has been drained of all water, you can pull out the rod while the hex head is unscrewed at the top of the tank. Replacement is required when the rod has become worn or if it’s covered in sediment. The anode rod typically lasts five years, but it’s best to check on them once a year.

Anodes will be located on the top side of the device. Occasionally, it may be directly connected to the heater’s hot water outlet line.

Regularly Flushing Out The Tank Can Prevent Leaks In Your Hot Water System

Having a large holding tank in your water heater ensures that you have enough hot water whenever you need it. However, water that sits in the tank continuously over time can clog the bottom of the tank with naturally occurring minerals and grit from council water lines.

Having sediment build up in your hot water tank can potentially make it difficult for it to function. In this case, your water heater may develop leaks or fail sooner than expected.

A licensed plumber should flush your hot water tank if you haven’t done it in several years as you may activate leaks.

What should I do if my hot water tank is leaking?

It is essential to contact a licenced plumber immediately, do not try and repair the fault yourself or risk injury.

As a precautionary measure, you might want to turn off your water at the mains. This will ensure that your property is not further damaged until the plumber arrives.

It may be possible to repair a water heater depending on the severity and cause of the leak. However, a replacement can sometimes be the best option or the only solution.

Contact the team at All Day Plumbing for reputable and reliable hot water system repairs and replacement anywhere in Sydney. We are licenced and insured for your protection and will ensure you can enjoy a hot shower that same evening. If you spot even the most minor leaks on your hot water system, call us on 1300 301 354.

Like many others, you probably plan on saving money on plumbing this year. When you’re considering hiring a plumber to perform a service for you, there’s likely to be a lot going through your mind – cost being at the forefront. Striking a balance between protecting your wallet from scams and high prices while also ensuring that you get the service you need is tough.

But luckily there are plenty of ways in which you can do this and invest in a cost-effective service. Here are some tips on how you can save cash when it comes to plumbing.

1. Don’t delay

When you’re faced with the prospect of a plumbing bill, one fairly understandable reaction is to put off the process of engaging a plumber and instead struggle on with what you’ve got. If you have a dripping bathroom tap, for example, you might decide to just live with it until you’ve got a bit more cash flow.

But the risk here is that it could end up saving money on plumbing initially but costing you more in the long run. By leaving items to deteriorate unchecked, you could end up in a situation in which you have an even worse and more expensive problem in six months.

So if you have a plumbing problem that’s getting worse and which basic DIY can’t fix, it’s best to call in a plumber now to save you having to shell out for a hefty bill further down the line.

2. Read some reviews

It’s also vital to be sure that you don’t just go for the first plumber you see. This is another temptation, especially if the problem is urgent and you need someone to come right away.

Rip-offs are sadly quite common in the plumbing and home maintenance sector. Unscrupulous plumbers play on people’s concerns about the integrity of their domestic plumbing services, and this can create the conditions for fraud. If you’re someone who is especially vulnerable (or you care for someone in such a situation), it’s extra important to be vigilant, follow the advice above and ensure that you don’t run the risk of getting scammed.

One way to do this is to check out the plumbing professional on a reviews site first and see what others who have used their services have to say about them. Another form of review is a price comparison site: this can present local plumbers in descending order of price, but also provide other information such as user-generated star ratings.

3. Check Your Plumber’s Accreditation

It’s also prudent to see if they’re registered with a reputable and proper professional body such as the Institute of Plumbing Australia or similar, as this is often a sign that they’re happy to have their work scrutinised by an external provider. If you’re unsure, you can ask to see their documentation and then double-check online that the organisation they’re a part of is well-recognised.

Sometimes, accredited plumbers are more expensive than those without credentials. But it’s important to take a long term view. An accredited plumber is, after all, far less likely to scam you or do a bad job.

4. Pay For Quality Upfront

While it’s important to ensure that you’re not paying over the odds for your plumbing service, it’s also vital to be sure that you’re investing in a quality service that will deliver the goods. For that reason, paying for a quality service from a qualified, competent professional is the single best way to reduce the risk of needing more work done further down the line.

