Australian Laws and Regulations dictate that specific home improvements need completing by a licensed tradesperson, particularly those involving plumbing and electricity. The rules outline which tasks a homeowner can DIY with the risk of harm to the household or the neighbours. These guidelines mean to ensure work gets carried out correctly to protect residents.

As far as plumbing, licensed professionals are the only ones legally permitted to perform a majority of plumbing issues that arise. Many Canberra homeowners are hesitant to call in a licensed contractor due to the expense. Still, if there are any mistakes when performing DIY, the costs can become quite more exorbitant than bringing in a certified plumber from the start. Find out secrets plumbers don’t generally share at https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/30-secrets-your-plumber-wont-tell-you/.

Hacks To Try Before Calling The Canberra Plumbing Professionals

While you must follow the Laws and Regulations in Australia concerning home improvements, especially with plumbing and electrical, there are tricks you can try before calling the professional that stays within the guidelines. These efforts could potentially save time, effort, and expense without creating more problems or safety issues in the Canberra home.

** The Location Of Your Emergency Shut-off Valve

If you are experiencing a flood in the basement from a burst pipe or water flowing from the toilet for reasons of which you’re unsure, the immediate response should be to shut off your water. That might be a challenge if you don’t know the emergency valve location, leaving you with a massive mess to clean and potential water damages that could lead to a mould problem.

Ideally, when moving into your home, the first thing to do is locate essentials like the emergency water shut-off and the electric circuit board. Knowing where these are can save a lot of headaches.

** Using The Rubbish Disposal As Intended

You will have fewer blockages and avoid damages to the rubbish disposal if you learn how to use it as the manufacturer intends. Numerous items should never go in the unit (it is not a catch-all). Some of these include:

• Grease, oils, fats
• Fibers like sprouts, celery, and the like
• Coffee grinds
• Starches such as pasta, rice, or peels
• Eggshells
• Bones
• Nothing that isn’t food

There are also easy ways to clean the system and prevent nasty odours plus keep the blades sharp. Periodically put a chunk of a lemon peel along with a few ice cubes in the unit and turn it on without running water for several seconds. You can then use some dish soap with running water to rinse. The system should be sharpened and smell lemony fresh.

** Keeping Your Drain Clean And Clear

The plumbing system doesn’t take kindly to chemically laden commercial cleansers. These are much too harsh and can corrode the pipes as time passes. Homemade cleaning solutions are budget-friendly and safe, plus they are simple to incorporate. 

With a significant clog, boil water to go in the drain coupled with a half cup of baking soda allowed to stand in the drain for approximately five minutes. After which, a cup of vinegar goes in and again stands for another five minutes, followed by flushing with warm water. The tip boasts an effective DIY hack.

** The Dreaded Toilet Clog

In many cases, an overflowing toilet brings panic to the point of an immediate call to the plumbing professional. View reasons you shouldn’t DIY your plumbing. When moving into a new home, a good plan of action is to ensure that there are as many plungers as there are bathrooms. Each should have its own. You do not want to have an emergency clog and have to run to a room on the other side of the house to grab the lone plunger available.

But in saying that, there are also ways to remedy a clog without a plunger. You can stop the flowing water by unhooking the tank chain or by shutting off the valve behind the toilet. Pouring exceptionally hot water in the bowl along with some mild soap touts a DIY method for breaking up a clog.

** Searching For That Pesky Leak

Leaks can lead to significant damage and great expense. These will most certainly need fixing by a certified plumber, but how can you be sure that is what you’re dealing with before taking that step. 

One sure sign is an excessive utility bill unusual from your average monthly water expenses. Other signs can include signs of mould or water damage like stains plus low pressure. Locating leaks can be challenging, but that does not mean you shouldn’t try. 

A commonplace for leaks is the toilet. To check it, use food colouring placed in the tank and check the bowl after approximately half an hour for colour. If so, the tank leaks.

As a rule, for invisible leaks, you will need to contact a plumber to inspect the house to locate the issue’s root source. Until the underlying problem resolves, there is potential for increased damages and accumulating costs. DIY hacks are resourceful but can only take you so far in your efforts.

Final Thought

While everyone wants to save money, time, and effort with home maintenance and improvements in their Canberra homes, a lot of the work has to be done by licenced tradespeople according to the Laws and Regulations set forth by the Australian government.

The laws mean to protect the safety and security of families and those in the homes surrounding theirs. If DIY goes wrong, damages can result in harm, particularly when it comes to plumbing and electrical work. Most plumbing tasks need completing by a certified plumber in Canberra with the appropriate skills. There are very few tasks you can do on your own.

That does not mean that you can’t take the time to be proactive in your approach with some of the hacks mentioned here. These aren’t genuine solutions to significant problems since those remedies come from the tradie, but these helps keep the systems running at optimum performance and give ideas on how to care for the most minor issues.