3 tips to get your home plumbing in top shape for Christmas and New Year

An Australian Christmas usually brings changes to the normal patterns at your house: big parties held at home, the family coming to stay for days or the household heading off on summer holidays.

This means extra pressure on your household plumbing so you’ll want it to be in good shape, especially as out-of-hours Christmas morning is a tricky time to be calling on a plumber.

At Curran Plumbing we’ve been through it all before, so these are our top tips for checks to run at home yourself to help ensure household pipes, taps, sinks, drains, showers and toilets are Christmas ready.

1.     Check your sewer system

With plenty of people dropping in and Christmas party guests using your loo, you need to be sure it looks good and works well. Spare yourselves and your guests the horror of the holiday party with the malfunctioning toilet.

We recommend:

·      Check for obvious signs of common toilet problems, such as unsteadiness, a leaking cistern, gurgling pipes or a flush valve not working.

·      If the fix requires a plumber, call one straight away so you can relax and host your Christmas party guests with confidence.

2.     Check your hot water system

When extra guests staying at Christmas time, especially those hopping in and out of the pool, a lot more people will be wanting a shower. Many hot water systems struggle to heat water fast enough for a crowd.

We recommend:

Check for common hot water heater problems, depending on the type of system you have. Get a plumber to check water heater elements, anode rods, TPR valves and other parts that might malfunction or limit your capacity to heat water.

Work out a shower schedule with your overnight guests and run dishwashers and washing machines late at night or early in the morning.

If you regularly have family staying at Christmas there is a good case for upgrading your hot water system. Read our guide and ask your plumber about suitable options.

3.     Check your braided water hose

If everyone heads off on a summer break during the Christmas holidays your household plumbing gets some respite, but you still need to prepare for it – a key cause of water damage inside is when a water hose bursts while the owner is on holidays.

We recommend:

Inspect your braided water hoses under sinks, vanities or toilets, (also called flexi hose or flexible water connector) for cracks, tears, or rust spots on the braided casing or bulging. If there are signs of weak spots, call a plumber to replace the hose before it bursts.

We understand that Christmas is an expensive time of year for families, but if you have household plumbing issues it is better to call in the plumber now. Curran Plumbing offers special deals like the $59 water heater tune up and flush, that will provide affordable peace of mind for Christmas and the summer break. 

Curran Plumbing will be working over the Christmas and holiday period, so if anything does go wrong, we are here to help!