Frequently Asked Questions

Wet Wipes

There are plenty of products such as sanitary wipes, baby wipes, and makeup remover wipes that are advertised as “flushable” on the package, so you as a consumer would think they’re fine to flush, right? Wrong. These products should NOT be flushed down the toilet, they should actually be disposed of in the trash instead. These wipes are advertised as flushable because they do eventually break down, however they take much longer to do so than toilet paper and can easily get stuck in your pipes and cause blockages in your house hold or in the main sewer line. Calling and waiting for a plumber to arrive is a hassle and an expense that can easily be avoided. But if you find your self in this situation don’t hesitate to call, We’re here to help. 09 218 2012

Kitty Litter

There’s a lot of kitty litter brands that also advertise themselves as flushable in order to make the dispel of their products a little easier. So-called flushable cat litters are usually made of biodegradable ingredients like corn or wheat. However, just because it’s biodegradable doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to flush down the toilet! Biodegradable or not, kitty litter can build up and will likely to cause blockages in your pipes. Additionally, most newer toilets are designed to use less water, which means they do not use a high enough volume of water to wash something as sizable as clumps of litter through your pipes.

Rule of Flushing

When it comes to taking care of your pipes, the best rule to follow is, simply, don’t flush anything other than toilet paper and bodily waste. We know that it may be tempting because flushing certain products seems more convenient than other forms of disposal, but in the long term it will be considerably less inconvenient than dealing with any future plumbing issues that may arise from flushing something that could have been tossed in the trash. 

For more insight this may be a helpful link https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/flushable-wipes

A warm shower can be the highlight of your day, especially during the winter, but if you find yourself waiting long periods of time for your water to get hot, you may have an issue with your hot water cylinder or your pipes. 

Here are the most common reasons why your shower or other outlets may be taking some time to heat up. 

The Distance and Size of Your Pipes

The further water has to travel from your hot water cylinder / heater to the outlet, the longer it will take to get hot water flowing out. If this water has to travel through pipes with a large diameter, this could also delay your hot water even more! This is particularly prevalent in larger homes, where all the water that’s been cooling off in the pipes has to flow out before it can be replaced by hot water. 

Old Hot Water Cylinder / Heater

The average life expectancy for a water heater is 10 years so if you start noticing a significant reduction in hot water, it could be time to replace it or at least the element. When this happens, your water heater won’t be as effective at heating water anymore and runs the risk of suddenly failing.

If you think this may be the case, find out more about water heater repair and replacement. 

Hot Water Cylinder Size

Your taps and shower taking a long time to get hot could also be the result of your water heater being too small. Do you find that you have to wait a long period of time after someone else has a shower? If your household has outgrown your water cylinder / heater, it may be worthwhile to upgrade to a larger unit. 

Every one of these issues can be resolved with the help of one of our licensed plumbers. If you’re tired of waiting for your tap or shower to get hot, give us a call on 09 218 2012 today!