If you pay a cheap amount for a shoddy service, you may well find that you end up paying twice given that you’ll need to call in a pro further down the line. It’s a false economy – so ensure you invest in a good firm upfront.

5. Saving Money On Plumbing By Practicing good Maintenance

It’s also possible to reduce your overall plumbing bill by tackling maintenance issues yourself as they arise. Take the example of the dripping tap: if you can’t turn your tap off all the way, there might be some steps you can take before committing to the cost of calling in a plumber. You could, for example, try unscrewing your tap and replacing the washer.

If you’re a new homeowner or otherwise inexperienced when it comes to plumbing DIY, you might be unsure where to start in this regard. Most reputable plumbers, however, will be more than happy to give you some advice and share their expertise with you when they’re working in your house on a job.That way, you’ll also be able to ensure that any DIY you do attempt isn’t going to risk your home’s plumbing system.

Ultimately, there are plenty of ways to reduce the risk of having to shell out a lot of dollars when a plumbing problem arises. From ensuring you keep your fixtures and fittings in good working order to begin with to finding a reputable, fairly priced plumber, you can bring down your long term plumbing bills immeasurably.

At All Day Plumbing, we’re here to help Sydney’s residents with cost-effective and fair plumbing services. Just get in touch today to learn more.

By the time most people discover an issue with your plumbing system, it may already too late. Burst pipes and clogged drains can cause enormous damage, so it is vital to understand your plumbing system and identify minor problems before they become big ones.

Here are ten essential things you should know about your plumbing system:

1. Water pressure

One of the other aspects of plumbing you need to pay attention to is water pressure. Generally speaking, in a typical home, the water pressure should be less than 80 psi.

Too much water pressure could lead to leaks in the plumbing, worn seals, and damage to fixtures. Your washing machine, ice maker, dishwasher, and other appliances that rely on a water connection could even be damaged.

2. Water quality

Does your water seem to taste, smell or look strange? Water supply issues or plumbing issues on your property could be causing the problem. The water can be dirty or brown, cloudy or milky and have strange tastes like chlorine or dirt or smells like petrol and paint.

If you are experiencing any of these issues, it is imperative that you contact a licenced plumber to determine the problem and only drink bottled water in the meantime.

4. Don’t ignore leaks

When pipes burst, especially if they go unnoticed, walls, carpets, floors, and ceilings can also be damaged. It is also possible that a small leak can cause corrosion in your pipes, requiring the replacement of your entire plumbing system.

5. What does water pooling in my yard mean?

A puddle in your yard or wet spots are often the first signs of a broken underground pipe just underneath the ground. Left unattended, this can lead to major structural damage to your home and property.

5. How to shut off water to appliances, sinks, and toilets

All sinks, toilets, showers, and appliances that use water have shutoff valves to be repaired locally without flooding.

You must explore your home and find every single one of them. Usually, you’ll find them hidden behind an appliance, or they will be found in a nearby cabinet. Make sure that you can shut them off if needed. This can be especially important if a tap or other part of your plumbing starts gushing water.

6. You Need To Regularly Clean Drains So They Don’t Become Clogged

Taking care of what you put into drains will prevent clogs or slow drains. Four things drains struggle with: grease, coffee grounds, hair, and soap scum. Keep these items out of drains as much as possible.

Make sure the sink is thoroughly rinsed after each use with hot water. The hot water keeps oils from forming on the inside of pipes, making pipes clog more easily and causing drains to be sluggish.

Occasionally, flush your drain with hot water and baking soda. Cleaning your drain pipes with baking soda leaves them smelling nice and clean as it also absorbs foul odours.

7. Understand the role sink aerators play in plumbing systems

The tap aerator is also known as a flow regulator. Aerators are small attachments inserted into the end of the tap, or that can be screwed into the existing spout and placed on the end.

By mixing the water with air, the water bypasses the tap and decreases the water flowing through it. Consequently, the water pressure will remain the same.

If you have these installed, they need to be periodically replaced. However, if you haven’t got them installed, they will save you a lot of water and money, so it is recommended that you get them fitted.

