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While they can happen at any time of year, Winter is a particularly likely season for plumbing emergencies to occur. It’s pretty typical that once the cold weather hits, your heating will go. The colder temperatures and high demand for hot water can all build up and cause issues with your plumbing. Read on as we discuss some of the most frequently occurring winter emergency plumbing situations and how to prevent them.

If you’ve had annoying, seemingly insignificant leaks that you’ve been leaving unattended for a while, now is the time to get them sorted. Regardless of how small a leak is, cold weather can exacerbate the issue leading to a burst pipe and a heating system that will be out of order.

In line with the above, dropping temperatures leads to water expanding in the pipes, which can then potentially lead to frozen pipes. Properly insulating pipes that are exposed to the cold with dramatically reduce the chances of pipes freezing which could leave you fairly out of pocket!

Draining and disconnecting any hoses that are connected to outdoor taps and faucets will help to prevent frozen pipes in winter. You should also ensure that any exposed pipes are drained of water as it could end up freezing and expanding, leading to burst pipes. It may even be worth shutting off the water supply to outdoor faucets that won’t be used during the winter.

To ensure you’ll constantly have enough hot water without any problems, you should have your water heater serviced before winter rolls in. It will be well worth your while to avoid any potentially costly repairs that could leave you without hot water for any period of time.

Clogged drains are a common plumbing emergency during winter that are easily avoidable. If you’re cooking, avoid pouring grease, coffee grounds etc down the drain. These items can become stuck in the drain, and then freeze due to the cold weather, which makes them very difficult to clear.

If you’re heading away for a few days over the winter, the best thing to do is to turn off your water completely to avoid any sitting water that can freeze and burst pipes. You can also set your thermostat higher in order to avoid freezing.

Making the effort now to prevent emergency plumbing situations this winter will be well worth your while, saving you time and money. As always, if you have any questions or issues, contact us today and we’ll be happy to help.

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

With winter soon to be upon us, temperatures are going to start dropping which means the possibility of pipes freezing. Freezing and bursting pipes are a common and costly occurrence, even if you think the weather isn’t cold enough, it can still happen. We get plenty of calls during the cold weather for people looking for a Dublin plumber to help with frozen pipes.

As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure, so read on as we discuss some tips on how to prevent frozen pipes.

We know, this goes against all of the general water saving recommendations, but it really helps to prevent freezing pipes. All you need to do is open the tap a small bit so that water can slightly drip from it.

The basis behind this tip is that when a pipe freezes, the pressure created from the water expanding and the faucet will cause the pipe to burst. Opening the tap will prevent the pressure build up and in turn keep the pipe from bursting.

The most common pipes to burst are those that are located in unheated areas of the house, so it’s important to let heat circulate around as much as possible.

If pipes are located in cabinets or presses, it’s a good idea to leave the doors open so the heat from the rest of the house can keep the pipes warm too. Keeping the interior doors open to allow heat circulate through the home is also a good idea.

If you have any holes, gaps or cracks where pipes go through walls or floors, you should make sure to get them sealed with caulk or spray foam insulation. Any outdoor air that comes through holes can make an already cold area even colder, so be sure to seal gaps on both the interior and exterior sides.

Some areas of your home may not have proper or adequate insulation, so pipes in that area may need something extra to keep them from freezing.

Pipes can be fitted with foam or fibreglass wraps that essentially act like a warm jacket for your pipes, reducing the chances of them freezing. Whilst this idea works well for exposed pipes, if you need to open floors, ceilings or walls to gain access to a pipe, it can get rather expensive. In this case, you’re better off insulating the wall or ceiling.

Similar to the above mentioned pipe insulation, heating tape does exactly what its name says, it essentially works like an electric blanket for pipes.

This tape is actually quite clever in how it works, with two types available; one senses when heat is needed and turns itself on and off, and another that needs to be plugged in to generate heat.

Heating tape is an excellent option for short sections of pipe at high risk of freezing and that are easily accessible.

We hope you’ve learned something from our rundown on how to prevent frozen pipes and can put some of our advice to use around your home. As always, our team of experts are on hand to answer any questions you might have, so feel free to contact us!

