Wednesday 1 October 2014

No more bathroom spills: preventing the overflow

Find out how some worthy plumber help in Melbourne can avert disaster. How many times have you plugged the bath, turned on the tap then become distracted by something else? Perhaps the oven timer starts beeping, or the kids start calling out for something. Perhaps you thought these fifteen minutes could be better spent getting dinner started or putting on a load of washing, rather than standing idly keeping an eye on the rising water level. We soon habituate to the sound of running water that at first is deafening. Whatever the circumstances, it is too easy to forget about the bath that is running, only to have that sudden revelation and race back the the bathroom to be greeted with a wet floor.

Most of the time, this is merely inconvenient. You have to awkwardly hop over to the bath, shut off the tap and work on mopping up the mess. But in some situations it can be a more serious issue. While bathrooms are designed to deal with a certain amount of moisture, they are not intended to be completely flooded. This will test the waterproofing to its absolute limits. Furthermore, if the flooding is bad that the water seeps into the hallway where there might be carpet, then you could cause rotten odours and even structural damage in some cases. An upstairs bathroom incident should be investigated thoroughly to ensure that no water managed to soak into the floor, which is the downstairs roof.

Believe it or not, you are not the only one who had a moment of absent mindedness. This is a relatively common occurrence, which is why there is an equally common solution. The overflow vent is a solution that is surprisingly more present in older model baths and sinks. It is a simple series of holes near the top of a bath or sink which open to the normal pipe. Whenever the water level approaches the edge, these holes drain the water and prevent it from overflowing. Of course, if you forget about the bath even with a vent it will still be a waste of water, but at least it will not cause the same amount of damage. When you are installing your bathtub or new vanity, ask your tradespeople about your options for an overflow vent. Some forethought at this early stage could be a lifesaver. It is much easier to install a vent during the building stage, as the vent needs to be connected to a hidden pipe.

This overflow also helps to aerate the pipes, which reduces the pressure and allows water to drain smoothly. Some worry that this extra opening might allow odours to escape into their bathroom, but if the P trap is working properly, then the perfect amount of fresh water should act as a barricade between your bathroom and any nasty pipe smells. A sink without an overflow will not necessarily have any drainage problems; it is merely a preventative measure for flooding. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to put them to your plumber.

You will often find that kitchen sinks, being so small, do not need an overflow vent. The time taken to fill them is usually not enough to make someone leave the area and get distracted. Furthermore, popular side by side sinks will each have an opening, and here the other drain can act as both an overflow vent and an aerating vent. Get in touch with Twin Electrics and Plumbing at http://twinplumbersmelbourne.com.au for all that you need to know from a qualified plumber expert in Melbourne and Gas Plumber Melbourne .

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