House & Garden

What to Do When Your Hot Water Pressure Drops Suddenly

Having been in the plumbing business for decades, I can tell you that low hot water pressure is a common issue, one that clients in Perth and beyond frequently call about. That frustrating moment when you’re ready for a warm shower, only to find a weak trickle instead, can be incredibly disruptive. Let me walk you through the common causes and fixes for hot water pressure drops and share some practical steps you can take to restore things back to normal.

  1. Check for Sediment Buildup in the Water Heater

Over time, sediment naturally accumulates in water heaters. This buildup can reduce water flow and impact pressure. Perth’s water has a high mineral content, so sediment buildup is often a culprit for reduced water pressure. If your water heater is older or you’ve noticed gradually decreasing pressure, sediment is likely to blame.

What you can do: Drain the tank to remove sediment buildup. This should be done once or twice a year to keep the heater running efficiently. If you’re unfamiliar with this process, I’d advise consulting a professional to handle it safely.

Learn more about dealing with sediment buildup

  1. Inspect Your Pipes for Mineral Deposits

Just as sediment builds up in your water heater, mineral deposits can accumulate inside pipes, particularly if they’re older or made of galvanized steel. These deposits restrict water flow and can lower pressure at your taps, especially when you’re using hot water.

What you can do: If your home has older plumbing, it might be time to upgrade to newer materials, like PEX or copper, which don’t suffer from the same buildup issues. While replacing pipes can be a larger investment, it’s one that often improves water pressure and overall water quality.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago

3 Alternatives If Grass Will Not Grow In Your Landscape Garden

For most landscaping projects, whether they be a large project or a small one, the use of grass in some capacity is almost certainly going to be included. However, there may be some circumstances where using grass is not possible or advisable and alternatives need to be considered.

Apart from the person who owns the garden deciding that they do not want grass, the main reason for having to look at alternatives is that the grass simply cannot grow properly. This is best discussed with your landscape designer, landscaping company or horticulturist that you are using to advise you. The main cause of this can normally be attributed to the lack of one of three things which grass needs to grow and to thrive, which are water, nutrients, and sunshine.

This means that in locations that have low levels of rainfall, soil that is dry and lifeless, or where the sunlight is blocked, perhaps from tall buildings, then the grass is at best going to less than healthy, and in the worst cases, not grow at all. This brings us to the alternatives which are available to you, and in most scenarios one of these three choices is the one that the majority of landscape gardeners opt for.

Patio / Decking

Ok, so maybe two alternatives in one, but in effect what you doing here is building a surface or platform where the natural grass would have been. There are several materials that can be used with patios able to be built from gravel, concrete, bricks, limestone blocks or wood. Decking panels can also made from wood, but the most durable and easy to maintain is decking where the panels are made from man-made composite material.

Decks and patios are great for entertaining guests – having a barbecue, a nice shade sail from oneshade.com.au, and relaxing outdoor furniture are easy people pleasers, and the other advantages that they have are that, in the main, they require a lot less maintenance than grass, and they should last for many years.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
10 Ways Homeowners Can Use Commercial Storage Units For Seasonal Items

10 Ways Homeowners Can Use Commercial Storage Units For Seasonal Items

As the seasons change through the year, homeowners will often find themselves struggling to find storage at home to store away seasonal items such as Christmas decorations, patio furniture, and seasonal clothing. The lack of space in their homes can make it difficult to keep these items organised, safe, and out of the way to prevent clutter when they are not in use.

However, with Perth storage units, homeowners can have a convenient, cost-effective and secure solution to store these seasonal items. As for some specific ways they can do so, and which items this might apply to, here are ten suggestions as to how homeowners can use commercial storage units for seasonal items.

Summer Sports And Fitness Equipment

Sports and fitness equipment can be bulky and difficult to store, especially for families with several athletes and fitness fans. A commercial storage unit can provide an ideal space to store sports and fitness equipment only used in the summer months when it is not in use, freeing up space in the garage or cupboards.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago

How Do I Set Up Multi-Room Audio in My Home?

Imagine this: It’s a sunny Sunday in Australia, the smell of BBQ fills the air, and the sweet melodies of your favourite playlist float effortlessly from your patio to your kitchen and even your bathroom. That, my friends, is the power of a multi-room audio system, and it’s easier to achieve than you may think – all you need is an audio-visual installation!

Why Would You Want Multi-Room Audio?

Think back to Jenny and Mark, one of our favourite client couples from Melbourne. They adored their classic rock but always faced the dilemma of whether to blast it in the living room or keep it confined to their patio during gatherings. With multi-room audio, they can now host their epic BBQs with Led Zeppelin greeting you at the door and accompanying you to the grill.

What Do You Need to Get Started?

