How to Unblock a Clogged Drain
If you have a blocked drain in your home, it is really important that you know how to deal with it properly. If you don’t, you could end up doing more damage than good. As plumbers in Perth, we have dealt with countless situations where a client has tried to unblock a clogged drain and has caused serious damage to their piping system. Here are four simple steps to help you to try and unclog your drain:

1. If you see that your drain is blocked, try using a plunger to dislodge the blockage. Fill your sink partially with water and use the plunger to rapidly plunge up and down over the drain. If the water begins to run down the drain again, the blockage was only minor and is now gone!

2. If plunging doesn’t work and your drain is still blocked, allow the water to settle then slowly pour a cup of baking soda into the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar. Make sure that you pour these ingredients in very slowly, otherwise the vinegar will simply wash the baking soda down the drain. Cover the drain with a wet rag immediately after doing this. A bubbling chemical reaction will occur when these two ingredients interact, hopefully dislodging the blockage. This is exactly the same principle as when kids make volcanoes at school for their science projects! Make sure you don’t try this method if you have already used a chemical drain cleaner; the reaction between these ingredients and a store-bought drain cleaner can cause unpleasant and noxious gases to form.

3. If the baking soda/vinegar method doesn’t work, you are going to have to get physical. This should not be attempted by people who don’t know their way around their piping system. A drain snake can be used to dislodge the blockage by slowly pushing it down the drain until you feel resistance, then slowly pulling it back up to remove the blockage. Repeat this as many times as you need to to unclog your drain.

4. If your drain is still blocked, call us immediately.

Why Should I Install a Water Filter?

At Hilton Plumbing in Perth, we know all about water! We know all about the joys of drinking a clean, delicious and perfectly cool glass of filtered water right from your kitchen sink. We have years of experience in installing in-house filters for clean drinking water in homes around Perth, and we’d like to share some of the benefits of having filtered water at home.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes when you drink water straight from the tap, it smells a little like a swimming pool and has a slight ‘metallic’ flavour? This is because our tap water in Perth contains chlorine, which acts as a disinfectant, and may also take on the flavours of the piping it has to go through to get to your kitchen tap. Filtered water tastes and smells better than unfiltered water, and also contains less chemicals than regular tap water, such as chlorine, lead and mercury. A water filter will also eliminate bacteria and rust from your drinking water.

Apart from the initial set-up costs, a water filter in your home will also save you money. Rather than having to purchase bottled water for your family or for entertaining, you can have a constant supply of beautiful, clean water right at your kitchen sink. Our water filtration systems also use excellent quality filters, which will last a long time! For any information or advice about installing a water filtration system in your home in Perth, please contact us now for a free quote!

Five Ways to Save Water at Home

As Western Australia experiences the effects of our drying climate, it is very important to develop ways in which we can conserve our precious water supply. As a plumbing business in Perth, we understand the importance of saving water in the home, especially as summer approaches and water restrictions begin to apply. Here are five ways you can save water at home.

Make it Rain!
Almost 100% of piped-in water in Western Australian homes is used for things like bathing, washing clothes, cleaning, watering your garden and washing the car. Only a  very small portion of this is actually used for drinking and cooking! Installing a rainwater tank will greatly reduce your dependence on piped-in water, which is not only good for the environment, but will also save you money on water rates.

Shower Power
Over 20% of household water is used in the shower alone! To try and conserve water in the bathroom,  begin timing your showers to ensure that they aren’t too long. A four-minute shower is ideal, and even reducing your normal shower time by two minutes will make a huge difference!. Also consider installing a water efficient shower head, which can reduce water usage by 25%.

Brush, Don’t Flush
A very simple way to save water is to make sure that you turn the tap off when you are brushing your teeth. An amazing amount of water is wasted this way but luckily,  80% of Australians do turn off their bathroom faucet when they are brushing their teeth. Do you?

Leaky Loo
A leaky toilet can use up to 9000 litres of water per year! Make sure that you check whether your toilet is leaking and while you’re at it, check any other faucets in and around your home. If you have a leaky toilet in Perth, please contact us!

Quashing Inefficient Washing
A great way to save water in your home is to make sure that you use a water efficient washing machine. An older washing machine can use up to double the amount of water as a newer model, so consider upgrading; it will be worthwhile! Also, make sure that you wait to have a full load of washing before you put it through!

Should I Install a Rainwater Tank?

Water usage is a huge problem in Western Australia. Many people have tried to minimise their water usage and find environmentally-friendly and sustainable ways to use water around the home. Installing a rainwater tank in Western Australia is a way to reduce your water usage and has many additional benefits.

1. Cost-Almost 100% of piped-in water in Western Australia homes is used for things like bathing, washing clothes, cleaning, watering your garden, washing the car and other daily tasks. Only a very small portion of this is used for drinking and cooking (rainwater is not recommended for drinking or cooking with unless the tank is extremely well-maintained to ensure that the water is not contaminated). When you consider this, it makes a lot of to install a rainwater tank, which will greatly reduce your dependence on piped-in water. Not only is this good for the environment, but rain water is also free, which will save you a lot of money on water rates.

2. The environment-Using rainwater is good for the environment and contributes to a sustainable community. Rainwater can be used to irrigate your garden in the heat of summer when heavy water restrictions apply to homes in Western Australia. It can also reduce the amount of sewage discharged into our oceans and rivers.

3. Emergency supply-If a natural disaster or zombie apocalypse occurs rendering your piped-in water unusable, having a rainwater supply will allow you to have access to clean water. An emergency water supply is especially relevant in Western Australia where a rainwater tank can be used for bushfire protection and fighting.

Having a licenced plumber install your rainwater tank is the best way to ensure that the tank meets your local council’s requirements, and is fitted correctly to prevent contamination of your water supply.

Why do Water Pipes Burst?

Water expands as it freezes. It’s science. When water freezes, its molecules crystallise and form an open hexagonal shape.This shape takes up more space than when the water is in liquid form, meaning the water has expanded. When this expansion occurs in a restricted environment such as in a water pipe, the pressure placed on the inner walls of the water pipe by the expanding water can cause pipe to burst. It’s the same reason why you can’t leave a beer bottle in the freezer for too long.

Even pipes made from extremely hardy materials, which can handle the occasional pressure of frozen water, may eventually burst due to the cumulative structural damage. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to prevent your pipes from bursting. These tips aren’t foolproof and it is definitely worth having a good plumber on speed dial just in case!

1. Insulate your water pipes.The insulation will stop heat loss and prevent water freezing in your pipes.
2. Try and ensure your water pipes are located in areas which never or rarely reach freezing point. This is obviously very difficult in older homes.
3. Leave a trickle of water flowing through taps in your home during winter or very cold weather. Flowing water won’t have the opportunity to freeze and your water pipes should hold out until the temperature increases.

Burst water pipes demand immediate attention. The longer you leave it, the more damage which can occur. If your pipes burst, ensure that you turn off the main water supply straight away and contact a plumber immediately. Hilton Plumbing is a family-run business in Perth, Western Australia. If you are experiencing problems with your plumbing in Perth, please contact us for friendly and professional service.