8. Know where your water main is for an emergency

Plumbing emergencies, such as burst pipes, can be costly and result in a large water bill. It is imperative that you turn off your water at the mains to minimise the damage caused before a plumber arrives.

Generally, your main water supply is found outside near your water meter, near your home’s boundary, or near a garden tap.

9. How to care for your toilet

You mustn’t throw anything into the toilet that doesn’t belong there. A blocked toilet can be caused by cotton swabs, baby wipes, paper towels, and more.

Ensure your toilet is functioning correctly as well. For example, one or more parts in the toilet tank are likely to need replacing when the toilet runs.

A toilet leak can sometimes be so small that it doesn’t make a sound. By filling the toilet tank with food colouring, you can identify these invisible leaks. Check the toilet bowl’s water after half an hour. Colour determines a leak.

10. Always have the number of a licenced emergency plumber handy

Things can go wrong at any time of day or night, and you need to be able to access help quickly in an emergency. When a pipe has burst, you don’t have time to be researching the best plumbers in your area.

Do your homework ahead of time and have their number ready for an emergency. All Day Plumbing provides reputable emergency plumbing services across Sydney, and you can reach us on 1300 301 354.

Do you wonder how people managed to survive before the invention of the gas water heater? We are lucky to live in a time where we have many options for different needs. Our life has been made a whole lot easier by being able to get warm water at the touch of a tap.

Several technologies can be used to heat water today, and we have seen many improvements since the traditional electric heaters of the past – like modern gas systems.

Water heaters used to be very complex and large, but now thanks to advanced technology, everything is flexible and straightforward. Yet which one is best suited to your needs? This article will give you an overview of how gas water heaters work and the many benefits you and your family can gain from them.

1. Gas water heaters will give you access to more hot water

The gas water heater is known to be twice as fast as the electric water heater when it comes to heating water. This is because the gas-powered heater has a higher recovery rate (the amount of water that can be heated to a specific temperature in a particular period) than its electric counterpart. In addition, the higher hot water needs of larger families make them ideal for people with larger households.

2. They are more cost-efficient

When you choose to go with a gas hot water system over an electric water heater, you can be assured of significant cost savings in the long run. There are several advantages to using gas-fired hot water systems. They are very efficient, have little thermal resistance, and provide hot water at a very low cost.

3. You will have reliable hot water, even when there is an electricity outage

An advantage of gas water heaters over electric powered ones is that they can work without electricity, even in power outages. Therefore, you do not have to stress about facing icy-cold showers even during power outages since your entire water supply will remain intact in the case of an outage.

4. They are better for the environment

Among the significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions from the average Australian home is the water heating system.

Water heaters fuelled by natural gas emit far fewer greenhouse gases than those powered by electricity from the mainland grid and thus are less polluting.

There is no doubt that for those who are both environmentally conscious and budget-conscious, sticking with your traditional natural gas water heater is an excellent choice as it is still four times better than using an electric tank.

5. They are cheaper to run

Gas water heaters are highly economical for two reasons, gas is more affordable than electricity and gas systems will heat the water much faster.

Electric water heaters are cheaper to purchase than gas water heaters, but they are more costly to operate. Gas can help to reduce your bills because hot water can account for up to 25 per cent of your home’s power use. Also, gas does not have any time of day tariffs associated with it.

6. They provide cleaner water for your household

In a tankless gas water heater, freshwater is heated directly from the pipe. Ordinary water heaters heat water stored in tanks, which cause it to rust and become clogged with hard mineral deposits. As a result of the age of the tank, the water quality tends to decrease over time.

Water heaters are likely to grow bacteria, but the most common is legionella, which thrives in warm and moist environments. As a result of inhaling microdroplets of water contaminated with legionella, you can develop Legionnaires’ disease.

7. Gas water systems are quick and easy to install

Traditional electric water heaters can be large and bulky and generally have to be installed outside. They take up a lot of space and can be an eyesore. Gas water heaters have a sleek, compact design and can be installed inside away from the elements without detracting from your home.

