Emergency plumbers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They deal with issues that just can’t wait. Although they are usually trained to carry out a whole host of fixes, there are a few jobs that make up the majority of their work. Here is a guide to the most common jobs emergency plumbers are called out to do.
Drainage
There are plenty of different drainage problems that can be fixed by an emergency plumber. By far the most common problem requiring an emergency response is a blocked drain. Blocked drains can impact just about every area of a home or business’ water system. They can prevent toilets from flushing, prevent washing machines from working and even pump raw sewage onto the shop floor of a bustling business! Emergency plumbers use a number of specialist tools to deal with blocked drains quickly. For most common blockages, plungers and drain snakes can be used. For more complex blockages where the cause is uncertain, plumbers may opt to insert a pinhole camera into the affected area in order to make an assessment. They then use long drain snakes and powerful hoses to clear the blockage. Emergency plumbers are frequently called out to businesses that need drains unblocked in order to legally open. Businesses that serve alcohol, for instance, cannot remain open while there is no operable toilet.
Minor Gas Leaks
All gas leaks are dangerous and should be dealt with as soon as possible – unless you want to spend the night in a hotel. Emergency plumbers are typically able to deal with minor gas leaks – using gas detectors to locate the source of a leak and replacing faulty or damaged piping. If the leak is complex or major in nature, they may ask a home or business owner to call in a specialist.
Boiler Problems
Boilers are complex and sensitive beasts. Emergency plumbers are frequently called when a boiler loses pressure or fails to produce an adequate amount of hot water. This is not such a big problem in the summer, but an absolutely awful prospect during the cold months of winter. Boilers lose pressure for a number of reasons, for instance faulty pressure release valves can allow pressure to leak consistently. The most common reason for a loss of pressure is a leak somewhere in the system. Leaks can be caused by poorly bonded pipes and material entropy.
Water Hammers
Any household that has experienced a water hammer will know exactly how annoying – and sometimes frightening – it can be. A water hammer is great shuddering of pipes that occurs when a tap is turned on or off. It is caused by air trapped in a chamber. All plumbing systems contain air chambers, but if these are clogged up then a sudden start or stop of water will induce a large shockwave. Air chambers exist in order to cushion the shock wave caused by starting of stopping flows of water. Emergency plumbers are frequently called in order to unclog air chambers in order to stop water hammers from annoying the neighbors and keeping the kids awake.