If you’re interested in turning your home into a multi-room audio oasis, you’ll need a few essential components:

  • Audio Source: Spotify, Apple Music, or your timeless vinyl collection—this is the heart of your setup.
  • Amplifier: To give that audio source the ‘oomph’ it deserves.
  • Speakers: Choose between wired or wireless.
  • Controller: Generally, a smartphone app that acts like a remote control for your system.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
7 Benefits That The Glass In And Around Your Home Provides

7 Benefits That The Glass In And Around Your Home Provides

It is almost certain that throughout most days you will see and use glass in one way or another and think nothing of it. Given that glass plays such a huge role in so many aspects of our lives it is easy to take it for granted. However, if you were to pause for a moment and consider just how many ways in which you rely on glass on a daily basis, you would realise that its influence exceeds that of most other materials.

It is also true to say that glass provides many benefits, and it does so in all manner of circumstances including domestic, commercial, industrial, and medical, to name but four. In this article we are going to consider glass in domestic settings, and specifically seven of the benefits of glass in and around the home. Primarily it is the benefits concerning design, construction, and aesthetics that glass can provide that we will be highlighting.

Benefit #1 – Glass Increases The Amount Of Natural Light Coming Into Your Home

Possibly the most obvious benefit of having glass in and around your home is that it allows greater amounts of natural light to enter every room. The brightness created makes it easier to work, cook, entertain, and do all those other activities that take place at home, plus the additional light helps keep your home warmer in the winter months.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
Why Frameless Glass Balustrading Is One Of Your Safest Options For Poolside Fencing

Why Frameless Glass Balustrading Is One Of Your Safest Options For Poolside Fencing

There is no denying that adding framelessness around your pool area significantly enhances the appearance of your property outdoors. Still, an even more critical factor to consider is how it augments the safety of your pool area. Hopefully, you have ensured that your pool area is safe and that anyone using it, especially children, knows what precautions should be taken.

Whilst personal responsibility is vital to pool safety, other safety features help, so adding pool fencing in the form of frameless glass balustrading is a huge step forward. If you are unsure why that would be the case, especially if you are considering frameless glass balustrading for your pool, here are some reasons from the pool fencing experts at Clear Az Glass Fencing as to why it is regarded as the best option.

It Creates A Secure Barrier Around The Pool

The most apparent reason frameless glass balustrading enhances pool safety is that it prevents children, especially very young children, from accessing the pool without supervision. There are no gaps or edges for them to squeeze through, which excited children who love playing in the pool will invariably try to do. No gaps also mean there is no risk of them injuring themselves trying to get through the gaps and getting stuck, for example.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago

7 Tips For Allergy-Friendly Gardening Within Landscaping Designs

It is one of Mother Nature’s cruel twists of fate that some of the most beautiful flora and fauna in creation can cause misery for many of us. We are talking about allergies and in particular pollen allergies which makes it extremely difficult for many sufferers to enjoy their garden and that includes those gardens that have been created using a landscaping design.

Thankfully, it is not all bad news as there are many ways in which anyone suffering from pollen allergies can make their landscaping design and activities in their garden less likely to cause them the usual difficulties they suffer from when in an environment with lots of pollen. Some of these tips relate to the landscaping design itself, and others are changes in how the person works in their garden. Here are those seven tips.

Have Someone With No Allergies To Mow Your Lawn: There is nothing wrong with avoiding cutting the grass in your landscaped garden due to your allergies. Hiring garden services to provide professional lawn care is always a readily available option.  Instead, we are sure your friends and family will be willing to take on that task for you occasionally, albeit you might need to bribe them with a beer or some other desirable treat or two.

Work In Your Garden On Windy Days And In The Early Morning: It makes sense that if something harms you, such as pollen, that you limit your exposure to it. As it happens, when it is windy and in the early morning are times when pollen counts are at their lowest, so it follows that these are great opportunities to work in your garden.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
6 Tips On Using Landscaping To Create A More Energy Efficient Home

6 Tips On Using Landscaping To Create A More Energy Efficient Home

There are many reasons why homeowners might wish the gardens around their property to have landscaping, and many times it will be to improve the appearance. In addition, there can be financial advantages to having gardens landscaped with the most obvious ones being an increase in the value of the property, and increasing the possibility of being able to sell a property quickly.

There is a further financial incentive, which in the vast majority of landscaping projects is often not considered, and that is that landscaping can increase the energy efficiency of the property in question. The savings which can be accrued, as a result, apply to any utility that you would normally expect to pay a bill for, such as water, gas, or electricity. Below are 6 examples that can be incorporated into a landscape design to achieve energy efficiencies.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
Fencing Business

How to Market Your Fencing Business

Every business needs at least some type of marketing strategy to ensure people know they are there and to persuade them to choose their company when they need the kind of services it provides. Landscapers, such as www.divinelandscapes.com.au, are no different in this respect, but they have something a lot of other businesses don’t; their work – landscaping – is out in the public eye where it can be easily seen by all who pass by.