The installation process is relatively straightforward for an industry professional, especially for existing gas line homes. It is an affordable process, plus the savings you will generate mean that you will cover your installation costs in about a year anyway.

All Day Plumbing can connect you to cheap, efficient gas hot water systems

At All Day Plumbing, we are fully prepared to tackle almost any type of gas installation or repair project that comes our way. We have a professional team of technicians that are thoroughly trained and experienced. They can provide you with an installation service that is tailored to meet your needs.

If you are looking for a cost-effective and efficient way to heat hot water in your home, make contact with us and get started on saving today.

Renovating your bathroom is one of the best things that you can do to breathe new life into your home. Here are our top 5 tips for achieving an affordable bathroom renovations.

Remodelling your bathroom doesn’t have to entail tearing it down completely – simply replacing your vanity or updating your shower can dramatically increase the look and feel of your bathroom. It is also possible for you to choose to pull everything out and start over from scratch.

There are many things you can do to achieve your goals, but for the most part, it is determined by your budget. With that in mind, we have put together some tips for planning your affordable bathroom renovation that can help you save money while still getting an outstanding result.

Make sure you don’t move any of the plumbing

Keeping all plumping points intact is something you should consider before getting too carried away while designing your new bathroom. A re-routing of the pipes can be costly and is often unnecessary, so it is better to avoid it if at all possible.

A complete or even marginal renovation of the room’s layout to accommodate plumbing in different areas could significantly raise the renovation cost, especially when the installation costs are factored in. In that case, it would be best if you tried using existing plumbing and did not drastically alter the layout of your room.

Make significant savings by choosing the right fixtures and hardware

If you had it your way, you would design the bathroom of your dreams with utmost attention to detail at the highest level of luxury. In turn, this would extend to the most lavish fixtures money could buy, down to the minor details. The problem is that this solution is not always practical. Choosing bathroom hardware, especially when choosing the right material and design, tends to be driven more by the price than by the design and resilience.

Despite this, you can still find beautiful and inexpensive materials that can be used for bathroom fixtures. For example, brass can often be very affordable, easy to find, and can be found either recycled or antique. At the same time, sleek stainless steel offers many benefits for a very attractive cost.

The importance of lighting

If you plan on doing an affordable bathroom renovation, do not underestimate the importance of lighting. It not only provides illumination but also creates a sense of ambience.

In the bathroom, the lighting should put us at ease and encourage us to get ready for the rest of the day and help us relax and wind down for the night. The right lighting is therefore essential for setting a good mood.

Select bulbs or LED fixtures that emit light as close to white as possible – and make sure they have a high colour rendering index (CRI) score (around 90-100) to ensure that colour accuracy is optimal. Lights around the 60-watt range are recommended as soft white bulbs for bathrooms and makeup applications in particular.

LED downlights, pendant lights, sconces, mirror lights, and heat lamps are all ideal options to consider. You could also opt for a skylight to bath your bathroom in natural light. Choosing the right lights will go a long way towards providing an affordable way to set the mood and tone of your new bathroom.

Incorporate mirrors for the illusion of space in your affordable bathroom renovation

Everyone loves a bright and airy bathroom, and your new space can be enhanced with the addition of mirrors. It can appear as though a room is larger because it can create the illusion of space. In addition to that, they are also capable of giving the illusion of light.

To allow the mirror to reflect sunlight, you should place it on the opposite wall to the window. That way, it will reflect light throughout the room. In addition, modern mirrors can be equipped with several innovations in addition to the mirror itself, for example, a defogger, lighting, alarm clocks, and even a Bluetooth connection so that you can listen to music.

Factor in future savings with water efficiencies

It is not only the initial cost of renovating your bathroom that needs to be considered, it is your ongoing expenses as well. This is an excellent opportunity to install a range of water efficiencies that will save you money and help you become more sustainable as well.

You can invest in shower heads with pressure selectors that are also effective at resisting mineral buildups over time. Dual flush toilets can save up to 30 per cent in water costs, while water aerators on your taps will also deliver enormous efficiencies.

