Burst pipe

Burst pipe

A pipe that has burst or is leaking might cause significant problems for your house or business. Royal Flush Plumbing is ready to assist you at any time, day or night, with our emergency repair services that are available around the clock.

We’ve got you covered! Our team strives to give each of our customers a hassle-free experience, and provide them with tried and true solutions.

What is the difference between a leaking and burst pipe?

People often think that a leaking pipe and a burst pipe are the same, but in reality, they are two completely different problems. A leak is when there is a break in the pipe that permits water to slowly escape from it. This can appear as either a tiny trickle or gush of water. On the other hand, if a pipe bursts, the water will be able to freely escape out and flood the area. Because of these differences, it’s essential to identify and quickly fix whichever problem is at hand.

What is a leaking pipe?

A leaking pipe isn’t as bad as a burst one, but is defined as a pipe with a small leak somewhere in the piping structure. If ignored, leaking pipes can still lead to severe damage to your home – stained walls, poor water quality, and in the worst case scenario: flooding. Taking care of the leak early on is essential to preventing more costly and time consuming issues later.

What is a burst pipe?

A burst pipe is much more serious: more water can escape the piping systems and sometimes cause catastrophic damages. Homeowners should always be on the lookout for signs of a burst pipe, such as unsteady water pressure, discolored or foul-smelling water, or abnormally high water bills. Sometimes you may need drain relining to completely repair the integrity of the pipe itself. Burst pipes can cause major damage and are one of the worst disasters a homeowner can face aside from true catastrophes and natural disasters. To avoid this, Our Adelaide plumber provides leak detection services to prevent and deal with an issue head on. In case it’s already too late and there’s evidence of a burst pipe, we can help mitigate the damage and fulfill full repairs.

What can cause a burst or leaking pipe?

Commercial plumbing services include a wide range of services. Commercial plumbers serve various sizes and types of commercial facilities. They keep businesses running smoothly by doing things like, but not limited to:

Freezing temperatures

When temperatures dip below freezing, it can cause water within pipes to expand, leading to immense pressure build-up that may result in a burst or leaking pipe. This is particularly hazardous for roofs and gutters since high volumes of water passing through these channels can cause serious damage from a sudden release of liquid. Apart from the physical property change of water when it’s exposed to low temperatures, the accompanying weather conditions such as ice and heavy snowfall can accelerate wear-and-tear on vulnerable areas. The additional weight puts strain on metal and plastic materials, causing pipes to snap or crack due to an overload which can bring about further havoc.

Corrosion or rust

Corrosion and rusting are very damaging processes that can weaken pipes over time, resulting in holes or cracks. Burst or leaking pipes can cause immense destruction to a home as well as thousands of dollars in repair costs. Corrosion occurs when metal pipes come into contact with oxygen, creating friction on the internal wall of the pipe. This can lead to oxidation of the pipe’s material. Oxygen is not the only catalyst of corrosion; other elements include sulfuric acid, nitric acid, alkaline solutions, oxidizing salts, oils and greases among others. Rusting is also commonly found in older homes with galvanized steel systems where there has been no maintenance or cleaning done over several years. While less frequent than corrosion due to its nature of slow deterioration process over many years, it is still an issue for property owners today because it weakens the overall strength of metal pipes thus making them vulnerable to rupture during water pressure changes. Protective coatings like zinc-based paints can be used on rusty metallic surfaces thus preventing further exposure and damage from corrosion and rusting.

High water pressure

When water pressure reading goes beyond the normal range of 60 PSI and rises to over 80 PSI, it can put a lot of tension and stress on the pipes and joints in a plumbing system. This can cause bursting or leaking pipes, which is a dangerous situation caused by an abnormality in the pump pressure regulator or an increase in incoming water volume. When it comes to experiencing high water pressure, the most common culprits are usually issues with either the pump or the pressure regulator. These components often become faulty, leading to too much water entering the system – a sudden rise in pressure can occur. This could be caused by worn valves and seals, an air bubble blocking the actuator or damage to a switch or circuit board within the pump itself. In some cases, high water pressure can be caused by the water having difficulty flowing through certain areas of your pipe system where larger valves have been installed or elbows form large angles creating resistance that impedes flow and increases backpressure upstream. It could also be happening due to broken piping restraints allowing extra plumbing lines to fill up with water while other lines are closed off, putting more stress on the remaining open lines. For households where only one pipe bursts at once due to high water pressures, repairing just one section may be enough but sometimes entire systems will need replacing if multiple sections are affected by extreme pressures over time. If you’re worried about your plumbing being under too much strain from rising waters make sure you get your system regularly checked for any signs of wear and tear before any major failures occur.

Clogs or blockages

Clogs and blockages in pipes can be caused by an assortment of factors, including materials such as grease, sediment, sewage and other debris. When water is flowing through a pipe that has some kind of obstruction caused by debris and other matter, it can build up pressure which can cause the pipe to burst or leak. The most common causes of clogs and blockages are items like tree roots that have found their way into the system, warped or collapsed pipes due to corrosion, or foreign objects that have gotten stuck in place or damage from vermin. In older piping systems, age-related deteriorated seals may cause leaks which could then lead to back pressure when combined with a blockage from debris build up. In some cases the buildup of leaking water can cause an increase in pressure sufficient enough to split apart old pipes.