This is a great advantage. The landscape designs they erect will speak for them so all that is needed is some way to tell those passersby the name of the company who is doing the landscaping.  Here are some hints on how to market your business.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
Choosing Carpet

Choosing Carpet in Your House Design

Silverfish are tiny pests that can cause a lot of damage in the carpet. They also like to munch on whatever is in your linen cupboard and any paper that is left undisturbed, including books. Carpet Cleaning Perth agree they do a lot of damage in the home and need to be got rid of before they eat everything.

What do they look like? Their name says it all. If you see a tiny insect that has the shape of a fish and is a silvery grey colour that will be a silverfish. And if you are quick enough to squash one, it will leave a silvery grey residue behind, so you’ll be sure it was really a silverfish intent on damaging your household linen, books or carpet.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
Modern Kitchens

Modern Kitchens

Modern Kitchen Furnishing: Stylish Kitchen Designs

We all know that the kitchen is the heart of every home. It is the one place where the whole family spends quality time together over meals. Over time, the kitchen has become a multi-utility area in every household where members not only cook but use it as a dining place or entertainment area.

The present day kitchen is designed with practicality and warmth in mind. It is designed to look like the rest of the house with similar colour schemes with matching cabinets from professional cabinet makers and matching flooring etc. Great kitchen designing lies in its usage and maintenance.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
Home Office

Ingenious Ideas for Designing Your Home Office

Did you think that having to work from home meant calling in the furniture removalists or adding extra space, or clearing out a spare bedroom, in order to establish your home office? Well, think again. Designing an office space for your work at home is a much simpler task than you have imagined. There a few essentials that you much absolutely not compromise upon, in order to achieve your highest level of productivity. That apart, you do not have to sweat the small stuff.

As the ideas and designs explained further will go on to prove, you can create the perfect workspace at home with a few simple hacks.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
eco-friendly garden

A Complete Know-How On Environmental Friendly Gardening

In this age of condo and apartments, gardening is limited to balconies and few potted plants that appeal to aesthetic sense and go well with the décor of the house. Those living in houses built on their own land create a garden landscape in and around the home with care – usually with the help of an expert team. Both attempts are worthy for the environment.

All household dwellers with gardens shall make a conscious attempt to make an eco-friendly garden that protects the environment and the soil.  Make a choice of products that sustain the earth and are easily recycled. Waste reduction is also very important. The facts highlighted by research are that home gardens:

  • slow down climate change through carbon imprint,
  • reduce energy cost, and
  • cut down waste

Composting Pit

Use garden waste to make manure pit for the garden. It breaks down quickly into moisture and nitrogen. It will diminish landfill waste, enrich the soil and reduce the cost of market manure for your garden. Household waste takes long to rot comparatively. It gives carbon and fiber. Both composts are good for plants. Compost pit is harmed by weeds, pet ease, sick plants, and soiled nappies as unwanted pests live on it.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
Designing Your Dream Pool

Considerations for Designing Your Dream Pool

With intense heat a standard part of an Australian summer, it won’t be long until you start looking at pool design options. After all, there’s only so long a blow-up paddling pool will tick all the boxes. As soon as you start looking at what a landscaper can do for you, you will realise there is much to consider. Here are a few things to consider in your pool design to make it work for you.

The Size

The size of your new swimming pool can depend on many things, including your legal requirements. Before you get too involved in your sketches, consult an expert landscaper and local council representative. There might be things you can and can’t do.

However, make sure the size suits your pool’s purpose. For example, if you want to swim laps, then make it the length of a lap pool. If you want it for sitting in, then let it conform to your yard’s shape.

Features

The pool design itself is only one facet of the design process. What materials will you use? What will go around your pool? Will you have a lot of plant life? Will there be a diving board or a waterfall? Think about what will make you happy.

If you want your new swimming pool to be the picture of luxury and perfection, then talk to a landscaper. They have enough industry experience to know what works and what doesn’t.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
Colorbond

Newest Roof Colours From Colorbond

It is not difficult to create a lovely home when there are many colours to choose from. While Colorbond had many beautiful colours suitable for any style of roof, they haven’t rested on their laurels. Rather, they got to work and created six more that also reflect different aspects of our unique environment. The names tell us a lot about what inspired these colours.

  • Basalt – chosen from the dark grey rocks often found in our creeks and cliffs.
  • Cove – this is a lighter grey with a yellowish tint that comes from the sedges and grasses growing on our windswept coastal reaches.
  • Gully – there are many gullies in Australia. This is a mid grey that reflects elements of rocks, gravel, soil and native bushes in them all.
  • Mangrove – most people know about our amazing coastal mangrove areas that are alive with crabs and other creatures of the sea and swamps – a blend of deep grey and green in new roofing colours.
  • Terrain – a dark brown that is not quite chocolate, this is a mix of the many different terrains in Australia, the reds and yellows of the Australian outback tempered with red soil plains and the darker hues of many wheat and wine-growing regions.
  • Wallaby – this soft but strong grey with a tiny hint of blue reminds us of one of our unique, furry creatures.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago