The last thing any homeowner wants to deal with is damaged or burst water pipes.
The point to ponder is that what causes a water pipe to burst?
If you detect the possible reasons for the burst water pipe, you can deal with them more effectively.
The most common reason for a burst water pipe in Australia in the colder states is freezing temperatures.
So, the pipes which are associated with the outer walls of a home are more likely to get damaged.
However, if you take preventive measures, you can avoid the pipe being burst.
Here are a few best tips mentioned that can help you avoid a burst water pipe in Australia.
Keep the Heat On
If you are going to leave the house for a long time, it is better to keep the heat on.
You can also automate the heating system to ensure that it stays on in your absence.
If you have rental property, you can ask your tenants to do the same.
However, it might be difficult for you to convince them as it will cause them to pay higher utility bills,but if you try to explain the reason to them, they might cooperate with you to avoid any significant loss later.
Also, it is not necessary to keep the temperature as high as you would have in your presence; instead, you can set it above 50 F.
It will help provide enough heat to the pipes to keep them warmer.
Keep the Cabinet Doors Open
If you have the pipes located inside the cabinets, you should keep the cabinet doors open in the winter season.
It will allow the heat of the rest of the house to enter inside the cabinet to keep the pipes warmer.
Keep the other interior doors open as well to let the heat travel all over the place. It is one of the best practice that can save you from disastrous consequences.
Seal Holes and Cracks
If there are any holes or cracks in the walls, ceilings, and floors of your home, you should seal them immediately to prevent the cold air from letting in.
You can use insulation or caulk to cover these gaps. Don’t forget to fill them correctly from both the exterior and interior side.
Heating Tape
Heating tape is another effective way that can help supply the heat to those pipes which are at higher risk for freezing.
So, you can install the heating tape on the easily accessible pipes.
However, the type of heating tape you choose should help detect the problem beforehand.
For instance, you can use a heating tape that turns on itself whenever the heat is needed.
The other type of heating tape is manual that you will have to plug in to give warmth to the pipes and unplug when they are warm enough.
These products can be risky, so it is better if you use the directions of the manufacturer carefully.
The best option for such homeowners is a water shutoff solution that responds automatically by sensing a burst pipe.
It shuts off the water supply immediately to avoid flooding and the excessive loss of water.
It is a costly solution, but it is going to be worth it in the end as it can help save a lot of your money and time.
Professional Help
You can also take professional help by hiring a renowned and licensed plumber.
It is better if the plumber locates somewhere near your living area in Australia.
It will help ensure that he will be available to provide his services in case of emergency. Also, an expert plumber can detect the pipe burst beforehand to prevent it from happening.
Home Insurance
Even after taking all the necessary precautions, you might have to face the burst water pipe.
So, it is suggested to check beforehand whether your home is insured or not to make sure that it covers the costly repairs.
This way, you won’t have to pay the bills from your pocket when any damage occurs.
However, if your insurance doesn’t cover the expenses caused by natural reasons, you need to update the insurance policy at once.
Most of the insurers cover the damage caused by burst pipes, but not if they feel like you haven’t taken care of them properly. . . . So, you must also keep checking them regularly to detect the hidden signs.
When I worked for a drainage contractor almost every month I have to tell people that they are going to have to take down their shed, dig out part of their raised garden bed, or take up part of their paved patio.
Why? ……………because they have built them on top of a manhole on a drainage easement that needs to be cleaned or inspected.
How Common Are Easements
About 50% of properties will have a drainage or sewerage easement generally running along the back fence.
Between 5 and 10% of all properties will have a manhole within their property.
This will be used to access the sewer or drain for maintenance.
When buying a house block be very careful if you find a block that has an easement running from front to back, as this will severely restrict your options on what you can build.
Why are there Easements
Easements are a method of giving other people some rights over your property.
Examples are:
The right to have a pipe or other underground, or above ground, service laid under your property. The most common easements are for drainage and sewerage pipes. You will sometimes come across utility easements for water supply, electricity, telecommunications and gas.
Right of access, for example; to come onto your property and maintain, repair and replace the services.
Right to use a shared driveway
Although the person or organization having benefit of the easement has the responsibility to restore the land after maintenance and repairs this does not usually extend to rebuilding any structures such as sheds or replacing expensive paving.
Before buying a house, it’s essential to know how important it is to have a reliable and efficient plumbing system.
Having a leaky plumbing system can lead to many different complications, especially if the water that runs through the pipes is dirty.
A plumber’s inspection can tell you whether or not you’re dealing with a leaky pipe.
Knowing how to check on your own may be financially convenient, but entrusting this task to a professional will guarantee better results and will give you the assurance that you’re not going to put your investment down the drain.
