The Most Common Winter Plumbing Issues in Melbourne

With the cooler winter months well on the way, it’s important to understand common plumbing problems in Melbourne during those months and how to prevent them.  While it’s not going to snow or freeze here in Melbourne, you still should be aware of plumbing issues that can arise as the temperature drops. Whether for your home or for your business, these are some of the most common winter plumbing problems in the Melbourne area.

Backed Up Kitchen Drains

Even though it won’t freeze or snow, colder temperatures can impact your plumbing system.  When the temperatures drop, your kitchen drains can be impacted – washing grease down your drain can cause problems if it’s not thoroughly flushed down the drain.  The cold temperatures can cause the grease to congeal, which can create a clog and back up the drain.

While clogged and backed up drains are very common plumbing problems no matter what time of year, we see an increase in backed up kitchen sinks during the winter months for this very reason.  People may not realise that grease can quickly firm up and create issues in your kitchen plumbing. If not addressed, those issues can get worse and cause severe plumbing problems.

Laundry Plumbing

Depending on how your plumbing system was set up, you may notice issues with your laundry plumbing system – plumbing lines that are too shallow in the ground can be impacted by lower temperatures.  This is most common in laundry room plumbing as many people wash their clothing with cold water to save on energy costs. When the temperatures drop it can impact your laundry drainage system and cause backups.

Damaged Pipes

While less common than some other plumbing problems here in Melbourne, there’s still the possibility of burst pipes because of colder temperatures.  The cold temperature can cause the pipes to expand and contract, which can damage the metal and create major plumbing issues that can be expensive to repair.

Water that sits in your pipes can freeze and also cause damage – in colder parts of the world, people keep their water running throughout the day to prevent the pipes from freezing.  Fortunately, it’s not going to get cold enough in Melbourne for that! It’s important to be aware of what can happen to the pipes you can’t see when the temperatures get colder.

How to Prevent Issues

Fortunately, these issues are fairly easy to prevent if you take the right precautionary steps.  Be sure to thoroughly wash everything down your kitchen drains with hot water in order to prevent backups and clogs.  Wash your clothes with warm water to prevent any freezing or backups in your laundry drain pipes. Damaged pipes can create major issues for your plumbing system and can be costly to fix, so taking these simple steps can help avoid more serious issues in the future.

The Murphys Plumbing Difference

We are passionate about providing high-quality plumbing services at the best prices in the area.  From storm drain clearing to gutters and gas fittings, there’s nothing our team of plumbing experts can’t handle.  As the winter months arrive, it’s important to take precautionary steps to prevent serious plumbing issues. Leaving plumbing problems unattended is ensuring a more serious problem in the future.

Whether you have a business or if you’re focusing on your home, our team can help.  We recommend consulting a plumbing professional like the team at Murphy’s Plumbing to ensure the integrity of your plumbing system this winter.  For more information on our fantastic plumbing services or to set up a consultation, contact one of our plumbing experts today.