Simple plumbing checks

Could a hose flood the house while you're out?

Flexi hoses, a leaking toilet, water pressure, the hot water relief valve and slow drains. A look, a listen or a simple test for each.

Check my plumbing (8 minutes, free, no sign-up). Get a plumber. Read the full guide.

The questions

1. Are the braided flexi hoses under the sinks and behind the toilet free of rust, fraying, kinks and bulges? Look along each hose, and check the cupboard floor for water marks, swelling or a musty smell. If not: A worn hose can burst with no warning. Get a licensed plumber to replace it. It is not on the QBCC list of work you can do without a licence.
2. Do you know where the water turns off, and can you reach the taps? A small isolation valve on each hose, and the main stop tap near the water meter. Do not force a stiff one. If not: Find the main stop tap and the isolation valves now, before you need them. A licensed plumber for any valve that will not turn.
3. After the dye test, did the toilet bowl stay clear? A few drops of food colouring in the cistern. Do not flush. Look in the bowl after 15 to 30 minutes. If not: Colour in the bowl means the cistern is leaking. Flush to clear it and call a licensed plumber.
4. Is the toilet quiet when nobody has used it for a while? No refilling by itself, no trickle or hiss, no thin stream running down the bowl. If not: Water is still getting through. That is a leak too. Call a licensed plumber.
5. Does the tap nearest the meter fill a 9 litre bucket in about 30 seconds? Unitywater's bucket test, with the tap on full. A lot longer may mean low pressure. If not: Work out if it is one tap or the whole house, and check the main stop tap is fully open. Your water supplier or a plumber can test it.
6. Are the pipes quiet when a tap is turned off quickly? Banging or shuddering pipes, or hoses that leak or burst more often than they should, can mean the pressure is too high. If not: A licensed plumber can test it with a gauge and check or fit a pressure limiting valve. Leave that valve alone yourself.
7. Is the hot water relief valve drain pipe dry, or only dripping a little while heating? The pipe from the valve near the top of the tank. A steady stream, or water when it is not heating, is not right. If not: Call a licensed plumber. Never block, cap or tie off the valve or its drain pipe, even if it drips.
8. Has the hot water system been serviced in the last five years? The QBCC says it is generally recommended every five years, by a licensed person, following the maker's advice. If not: Book a service with a licensed plumber. Gas systems may also need a licensed gasfitter.
9. Is your place free of hidden leak signs? A water bill that jumps for no reason, a damp patch that will not dry, running water when everything is off, or lawn that stays soggy. If not: Do the water meter test, then get a licensed plumber to find it and fix it.
10. Do the sinks, showers and toilets drain freely, with no gurgling or sewer smell? If more than one is slow, or the toilet gurgles when the shower drains, the problem is probably further down the line. If not: Clear the hair and gunk you can reach at the plug. Anything past the plughole is a job for a licensed plumber or drainer.
11. Is the overflow relief gully outside clear, and not overflowing? The grated outlet in the ground near the house. If it is overflowing, the sewer line is blocked. If not: If it is overflowing, call a plumber straight away and keep everyone, especially kids and pets, away from it. Otherwise keep the grate clean and clear.

A look, a listen or a simple test, not a diagnosis. In Queensland most plumbing and drainage work must be done by a licensed plumber or drainer, and even replacing a tap is a licensed job. Hot water burns, and water and electricity do not mix.

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Linc Point

Linc Point (sometimes spelt Link Point), ABN 48 535 502 159. Call 0458 381 559 or email linc@lincpoint.com.au. Brisbane and South East Queensland, Bribie Island to Helensvale. Website: lincpoint.com.au. Tools for trade businesses: lincpoint.online.