Leak Detection

• Sometimes saving a few $$s may end up costing you much more. It often pays for any type of service to call on a real professional to do the job.
• When it comes to Plumbing in Perth, we have all the gear and every idea!
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Our video today will takes us to a property in Manning, WA.  Many would really like to save by doing their own DIY plumbing repairs or get plumbers that may seem to give you a good deal.  When in fact they can actually cause a bigger headache in the future and cost more.  Richard was sent out to locate and fix a burst water pipe and what he found out was that the installation was not followed properly.

Detecting Broken Pipes

It’s time to look for the pipes. Plumbdog uses advanced gadgets and tools to make sure that we work fast and efficiently on every call. In this one, Richard used one of our little black box to determine which solenoid is the problem. He attached it to the reticulation control panel and then connected to the number two wire. Solenoid number two starts vibrating, this can be heard as a faint buzzing sound at first since it is underground. He will use that sound to guide him and look for the actual pipes.

Doing what Plumbdogs Do Best, Digging!

Next step is to look for the source, so he goes out on the front lawn and it is a good-sized area, and we would not want to ruin it by randomly digging in areas where we think we can hear the buzzing noise.  Richard once again uses another special gadget to accurately locate where the buzzing is coming from.  He used the retic solenoid finder and was able to uncover the cause of the problem which is solenoid number two. On top of that, he was able to find another solenoid, the master solenoid and the master retic valve.  Seeing everything, the problem was that even when they turned off the reticulation controller it was still live, and it meant that the master solenoid valve had failed. It’s time to fix the problem, the retic will be isolated and have the mains turned back on so that the client can have water back in their home again.

All The Gear & Every Idea

As we can see in the video the property was laid out with below standard pipes, fittings and valves and was even poorly installed.  The solenoids and retic valves were 6 inches deep when they should be above ground. Richard will discuss with the property owners their options regarding the other pipes in their backyard. Getting licensed plumbers like us will give you the best advice, options, and peace of mind that your plumbing will last longer and will be installed based on standards.  No hit or miss when looking for the problem pipes. No-fuss, less mess and in the quickest time possible. Whistle and we will come to the rescue!

• This is a perfect example of a job not well done. Watch the video to see how what was a dodgy and probably cheap fix has ended up creating more water leaks.
• Using illegal and or incorrect parts for the job simply creates more problems in the future and costs the customer more.
• If this job was done correctly the first time, we wouldn’t have had to sniff out the problem area and fix the problem again.
• This is why we say we have All The Gear and Every Idea! We get the job done properly to save our customers time and money. 

We were called out to this property because of a water leak.  Our client called in asking for help in fixing a burst water pipe and off Richard goes to their property.  Using our advanced water leak detection equipment to locate where the problem is Richard pinpoints the water leak underneath the concrete steps in the laundry.  He uncovers the area and lo and behold, it showed a badly repaired previous leak!

How to Repair and How NOT to Repair – that is the question

Upon closer inspection, Richard saw that dodgy brothers did some dodgy work on the previous leak.  They used an illegal flexi hose connector, and this had probably caused a secondary leak on the copper tee. The proper way to get this fixed is by using 15mm copper pipes and pull an offset by using tube benders. This way the connection is sturdy and definitely will last longer.  He also replaces a section of the pipes from the copper tee because of the second leak.  Instead of connecting another fitting on the copper tee, the best way is to weld the copper pipes making it look nice and clean. It may seem that we are getting a good deal with these dodgy brothers but in the long run, we are in for a bigger headache because they do not follow the legal and standard requirements when fixing water leaks.

Do it Proper, Do it Copper

We are definitely not the only ones in this business. But we are very proud to say that what sets us apart is the quality of workmanship that we give on every single call may it be a big or small job. We make sure that work is completed with the highest integrity in mind and do not go for shortcuts.  No flexi hoses if the best is to lay out new copper pipes. We want to make sure that our clients get the best and their money’s worth. We know the value of time and we want to make sure that we have all the gear to get the job done quickly, efficiently and get the job done right.

So, if you do not want another headache for your burst water pipes, give us a whistle and we will come!

• Water Leaks are one of the most common reasons for high water bills
• You can identify whether you have a potential leak, we’ll show you how
• Check out more of our VLOGs here!

Water leakage is one of the most common reasons behind your high water bills and if the leak is left undetected for a long time, it can dig an unwanted hole in your pocket.

In this video, our Plumbdog Richard shares some simple tips and tricks to discover unknown leaks on your property and reduce the unnecessary wastage of money. He also explains possible ways which you can detect the problem by yourself.

1. Find You Water Meter
   The first step is to spot the water meter. Before seeking assistance from a professional, you can try to locate the meter yourself, as it is usually placed in the garden towards the boundary, close to the street.
   If you are unable to figure the position, then the chances are that it might be buried under overgrown garden land. Such a situation demands an expert’s guidance, for which you can click the link we have mentioned in our blog.
2. Turn Off Water Using Devices
   The next course of action is to turn off all the devices that involve direct water use. Check for usual items like washing machines, water purifiers and filter systems, taps and adaptive aircons.
3. Test With The Water Meter
   Now finally, we test the leakage through our water meter. Now we need to observe the movement of our dial for over 5 minutes. If there is no movement then you can be comfortable knowing that there isn’t a leak. A movement in the reading is an indication of a possible leak.

What to do if you notice a movement?

In such a case, the ideal thing to do to give us a whistle and book yourself a professional plumber. If you want to try and detect the leak yourself first, then a good place to start looking is usually around the water meter itself.

If you are able to identify the water leak it will help save some time and money and you can call us to fix up the problem. Of course if you are unable to detect the leak yourself, our team of trained and experienced Plumbdogs will sniff out the problem for you.

Our Services

If you are facing any plumbing issues at your home or office, give us a whistle! We pride ourselves in being the experts that our customers and colleagues in the industry turn to for maintenance plumbing services that also provide value for your money. Our team of highly professional Plumbdogs hold years of experience in solving all kinds of plumbing related issues like fixing broken or twisted pipes, unblocking drains, leak detection, and hot water system installations, maintenance and repairs. Not only are we skilled and experienced, we have all the gear and every idea to be at your service.

• On a large property, it can get tricky for the untrained nose to sniff out a water leak. 
• Check out how Darius with his years of experience and our specialised leak detection equipment finds the leak. 
• We have all the gear and every idea!
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

In today’s VLOG, top dog Darius is on a property whose owner complains of a possible undetectable water leak. Darius uses his specialised water leak detection equipment on the massive driveway and give us a demonstration of how it helps in successfully sniffing out the problem area.

With no clear visible signs of a water leak, having the right gear means Darius is able to easily narrow down the problem area and while not obvious, he then sniffs out the leak and does what our Perth plumbers do best, gets digging.

Findig & Fixing Leaks

We don’t just find the problem, we can fix it too all in one visit. After getting the approval to fix the identified problem, Darius proceeds to fix the issue. With different ways to fix the problem at hand, we know the best way to get the problem fixed to last and Darius explains why.

Using a better adaptor for copper to plastic, some solid welding skills and also working with minimal workspace as you would have seen him done in the past to minimise property damage, our obedient Plumbdog has found and fixed the problem with a long term solution so that this problem doesn’t happen again.

If you suspect a water leak and can’t find the problem then it might be time to give your trusted local plumber a whistle. As you saw in the video this leak would have been at least 5 litres a minute. Imagine your water bill the next time around.