Achieve The Affordable Bathroom Renovations Of Your Dreams

The team at All Day Plumbing specialise in bathroom renovations of all scopes, and we can help you design and personalise your remodelling to meet your requirements and budgets. You will enjoy transparent fixed prices with no more to pay after the job is complete. Call our team today and discover how much can be achieved with your budget.

It’s important to know these things you should never flush down your toilet. There are only two things you should ever use the system for, human waste and toilet paper. However, many people view their toilet as their personal dumping ground, after all, out of sight, out of mind, right?

The problem is that many of these items being flushed can cause significant problems to your plumbing, public sewerage systems and the environment in general.

While you should never dump anything in your toilet that should go in the bin instead, these seven items are the ones that can cause the most problems.

1. Baby wipes

Don’t believe the marketing machine. Baby wipes are often advertised on the packaging as flushable, but this is not true. A flushable wipe does not exist. Because wipes do not degrade in water, they can clog plumbing systems in homes and damage pipes at wastewater treatment plants.

A large clump of accumulated wet wipes or baby wipes in a plumbing pipe must be removed by hand (read: it’s expensive and quite unpleasant).

It is not only the wipes that accumulate quickly but other waste products too are caught up in this mass of wipes and are difficult to break down.

This is becoming an increasingly large problem, particularly as these wipes combine with other products to create enormous masses that choke sewers and waterways.

2. Paper towels

This might come as a surprise to many people; after all, aren’t these towels just made of paper? This is true, but it is a very different kind of product to toilet paper, and these towels can cause enormous problems in your plumbing.

Paper towels do not dissolve in water like toilet paper. Although they’ll absorb water, they’ll remain intact and grow significantly. When a paper towel snags in the pipes or sinks to the bottom, it causes drains and toilets to clog. The more paper towel you flush, the more likely it is for a drain to become blocked.

3. Feminine hygiene products

The purpose of tampons, sanitary pads, and other such feminine hygiene products is to absorb liquid and, in some cases, to expand several times their original size to accommodate that liquid.

When flushed, these items can swell as they absorb water, blocking pipes that go to the sewer, or clogging septic systems, causing the toilet water to back up and overflow. Therefore, all feminine products should be thrown away in the rubbish or disposed of in a dedicated sanitary bin in a safe manner.

4. Hazardous materials and medications

The fourth item on our list of things you should never flush down your toilet may surprise you. When it comes to helping prevent water pollution, it is advised not to flush down the toilet medicines or potentially hazardous materials such as paint and cleaning products.

Rather than throwing out unused or expired medication, you should consider taking it back to one of the take-back sites at your nearest pharmacy.

When it comes to household hazardous waste, your local waste transfer station should be able to offer you recycling or disposal options that are safe and ensures they are correctly disposed of.

5. Fats, oil and grease

Oils and grease that are poured down the drain quickly cool and coagulate. They mix with the other non-flushable items like baby wipes and paper towels and create a solid mass in the sewers called a fatberg.

As a result, these congealed masses of fat, wet wipes, and food waste are causing serious problems for Australia’s wastewater treatment plants, and they cost the government millions to remove.

6. Kitty litter

It is not recommended to flush feline waste down the toilet like human waste. In addition to potentially introducing parasites into the water supply, flushing cat litter or waste down the toilet can also clog a toilet, as the litter can absorb water and cause the pipe to clog.

Cat litter and waste should always be bagged and disposed of in the garbage.

7. All other hygiene or personal products are among Things You Should Never Flush Down Your toilet

The last item on our list of things you should never flush down your toilet is somewhat controversial. Although it can be convenient, pretty much any product you use in the bathroom should go in the bin, not the toilet.

This includes bandages, nappies, condoms, dental floss – even your old contact lenses. They all have the potential to block up your pipes and community sewer systems. It doesn’t matter how small they are because it all adds up when millions of people are doing it.

If your toilet or plumbing becomes blocked, call the team at All Day Plumbing

We are your reliable, around the clock emergency plumbing service in Sydney. All Day Plumbing has technicians available 24 hours a day because plumbing issues are not restricted to business hours.

