Wellington has been enjoying a great summer this year, and the warm weather looks like it’s sticking around for another month or two. To make what’s left of your summer just a little more care-free, we’ve put together a simple list of things to check both inside and out to make sure your plumbing is healthy. ![]() Outside tip #1 – Gutters Over time your gutters can collect a large amount of leaves and sticks that block your down-pipes and threaten to cause your spouting to leak. When it rains, there’s nowhere for the water to go, so your gutters fill and spill down the sides of you house. If left long enough, this can also cause water damage to the house, and encourage mould growth, which isn’t much fun to try clean off the side of your house. We recommend checking your gutters at least 2 or 3 times a year. Pull out the leaves and sticks and put them in a bucket, then run the hose through your system to make sure you’ve removed anything that might be causing a blockage. Or we would be happy to do this for you at a competitive rate. Outside tip #2 – Irrigation system If you have an irrigation system for watering your plants, now’s the perfect time to check it and give it a clean, but make sure you’ve turned it off before you do anything! To get started, remove the nozzles from your irrigation system and wash them in some warm water, making sure to clean away any dirt or deposits. While they’re soaking, run water through the different zones in your system until a clear stream flows from each sprinkler head. Outside tip #3 – Outside taps Because they’re exposed to the elements, your outside taps and hose connections can deteriorate and start leaking. When this happens, you risk leaking water all over your lawn or section and losing pressure in your hoses. Check each tap and hose connection to make sure there are no unwanted drips or leaks. If there are, new connections are cheap and easy to replace. Inside tip #1 – Toilets Your toilet is one of the most used things in the house, and we don’t have to go into much detail to point out how important it is that your toilet is running at 100%! Start by checking your toilet for leaks. If your cistern has a slow leak into your toilet bowl, you could be wasting a lot of water. Put a few drops of food colouring into the cistern above the toilet, and let it sit for an hour without flushing. If you notice the water in the bowl has started showing the same colour, you’ve got a leaking tank, and might need to get Maxey Plumbing in to fix it. Also, if your toilet is hard to flush, or requires you to wiggle the handle or cross your fingers to make it work, something’s probably broken inside, and will need replacing. Inside tip #2 – Showerhead Cleaning the showerhead is something that most people forget, but is still very important. Because we have minerals in our water, over time these minerals can collect in the showerhead, creating deposits that block the head and make showers just a little less enjoyable. Luckily, getting rid of these deposits is easy. Most showerheads can be removed easily – so unscrew it and put it in a bag with some vinegar. After soaking overnight, the mineral deposits should be gone. If you can’t unscrew your showerhead, try putting the bag over the showerhead instead. Either way, be sure to rinse the showerhead before using it again! Inside tip #3 – Pipes While most of your pipes are hidden beneath the house or inside the walls, you’ll probably still have access to your bathroom and kitchen pipes by opening the cabinets beneath your sinks. If it’s not dry in the cabinet, you’ve probably got a leaking pipe, which can cause serious and expensive water damage. The above tips are just a few easy ways to get your home plumbing ready for spring and summer. If you find yourself overwhelmed by repairs that may be too difficult, we’re on hand to solve the problem quickly and efficiently. About Maxey Plumbing & Gas Wellington We are master plumbers in Wellington. Our plumbing team is based in Ngaio and provide plumbing and gasfitting services in Wellington, Hutt Valley and the greater Wellington region. As proud members of Master Plumbers we are backed by their quality assurance guarantee. We pride ourselves on our workmanship, and enjoy nothing better than a job well done. All of your Wellington plumbing and gasfitting needs are in good hands with Maxey Plumbing and Gas! Comments are closed.
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