Tanah Merah-based Mike Cross has been plumbing for more than 40 years, and he’s seen a busted pipe or two.
He also knows what to look for when it comes to keeping the taps and the water pipes in order at home.
Here, he shares five sure signs that trouble is imminent.
Braided flexible hoses:
The old fashioned version of these hoses are cheap, and often made of stainless steel, which means they rust out easily.
If you see brown marks on them, it’s not smart to leave them too long without calling a plumber.
Worse, if you see black spots on them, turn the water supply off – your pipes are about to burst.
Replace these with modern-day braided hoses.
Leaky taps:
If you’re turning your tap on and water comes from underneath the handle of the tap, this indicates a downhill spiral. The leak will worsen.
At best, servicing of the tap will buy some time. At worst, the tap will need to be replaced.
Gurgling drains:
If your sink, shower or toilet starts to gurgle, that is the beginning of a blocked drain.
Blockages take a while before they completely block up, so the most cost-effective option is to get it fixed before the drain becomes unusable.
Don’t trust drain cleaners. They’re made of caustic soda which, when combined with fat, makes soap. This in time becomes harder to clear.
Water pressure:
If water pressure in the house is low, that generally means the pressure reduction valve is shutting down.
This can happen after five years, and will almost certainly happen after 7-10 years.
Get it fixed and you’ll discover what you’ve been missing.
Discover if you have a leaky pipe:
Every so often, turn all taps off and look inside the bowl of the toilet to see there’s no trickling of water.
If not, go to the meter and take a photo of the numbers. Leave it for half an hour and see if the numbers have remained the same. If not, chances are you have a leaky pipe which needs fixing.