Before buying a house, check the plumbing system first by doing the following:
Entrust Plumbing Inspection To A Professional
Make sure that you have the pipes checked by calling the local plumber or the building department in your area.
It’s always a good idea to call the local plumber because they know the issues the pipes may have and can help you determine the best route to fix the problem.
A plumber Castle Hill will also be able to let you know if you have any problems that need repair or work done on the plumbing system.
They can do this by inspecting the pipes and make sure that they’re up to code.
Check If The Water System Is Running Slow
If there’s a lot of dirt inside the pipes, it’s likely that there’s a problem with the pipes as well as the drainage system. A clogged drain can lead to a slow running water system.
If the water is clogged and doesn’t run properly, you may want to call a plumber to see what can be done.
Visually Inspect For Wear And Tear
As a future new homeowner, to ensure you’re getting a good buy, it’s crucial to know how to visually inspect a plumbing system for wear and tear.
If a block is too stubborn to remove by hand, a plumber can come and inspect the drain for signs of wear and tear.
If the drain has been working well, the only thing that’ll be needed is some cleaning.
If the drain has worn out, it can cause problems down the road.
If the drain becomes clogged with debris, the drain can block the flow of water from the pipe.
If the drainage system is clogged and there’s no way to clean it, then you may want to consider buying a home with a better drainage system.
There are actually several ways that you can tell if your plumbing system is about to break down, such as:
Check the basement: You might find signs of rot or mold in the basement, which indicates a history of water leakage.
Check for rust: Another sign of wear and tear is when your pipes become backed up. Sometimes, this happens because of clogs, but, sometimes, it can be from a buildup of rust. The problem with rust is that it can grow in a very short amount of time. If you see anything that’s growing on your pipes, there’s a chance that it’ll eventually cause a clog and your system will have to be replaced.
Check the plumbing fixtures: Inspect the shower, faucet, sink, and other plumbing fixtures for rust, corrosion, algae, and other alterations. The presence of these problems would reflect poor plumbing maintenance of the old homeowners.
Watch Out For Signs Of Water Damage
Water damage can happen from many obvious sources, including a leaky pipe, heavy rain, or severe weather events.
But the most common cause is hidden leaks from damaged plumbing pipes.
When a leaky roof or ceiling causes condensation to form on the surface of your ceiling or windows, causing the wood to rood and then emit a foul decay-like odor.
Loose ceiling tiles, for example, can become very problematic when there’s a significant amount of moisture accumulating around them.
If you’ve noticed a crack or other visible sign of water damage in the prospective house you’re planning to purchase, you might want to reconsider it.
This is because these problems would require contacting a mold remediation company.
Conclusion
Clogging in the pipes can cause major headaches.
For one, a broken water pipe can prevent people from using their homes. Most of the time, this is due to the clog in the pipe.
If you want to know how to check the condition of the plumbing system before buying a house, you need to make sure that the main and all the drains have been inspected.
By doing so, you’ll be able to purchase a home that won’t give you plumbing problems for a long time, saving you a lot of money for repairs and replacement.
Dean Cox Dean Cox is a full-time blogger who publishes articles about real estate, business, and investment on his blog.
Dean wants to help his readers get the most out of their lives by helping them make the right investments, and providing tips on business startups.
Aside from making sure that his blog is updated with informative content,
Dean also submits guest posts to several other websites.
If you are having a new house built Keith should be your hero too!
Over the years, foreman Keith Schleiger “The Blockinator” seems to be cast as the bad guy.
The guy who causes delays, disruptions, and upsets the contestants.
The Real Bad Guys
The real bad guys are the tradies who have spent most of their careers getting away with things such as:
Poor waterproofing;
Removing important structural elements;
Shoddy workmanship;
Working unsafely;
You would think knowing they are in front of the camera they would try and lift their game . . . . . but old habits die hard . . . and they still think they can get away with things.
What Keith Does
Keith protects people like you who are buying a new house
He makes sure everything is built with care, and meets all the building codes.
Your House
Who is protecting you when your new house is being built?
The Site Supervisor is responsible for perhaps 15 or more builds so you will be lucky if they visit more than twice a week!
The Building Surveyor will only visit 4 or five times!
Both are paid by the builder, whose main interest is getting the house finished quickly!
That leaves plenty of opportunity for tradies to cover over their dodgy methods before anybody sees the issues.
If you can’t check things yourself perhaps you need to employ a ‘Keith’ and engage an independent inspector.
‘Land surveying’ has been a critical activity for centuries all over the world, owing to its multiple benefits.