Our service at All Day Plumbing is fast and easy, and we guarantee 100 per cent customer satisfaction. So you can relax knowing that your problem is our priority. You can request same-day service by calling 1300 583 587.

Do you hear some weird noises coming from the bathroom? Are you wondering how to stop a plastic toilet seat from squeaking?

While you might try to avoid some of these sounds by turning the volume up on the TV or relocating to another room, you can still hear it whenever you’re inside as well. It’s the high-pitched squeaking sound coming from the seat like someone is grinding their fingernails on a blackboard.

How to stop a plastic toilet seat from squeaking? We are experts when it comes to fixing toilet issues and any other piping problems in your home.

A squeaky toilet seat can do more than just cause discomfort to your ears. It can lead to more significant issues for your toilet. Every component needs to operate at its best, and this goes for the seating as well.

So how do you stop squeaking noises from echoing throughout your bathroom? If you’ve grown tired of the sounds and want to fix this yourself, here are the steps you need to take to mute it once and for all.

How Does a Toilet Seat Begin Squeaking?

There are many different reasons why a toilet seat will start making unpleasant noises. Remember, it’s constantly getting opened and closed throughout the day. It’s perhaps one of the most used items inside your home.

The constant movement, as well as wear and tear, can cause a toilet seat to begin squeaking. It might have loosened the nuts that keep the seat together or impacted the material itself.

Age also plays a factor. The older the toilet seat gets, the louder the squeaking can be. While you shouldn’t need to replace the entire system, you should look at getting yourself a new seat that’s not as noisy as your current one.

What Problems Can a Squeaking Toilet Cause?

While it might seem like a squeaking toilet seat is only a superficial problem, it can lead to bigger issues. If the reason for the noise is because the seat is loose, then it could begin damaging your bowl.

The seat itself is connected and lined up perfectly with the rim of the bowl. If the alignment is off, then it could mean you’ll put unnecessary pressure on the inside and outside of the bowl. The longer you leave it, the weaker these points will get. Eventually, the ceramic will crack, and you’ll need to replace the entire toilet. So it’s a lot cheaper to fix it early and get yourself some new bolts or an entirely new seat.

What Do You Need to Fix a Squeaking Toilet?

Thankfully, repairing a squeaking toilet seat shouldn’t require you to empty out your entire toolbox. A lot of the bolts can be tightened and loosened using nothing but your hands. However, just in case, you should have a few items on standby if you happen to run into any trouble, such as:

• A flathead screwdriver
• Pliers
• Ratchet wrench
• Hacksaw
• Washers
• Old cloth

How Do You Fix a Squeaking Toilet Seat?

It’s so easy to fix a squeaking toilet seat that you’re going to be able to do it in four simple steps. Make sure you have all your equipment close by so you don’t have to travel far if you need to pick up a tool.

Expose the Bolts

Take a look at the bolts at the base of the seat. They may have a plastic covering over them that you’ll need to expose. Your screwdriver can help you remove it if you’re having trouble with it.

Investigate the Bolts

Try to tighten the bolts by hand to begin with. This will give you an indication if they just need to be secured to stop the toilet seat from squeaking. You should also look for any cracks in the screws or any other types of damage. If anything is broken, you’re going to want to skip straight to step four.

Tighten the Bolts

You shouldn’t rely on your strength to tighten the bolts. Otherwise, you’ll probably need to complete this step quite regularly. There are a couple of ways to approach this situation. The first involves using your pliers on the nut head and then turning the screwdriver until you can’t rotate it any further.

The other method is getting underneath the bowl and using a ratchet wrench to turn the bolt. Either way will tighten the bolts and ensure that your toilet seat stops squeaking. In this case, you don’t need to proceed to step four.

Replace the Bolts

Sometimes no matter how hard you tighten the bolts, you’ll still hear some unpleasant noises coming from the toilet seat. In this case, you’re better off replacing it entirely. You can try installing new bolts first to see if this stops the sounds. Many hardware stores will sell these separately from the seats.

