How to Prevent Plumbing Problems During Adelaide’s Cold Winters

Adelaide rarely gets the deep freezes that burst pipes overseas, but winter still puts real strain on your plumbing, and a few simple precautions can save you an inconvenient, expensive failure in the cold months. From hot water systems working overtime to drains and stormwater struggling with the wet season, here is how to prevent plumbing problems during Adelaide’s cold winters, and what to do if something does go wrong.

Why winter is hard on your plumbing

Several things change in winter. Your hot water system works much harder because the incoming water is colder and you use more hot water, so an ageing unit is most likely to fail on a cold morning just when you need it most. Drains block more easily as cooking fats and grease that would flow in summer congeal in the colder pipes. And winter is the wet season, so blocked gutters, downpipes and stormwater drains that cannot cope with heavy rain become a leading cause of flooding and water damage. A little preparation before winter sets in saves you the worst of these problems.

Look after your hot water system

Hot water demand peaks in winter, and it is by far the most common time for an old system to give up. If yours is more than about ten years old, slow to heat, or already struggling to keep up, it is worth having it checked or replaced before the cold sets in rather than being caught with cold showers. Warning signs include a relief valve that drips constantly, rusty or discoloured hot water, water that runs cold quickly, and banging or rumbling noises from the unit. We service, repair and replace hot water systems of all types, and can often supply and install a replacement the same day if yours fails in the middle of winter.

Keep your drains clear

Cold weather makes kitchen drains block faster, because fat, oil and grease that stay liquid in summer set hard in the colder pipes, trapping food and debris. Keep fat out of the sink, let it cool and bin it instead, and use a sink strainer to catch scraps. If a drain is already draining slowly, deal with it before winter rather than waiting for a full blockage on a cold, wet night. We clear blocked drains and can jet the line clean so it flows freely right through the colder months.

Clear gutters and stormwater before the rains

The single most important winter plumbing job in Adelaide is clearing your gutters, downpipes and stormwater drains before the wet season. Blocked stormwater is the main cause of water pooling around and entering homes during a downpour, and the worst possible time to discover the problem is mid-storm with water coming in. We clear stormwater drains, gutters and downpipes and can check the whole system beforehand so it handles the winter rain without overflowing and threatening your foundations.

Protect outdoor taps and exposed pipes

In the Adelaide Hills and on the coldest nights elsewhere, exposed outdoor taps and pipes can occasionally be affected by a hard frost. Insulating exposed pipes and outdoor taps with simple lagging is cheap insurance, and it is worth knowing where your mains stop tap is so you can shut the water off fast if a pipe does fail. If an outdoor pipe or tap bursts, turn off the water at the mains straight away and call us.

A few other winter checks worth doing

While you are getting ready for winter, a few quick checks round out your plumbing preparation. Test that outdoor and laundry taps shut off cleanly and are not already weeping, a small drip in autumn can become a bigger problem in the cold. Check that your toilet is not silently running, as a running cistern wastes a surprising amount of water year-round. If your water pressure drops noticeably over winter, or you hear banging pipes (water hammer), have it looked at, as high or fluctuating pressure stresses pipes and joints when they are at their most brittle in the cold. And make sure everyone in the household knows where the mains stop tap is, so if anything does go wrong, the water can be off in seconds rather than minutes.

What to do if a pipe bursts in winter

If the worst happens and a pipe bursts, turn off the water at the mains, switch off power to the affected area at the switchboard if water is anywhere near electrics, and call a plumber immediately. A burst pipe floods fast, so the quicker the water is off and the repair made, the less damage you are left to deal with. We offer 24/7 emergency plumbing across Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, so a winter plumbing problem does not turn into major water damage. A little preparation now, your hot water, your drains, your gutters and your outdoor pipes, keeps the whole winter trouble-free.

Frequently asked questions

Do pipes freeze and burst in Adelaide?

It is far less common than in colder climates, but exposed outdoor pipes in the Hills and on the coldest nights can occasionally be affected by frost. Insulating exposed pipes is a sensible, cheap precaution.

Why does my hot water seem worse in winter?

The incoming water is colder and you use more, so the system works harder. An older or undersized unit struggles, and winter is when many finally fail, which is why a pre-winter check is worthwhile.

What is the most important winter plumbing job?

Clearing your gutters, downpipes and stormwater drains before the wet season, so heavy rain drains away instead of pooling around or entering your home.

Do you offer emergency plumbing in winter?

Yes, our phones are answered 24/7 and we attend burst pipes, blocked stormwater and hot water failures across Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, including after hours.