Hello! Welcome to my blog. My name is Col. I live in Perth and I have a passion for construction. I am pretty useless when it comes to construction work so I tend to leave it to the experts. However, I find that there is nothing more pleasing than seeing a team of construction workers complete a job. Over the years, I have hired many different types of construction worker and they have all taken the time to chat with me. During these conversations, I have learnt so pretty interesting things which I will be exploring on this blog. Enjoy!
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Col's Construction Blog
Did You Know That Water Pipes Can Burst Due to Heat, as Well?
Ethan Burton
Adverse weather conditions can present a variety of different threats, and you should always try and be as prepared as possible to mitigate exposure. This is the case whether you seek to protect a commercial, industrial or residential property, as you'll want to avoid inconvenience and costly repairs, no matter what. You may not be too worried about the risk of a burst water pipe due to a particularly cold weather event, as you live in a subtropical area, but did you know that hot conditions can present their own problems in this regard? What do you need to do to prepare for this quintessentially Australian problem?
Expansion
As you may know, a water pipe may burst in the "frozen North" if it is subject to especially cold conditions, as the water expands within the pipe and has nowhere else to go. Metal pipes can also provide an issue if they are subject to the opposite scenario and have to deal with excess heat. This is often the case if these pipes are exposed to the direct sun, as the rigid nature of the network does not have room to move when the metal begins to expand. The end result is a leak which can be significant, as the pressurised water begins to escape.
First Things First
If you discover this scenario, you need to spring into action and begin by turning everything off. This includes not just the water, but the electricity in most cases, as pressurised water can quickly overwhelm appliances and other electrical equipment.
Dealing With the Aftermath
Once you have done this, survey the damage and look for places where the water may have "pooled" on top of a ceiling. Break out the buckets and begin to clean up the damage caused, while putting in a call to your nearest emergency plumber for their support.
If you're lucky, you will be able to get things back to normal without having to lodge an insurance claim, but don't try to shortcut the recovery process and always ensure that each room has been dried out fully. You may need to use a dehumidifier to make sure that your home is not subject to an outbreak of mould.
Looking Forward
Finally, don't let this happen again and get to the bottom of the issue right now. You may need to lag pipes that come into contact with the sun directly, or reroute others if need be. Otherwise, you may face the same type of issue again, as summers in this country are not getting any cooler!
For more information, contact a company like Sam's Local Plumbing today.
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