When it comes to home renovations or upgrades, the average homeowner doesn’t consider including major plumbing in the list unless there’s an existing problem. After all, isn’t it best to let sleeping dogs lie, as the saying goes?
While this may apply to some aspects of your home, not maintaining or upgrading key plumbing fixtures can see you needing the services of the blocked drain plumber Brisbane residents use. Some plumbing infrastructure is designed to last for many years, but it’s always a good idea to have these assessed when you move into a new home or plan a renovation.
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Understanding the Importance of Drainage
Your drainage system does a lot more than simply dispose of your residential or commercial wastewater. By moving water away from your property, your drainage system prevents localised flooding, reduces the spread of harmful bacteria, and protects the foundation of your property.
Even the smallest issue anywhere in your drainage system can affect how safe the system is. It’s with this in mind that drainage plumbers always recommend you have your drainage system checked and assessed with any new build or major renovation. This is especially essential if your plumbing infrastructure is old or if you’ve been experiencing ongoing issues with your plumbing.
Upgrades and Improvements Save Money in the Long Run
Whether you’re planning a new build or performing a major renovation at your home, it’s essential to address any plumbing issues that may be associated with your drainage infrastructure. This can include opting for drainage upgrades such as pipe relining to give damaged pipes a new lease on life. Here are a few of the top reasons why drainage upgrades are always a good idea.
1. Keeps Your Property and Plumbing Systems Compliant
One of the more essential reasons to upgrade your plumbing system has to do with ever-changing environmental regulations and building codes. Keep in mind that regulations have changed significantly since your home was built. This is especially the case if you are living in an old home where upgrades have been few and far between.
Changes in the local regulations may mean that your home, property, or plumbing infrastructure may no longer be compliant. In addition to this, climate changes such as increased rainfall may mean that the existing plumbing system isn’t large enough to handle aspects such as water in your stormwater drains.
Keeping your property compliant often means upgrading or installing any or all of the following solutions:
- Modern and appropriately sized drainage systems
- Piping infrastructure to match modern capacity requirements
- Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS)
- Water-efficient greywater systems
It’s also essential to point out that having your drainage infrastructure upgraded during your build or renovation is more cost-effective than having to do it later when all the building and landscaping are done.
2. Effective Way to Enhance Eco-Friendly Living
The emphasis on sustainable living has become a major focal point in recent years. This doesn’t only mean switching to renewable energy or changing your tapware. Having your drainage system upgraded is an effective way to adopt a few critical eco-friendly practices.
Your drainage plumber will be able to assist you with the following:
- Greywater harvesting
- Rainwater harvesting
- Reducing runoff pollution
3. Minimises Potential Future Repairs
New builds and renovations are often the cause of future plumbing and drainage failures. This is because drainage failures can happen as a result of improper planning for new installations. These failures can also occur if compensation wasn’t made for structural drainage or plumbing changes during a remodel.
In these instances, the following factors may not have been considered:
- Soil erosion
- Angles of the slopes
- Local flooding patterns
Not considering these factors can lead to damage to your home or building’s foundation and flooding. Repairing these issues after the build can be time-consuming, highly expensive, and can result in significant disruption to your landscaping.
Investing in drainage upgrades during a new build or renovation can benefit your property in the following ways:
- Reduces the risk of water pooling and causing damp and mould
- Minimises the risk of structural damage from erosion
- Prevents extensive and continuous blockages throughout the drainage system
4. Essential for Complex Designs
Your new build or renovation may involve significantly changing the layout of the original design. This is usually the case with extended driveways, adding basement levels, or even incorporating rooftop terraces. In many instances, these new designs don’t line up with standard or original drainage solutions.
This means that you will need a drainage plumber to customise the infrastructure to suit your new layout. The goal here is always to create an optimally functioning drainage system that’s safe, compliant, and durable.
Final Thoughts
As a homeowner, you should never regard drainage upgrades as a luxury or as something that you’ll only deal with when it’s necessary. Rather, routine upgrades should form a part of all your new builds, home renovations and general repairs. Start the process with a comprehensive assessment of your drainage system. This will enable your drainage plumber to make the best recommendations for your next upgrades!