Tree roots

Tree roots that penetrate or damage pipes underground are a common problem experienced by homeowners. When water pressure in a pipe is too high, it can cause the pipe to burst or start leaking, leading to tree roots penetrating the damaged pipe and eventually causing further damage. In some cases, trees can even completely encircle a pipe due to its growth over time, impacting water flow and creating further debris blockage.

Root intrusion is caused by two key factors: the availability of water in the soil around the pipe, and microorganisms living in the soil that produce carbon dioxide which encourages root growth towards the source of moisture – i.e., the burst/leaking pipe. The first factor is essentially climate-driven: areas prone to prolonged wet seasons have greater risk of this type of penetration happening due to an increased level of moisture present in soils. The second factor is physical—roots will grow to find available oxygen and nutrients through a porous structure like an old broken or cracked pipe.

Improper installation or poor quality materials

The improper installation or poor quality of pipes or fittings can lead to leaks and breaks in a pipe. Poor installation may be caused by shoddy workmanship, inadequate materials, or inadequate knowledge of the repair process. Certified plumbers will do their due diligence to install your systems in a way to automatically prevent things discussed above from occurring.

Common signs of a burst/leaking pipe

Identifying a burst or leaking pipe in your Adelaide home can be difficult as the signs aren’t always immediately obvious. However, there are some common indicators that could be indicative of a burst or leaking pipe.

Visually, water damage and stains on walls, ceilings, and floors are often telltale signs of a burst or leaking pipe. Dampness and mould or mildew growth in the area can also be clues to look for.

Another widespread sign of plumbing problems is low water pressure from showers and faucets that may indicate restrictions in the pipes due to age deterioration or blockages from objects such as mineral deposits.

Unusual noises coming from piping systems like hissing, gurgling, banging sounds can also point towards a burst pipe.

The presence of unpleasant odors like sewer gas emerging from drains may also suggest leaking pipes deep below the surface.

Furthermore, if you’re seeing higher than normal water bills you might be wasting water through leakages without knowing it.

These notable signs should lead one to suspect the possibility of bursting or leaking pipes. If you have determined one of your pipes are leaking, you should consult with us as soon as possible to help identify and solve the problem before it leads to costly repairs due to property damage and additional wasted resources resulting from inefficient operation at home.

What to do while waiting for a professional? (if instructed)

If the leaking pipe or burst pipe’s damage is particularly large, here are steps to do while waiting for help. You don’t have to know much about plumbing to use the advice we will list below. Even though you can’t fix the water damage itself, these are some things you can do to make the situation less dire.

Turn off the main water supply

First and foremost, turn off the water supply. When a pipe bursts, you don’t want any new water coming into the drainage system. The water that is already in the system is far easier to manage than any new water.

Call up a professional

Then, contact a plumber. You never know when the plumber will be available, so call as soon as possible to avoid a long wait. The plumber determines the cause, discusses solutions, and repairs the problem. Preventative maintenance also helps to avoid a burst pipe, so schedule maintenance visits once in a while to avoid issues.

Clean the water

To avoid excess water damage, remove any standing water as soon as possible. This prevents mould and mildew growth, because the longer the water remains, the more likely these substances will grow, so clean and dry the area as soon as possible.

Drain the faucets

To reduce pressure on the pipes, make sure to turn off your boiler or water heater and then drain the faucets to remove residual water.

Allow warm air to enter

For frozen pipes, slowly warming them prevents further damage. Turn up the heat. If the pipes are still cold, use a hair dryer. This slow heating prevents pipe breaks. Pipe bursts from temperature fluctuations. Open doors to circulate warm air. Exposed pipes need more air circulation to dry out the room. Consistent airflow helps pipes dry faster. As the water dries, the air temperature rises.

How to prevent leaks and bursts

Pay attention to your plumbing and take care of your sewage systems – it can be as small a leak from a tap, but any abnormal water activity needs inspection from experts. Don’t neglect the importance of taking care of your sewage systems.

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Matt is definitely one of the best plumbers in Adelaide. When you can solve a myriad of problems with one phone call, who wouldn’t you want it? Royal Flush Plumbing does all that and more. And that’s guaranteed.
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Promina Inc
I’d just like to send a little thank you note. After months of a variety of plumbing problems, you saved my pipes. After the team you sent was done with their work, sure enough, my drains were draining perfectly. I’m very grateful and I’ll certainly be recommending your plumbing services to my friends!
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I had issues with my toilet drain blocking up at my place of business, Royal Flush came out and saved the day on a Sunday morning before an event I had planned Later on in the evening. I had a chat to Matt about renovating the toilet and adding on an additional toilet and a new shower/bathroom and to my amazement he made this happen and I couldn’t be happier. Royal Flush, nit only provided the plumbing removal and install of this little project….
Phuc Nguyen
Promina Inc

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