However, sometimes it’s a good idea to get a brand new seat. This way, you know you’re getting the appropriate bolts explicitly built for the seat. If you purchase bolts on their own, you may need to shorten them with a hacksaw in order to make them fit to your toilet, which is just extra work that you shouldn’t have to worry about.

Who Can Help You Fix Other Toilet Problems?

No one wants a toilet that’s out of order, especially if it’s the only one in the house. Even though a squeaky toilet seat doesn’t sound like that big of a deal, if ignored, it can lead to other problems, specifically with the bowl. If you prefer to keep the sounds in the bathroom to a minimum, then you should make sure you get your squeaky toilet seat fixed as soon as possible.

If you discover other problems with your toilet when you commence your investigation, then you should leave those to All Day Plumbing. We’re experts when it comes to fixing toilet issues and any other piping problems in your home. Get in touch with us today to book an appointment or schedule a service call.

Many of us have been in a situation where we have stood at the tap while the water is taking too long to heat up to wash our hands, or we’ve stood shivering in the shower waiting for the water to turn hot. Water coming out of the tap cold at first is common, however, if you’re having to wait excessively long for your water to heat up, you may want to consider the reasons why this is.

It’s not only time consuming waiting around for cold water to run warm, but it can put a bit of a strain on your bills as well as wasting a lot of water. This guide will look over the reasons why your water is taking too long to heat up and some ways you can resolve the issue.

Distance from the water heater

When the water has a long way to travel from the water heater to your tap or shower, it will take longer to heat up than appliances that are closer to the water heater. If your water heater is in your basement, but your shower is on the top floor, it will take noticeably longer for the water to run warm.

Low volume restrictor

Also known as “water” or “flow” restrictors, these small barriers are often installed in plumbing fixtures to reduce water flow and help conserve water and energy. Whilst these mechanisms are beneficial in helping you save money and reduce water waste, they can result in a delay in how quickly your water is delivered to your taps.

If you’re already experiencing a long wait for your water to heat up due to the above, this can contribute to it taking even longer.

A build-up of sediment

There are lots of mineral impurities in our water and minerals such as calcium and magnesium can build up in your hot water tank. This tends to happen specifically where the gas burner or electric heating component is located. When a crusty layer forms over this part of the water heater, it affects the transfer of heat.

The tank then can’t produce hot water as quickly as it used to and this is one explanation as to why your water is taking too long to heat. Flushing your water heater is an effective way to purge some of the sediment. You can flush your water heater yourself, but it’s best to get a <a href=”https://alldayplumbing.com.au/”>professional plumber</a> in to do it for you to avoid any damage to your water heater or flooding.

Poorly insulated pipes

If your pipes are not sufficiently insulated then the water running through them will not be able to retain heat as well as it should. This can especially affect your pipes and hot water during winter. When your pipes are cold, your water heater has to work harder to ensure the water reaches a certain temperature.

Having a pipe sleeve installed can promote insulation in your pipes and ensure your water heats up quicker. You may even want to have a plumber install completely new pipes if your current ones are giving you problems.

Pipe size

The larger in diameter the pipes in your property are, the longer it will take for hot water to reach your shower or tap.

Small water heater

In contrast to having oversized pipes, having a water heater that is too small could be why your water is coming out of the taps cold for a long time. If you have an old water heater that was originally installed to accommodate fewer people than live in the house now, the heater may not be able to adequately keep up with demand. Hiring a professional plumber to install a larger water heater can help your water to heat up quicker.

Water is already in the pipes

This is the main reason why most people experience water is taking too long to heat when initially turning on the tap or shower. If your pipes are not supplying water anywhere, when taps and showers are off, then the water will sit in the pipes. Once you turn on the shower or tap, the water will immediately start flowing, however, this won’t be from your water heater.

The water that is delivered to your tap or shower first will be the cold water that has been sitting in your pipes. The warm water will come through once the still pipe water has been used and the water heater has fired up.

So Your Water is taking too long to Heat? Call a professional plumber in Sydney today

Is your water taking too long to heat in your home? Then contact an experienced and trained plumber to accurately diagnose the problem. All Day Plumbing can assess what’s causing your water to take so long to heat and advise the best solutions to fix it.