The Most Common Blocked Toilet Home Remedies

We all know the old phrase, Sh*t happens… Well, it turns out that this is actually true, and to be more precise, blocked toilets happen. While you could always make life a little easier for yourself and call a local plumber, sometimes you might want to save yourself a few quid and try to fix the issue yourself, which we would always recommend as your first step anyway.

However, before you don your rubber gloves, you’ve got some learning to do! There are some things you should and shouldn’t do, and some things you definitely shouldn’t put down your toilet, read on as we discuss some of the most common blocked toilet home remedies.

Who would have thought it? Sometimes, all you need to clear the blockage is… more water! It’s important to note however, that the water should be hot but not boiling. Simply fill a pan with water and heat it on the stove, or use the tap. Then, pour the hot water into the toilet and let it sit for a few minutes.

If the method has worked, you’ll see the toilet start to drain, and at that point you can flush the toilet a couple of times. It may seem a little too straightforward, but often you’ll find the hot water is enough to break up whatever it is that’s causing the blockage.

Yes, you read that correctly! If the above method doesn’t work, you can add a little power with good old Fairy Liquid (or your preferred dish soap).

Pour about 60-70ml of Fairy into the toilet bowl and let it sit for about 10 minutes to give it time to move to the clog. Then, add in your hot water again and watch that toilet drain!

The Fairy liquid acts as a type of lubricant that will free up the clog and get things moving again.

This one is a little more fun than the previous two, who doesn’t love chemical reactions? A disclaimer; if your toilet bowl is filled to the brim, it’s advisable to empty out some water or be prepared for a bit of overflow.

To get started, pour about 130g of baking soda (not baking powder), followed by about 240g of white vinegar down the toilet. Be careful, once they combine there’ll be a fair bit of fizzing and bubbling. This is all normal though, and the chemical reaction occuring should loosen the clog.

Leave the mixture to sit for about half an hour and then pour down some hot water. If it doesn’t work, try the whole process once more.

If none of the above chemical applications have cleared the blockage, it’s time to break out the trusty hanger. Of course, you’ll need to use a wire hanger for this job, and it’s best to wrap a cloth around it so you don’t damage the porcelin.

All you need to do is unwind the hanger so it’s straight apart from the hook, throw on your rubber gloves and angle the hook down the toilet until you find the clog. You may need to move the hanger around to break up the debris, but the water should start to drain. Then, flush the toilet a couple of times to ensure it’s cleared.

If all else fails, call a reputable Dublin plumber to help you out. DeWAR Plumbers service all areas of Dublin 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Recommended Plumbers Dublin

There are plenty of plumbers in Dublin these days. In fact, Dublin based residents are somewhat spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing a plumber to carry out works in their home or business. With so many to choose from, how should one decide on choosing recommended plumbers Dublin services over another?

What Makes For A Recommended Plumber Dublin ?

Recommended By A Friend Or Family Member.

This is simply the best type of recommendation you could get from a friend or a family member for Dublin area plumbers. They will tell you exactly how they were treated, the level of service they received. The could also tell you the prices they paid which would be very helpful when shopping around to compare prices.

Remember the lowest price is not always the best as you want a reputable plumbers based in Dublin, there are lots of cowboys doing the rounds. There is a reason whey they are so cheap its at the expense of good and honest labour. This can lead to issues with there workmanship, your warranty and sometimes the safety of the work.

Dont be tempted by middlemen websites and companies offering you three or five free quotes. They take a upfront lead payment or a commission as there is no level of quality checks on the works completed.

Make sure the company you decide to use has all directly employed staff that will arrive to your home or place of business in a company uniform and a van with the company signage on it.

They Need To Be Fully Insured

The person that arrives to do the work may arrive up to your home or business, talk a great talk and look the part. Unless they are training, qualified and above all insured to do the work. Do not let them in your home or business.

Plumbers Should be Available 24/7

Plumbers Shouldn’t Have Hidden Charges

Plumbers Should Offer Fair Advice

Plumbers in Dublin should be Tidy

Plumbers should not ask for cash.

DeWAR Plumbers operate all day, every day (24/7), offering a wide variety of plumbing services all over Dublin.. You can contact us on 01 514 3300 or send us an email to get a quote for any plumbing service.