Shower pressure Most homes that have poor shower pressure have a water supply tank mounted, either on the hot water cylinder itself, or in the roof space, or they have a pressure reducing valve supplying water to the hot water cylinder. In rare cases the hot water pipe work is too small. There are several methods of increasing the hot water pressure at the shower. Change the shower mixer. $500 - 1000 approx, depending if the wall lining has to come off, most times it does not. If possible change the cold water to mains pressure and change the shower mixer to unequal from equal low pressure. That way we can drag the hot water from the hot water cylinder. Change the shower rose. $180 -250 approx Change the method of supplying water to the shower, to being fed with a pressure reducing valve with open vent. $800 - 1200 appox Change hot water system to valve vented. $ 1285 -1500 approx. Replace hot water cylinder with a medium pressure or standard mains pressure type. $2800 - $4300 Change hot water cylinder to a different system e.g. gas continuous flow. $2985 - $5000 Change to Heap pump water heater $6500 to $8000.
The method chosen is dependent on how much water you want at the shower, how much it costs to do that, and what is possible. To find out which is best requires a plumber look at the situation, and list the best options depending on your budget.
Leaking Hot water cylinder This is common situation. Electric low pressure tanks have a 20-40 year life, after which pin holes appear in the bottom of the tank. The tanks are not economically repairable. Replacement is normally quick unless the tank cannot be removed from its cupboard due to it being larger than the door way. The mains pressure steel tanks last 5-20 years and may require upgrading of the valve train also to modern codes and installation instructions.
Waste Disposers Some times water leaks in to the motor or the blades break. It is usually cheaper long term to replace the disposer when this happens. Less fashion conscience people remove waste disposers as they find it quicker to throw food scraps in to the bin, or compost container, than down a waste disposer, and a lot cheaper too.
In the situation requiring removal we fit a stainless plate adapter to replace the large hole left by waste disposer and you will be left with a normal waste hole.
Dripping Taps You have several options They are -
1. Do nothing The down side is annoying, expensive as the tap will be ruined due to the seat being eaten away requiring a costly replacement and if its hot water leaking there will be energy lost which is expensive. If you have a water meter you will be paying for the water as well.
2. Repair the tap as soon as possible
A cheap repair compared to item 1.
Replacing a tap washer is easy. The hard part is turning the water off, if the valve can be found, and it works. Taking the tap apart is also hard some times. How ever most times it is easy. If it is a hot water tap you can turn off the hot water at the hot water cylinder.
Roof Leaks Roof leaks can be difficult to locate. The location process involves looking at the roof for fault in the general area that the water is entering below and sealing any faults found, but this is no assured method of finding the leak which may involve removal of the sheets and replacement with new. A visit in to the roof space when it is raining may assist in locating the leak. A test with a hose may also help although a hose cannot deliver as much water as the natural process. In any event a trial and error approach is used. In some cases the leak is coming from far up the roof and is between the roof and the building paper. It is not possible to price roof leaks other than replacement of the roof.
Blocked Drains No one likes paying for clearing blocked drains as it puts you in the same position before the block. Drains are underground and out of sight. The money spent cannot be seen. By far the majority of blocked drains are caused by broken or cracked drains allowing tree roots to penetrate and block the drain. It is rare for a foreign object to go down the drain and block it as it has to pass through the pan u bend or the Gully Trap u bend where the waste pipes discharge.
There are three methods of rodding. Hand Rod, Machine Worm, Industrial Water Blaster.
They all have advantages and disadvantages however none will not repair a blocked drain, it will only remove the symptom. They may remove the roots temporarily. But the only sure method of repair is replacement. One thing is sure - a drain in good condition rarely blocks particularly the new PVC drains used today.
Rodding is cheaper than replacement and can keep a drain going for many years but the inconvenient times that blocks occur is more than some can bear and in the end may need replacement any way. It could be said it is better to fix it right once.
Drain Cameras - They give reassurance, and identify the problem some of the time to non believers. Most drainlayers can tell you what the problem is and where it is with a hand rod assuming they can gain access to the drain. Drain Cameras will not fix the drain and will often not see cracks or leaking and broken joints.
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