Whether it’s a small piece of land that needs to be resold or a large parcel of land that has title issues, a land survey can help to meet various requirements and resolve various problems regarding the land.
Professionals carrying out this activity independently or as a part of a firm are called ‘land surveyors’.
They have knowledge and experience in different kinds of land surveys. They can guide you in understanding which survey can suit your goals.
A construction surveyor is the one who conducts a construction survey which is a type of survey that becomes essential when construction work is going on.
Whenever a property or any structure gets built, the construction company and the engineer involved in the project commission the construction survey.
A land survey firm, a specialised construction survey firm, an independent land surveyor, or an independent construction surveyor can be approached for this survey.
What Exactly is a Construction Survey?
Construction projects involve a great deal of investment and time, and so, every step should be taken diligently.
A survey can help the team working on the project to acquire the relevant information, such as measurements, location, topography, and condition of the land.
The surveyor marks reference points on the land by using the necessary equipment, for example, compass, GPS, tripod camera, and drone.
These points prove to be very useful to the civil engineer, site supervisor, construction workers, and other parties.
The construction company and civil engineer can clear all their doubts about legal boundaries, encroachments, and easements through the results of the survey.
A construction survey is carried out for all scales and types of projects, including but not limited to, buildings, roads, bridges, dams, and parks.
This survey is a vital part of town planning and rebuilding the city infrastructure.
The construction survey is conducted at the beginning of a project.
Why is Construction Surveying Important?
Real estate sector is one of the important and growing sectors of any economy as it leads to not only the construction of various structures but also a rise in the employment rate.
With an increase in business activities, affordable housing options, and recreational activities, the number of properties built have also increased.
So, ensuring the quality of the construction is essential for making the properties safe and comfortable for occupants.
The accuracy of measurements can be achieved with the help of a construction survey.
Inaccurate measurements can lead to the possibility of encroachments arising in the future.
As the surveyor marks the points with the help of markers and places boards on them, tasks of the engineer, site supervisor, and construction workers become easy.
Construction surveyors even check numerous elements, such as surrounding area neighbouring structures, and underground infrastructure.
How does a Construction Surveyor Work?
As indicated earlier in this article, construction surveyors can work either independently or in a survey firm.
They can opt to perform only a construction survey or multiple types of land surveys depending on their qualifications, skill set, and areas of interest.
A construction surveyor obtains the required knowledge and license by completing their studies, assisting an experienced surveyor, and proving their abilities.
Construction surveyors carry the necessary equipment, which is popularly known as total stations, with them for performing the survey.
They:
Measure angles and distances by using the concepts of geometry and trigonometry.
Stay abreast of the laws and regulations regarding the land, construction, and more.
Know how to interpret constructions plans, architectural designs, and maps.
Coordinate with the builder, civil engineer, and site inspector during the whole project.
Construction surveyors enable engineers and construction workers to make water and drainage systems as well as create the utility lines for electricity, gas, and telephone properly.
Once the structure is built, they examine it thoroughly to ascertain that their inputs have been considered.
Wrapping Up
Construction surveys are crucial to make sure that the new structures are built in accordance with the local and national rules. Individuals, real estate developers, government departments, and other parties appoint construction surveyors.
You should hire reputable construction surveyors or land surveyors for your project.
As part of the design and approval process of building your new house you will require a ‘Site Investigation Report’ sometimes referred to as a ‘Geotechnical Report’.
For a typical suburban subdivision for a one or two storey house on a standard block around 800m2. these cost in the order of $1,500 – $2,000,
What They Do
The site investigation company will normally send out a truck mounted drilling rig to site.
The rig operator will have a look at the site for any potential problems and drill three holes to a depth of about 2 – 3m, or until they hit rock.
At least one of these holes will include any problem areas identified from the visual inspection such as wet areas and disturbed ground.
For larger blocks, larger houses, and houses with more complex structures (e.g.underground garages) more boreholes, deeper bore holes, and more testing will be required which will all add to the cost.
Samples of the different materials encountered will be classified to be able to assist in assessing the strength of the material
The Results
A report will then be prepared based on the tests, and any previous information about soils in the locality.
The Report will give recommendations about foundations for structures on the site.
The key part of the recommendation is usually a foundation classification as this can adds tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of the build
Limitations on Report
A couple of things to remember about these reports are:
The recommendations assumes that the boreholes accurately reflect the condition for the whole site.
The ground can be exceptionally variable and the borehole are testing much less than a hundreth of one percent of the soil that the house will be standing on. (During excavation the builder may encounter worse conditions that need a stronger foundation with additional costs)
If the site has a slope which requires cut and fill the foundation may need to be to a higher classification than the report recommendations . . . at an additional cost.
