Leak Detection

• High Water Bills are a good sign of a Water Leak
• We show you how you could sniff out a leak too!
• Like & Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date!

Our clients had high water bills and were also advised by the water corporation that they may have a water leak. Not all homes are the same and on this job, Top Dog Richard found the water leak without the need for any of our advanced leak detection equipment and he shows us why. You can even try it next time you suspect that you have a water leak.

In this VLOG Richard takes us through some steps that you can follow to start identifying and confirming whether you have a leak and where to start looking.

Ascertain if there is a water leak

Turn of all of the water in the house. Check the meter if it’s still running. If the water meter is still spinning, this indicates that there is a leak.

Plumbdog FYI: 1 revolution is 1 litre of water so if yours is spinning quickly, imagine how much water goes down the drain.

Identify Where Water Supply Feeds Property

This is a good starting place and the most logical as you can get an idea where the pipes lead to around your home.

Plumbdog Tip: If you familiarise yourself with your own home, being aware of things like where your inspection shafts and access points are can save valuable time which in turn costs money. In some properties, these have been hidden over time whether paved over or just covered with dirt and it can be a timely exercise for the plumber to locate these necessary locations.  

Check Reticulation

This isn’t always the problem area but a good place to check. At today’s property, this was the problem area and you can see with the water build up in the video. After isolating by turning the isolation valve to stop the water, the water drains away which we can then easily identify the problem area to get on with fixing.

Plumbdog Tip: Isolating The Cold Water Line.

If you’ve been following our videos, you’ll already know that you can also determine if the leak is on the cold water line or hot water line by simply turning off the water supply to the hot water system. How does this work? If you have identified that there is a leak and the needle is still spinning with the hot water line off then there’s a it’s on the cold water line.

All The Gear & Every Idea

All of our vans are fully fitted with all the gear we need for water leak detection and even tools to sort out blocked drains and all sorts of plumbing issues. Not only do we have the gear, we have every idea!

If you’re in the greater Perth area and have any plumbing issues, give us a whistle! Don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel too! We’ve been getting some great feedback on our videos and we enjoy sharing with our customers and viewers some useful tips and some of our plumbing adventures.

Don’t forget to LIKE & SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel to stay up to date with our latest videos!

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• If you can’t find your septic tank, we know how to sniff them out
• Check out our CCTV and NaviTrack gear in action
• Did we pick up a new Plumbdog Apprentice?

Today’s adventure takes us out to Stoneville in the Perth Hills. Knowing that we’re good at sniffing things out and detecting leaks and pipes, Darius got called out to a massive property up in the hills because the clients could not locate their septic tanks. They had tried digging some small holes in some areas they suspected the tank to no avail and needed to locate as the tanks were blocked.

WHAT ARE SEPTIC TANKS?

Septic tanks are underwater wastewater treatment structures which wastewater from household plumbing such as kitchen drains, laundries and bathrooms are collected. The septic system then treats the wastewater.

Septic tanks are commonly found in properties in more rural areas and properties that are not connected to the centralised sewerage system which explains why we’re up in the hills today.

ALL THE GEAR AND EVERY IDEA

We’re proud to have the best technology and plumbing equipment for the job but they’re pointless if you don’t know how to use them or have the level of plumbing knowledge that is required to be a true Plumbdog. For those following our VLOG, you’ve seen us using our CCTV and custom made high pressure water jetters. In todays video, we have a different combination of gear that we haven’t shown you before.

CCTV & NaviTrack Gear

When working with CCTV in drains, we tend to have a rough idea where we are heading when inspecting whether sniffing out with our experienced noses or by having an understanding of the plumbing plans of a property but there are times when locating pipes, access points or in this case septic tanks can get tricky. One special piece of gear we never leave our kennel without is our NaviTrack.

Rather than explaining how it all works, check out the video at [2:10] where Darius shows us how it works in a live scenario. The short version is while we have our camera in the drains below the ground, we have a way to find where the camera using our NaviTrack.

Check out the video to see it in action!

Every Idea – Knowledge and Experience

Darius is one of our top dogs and has every idea when it comes to plumbing. He locates the camera in the garden bed and digs (it’s what Plumbdogs do best) and exposes the septic tank lid. What you might not realise from the video which Darius hinted to was that the dodgy repair job to the tank which was possibly caused during construction of the garden bed.

GIVE US A WHISTLE!

Next time you have trouble detecting a septic tank or if you have any plumbing issues, come straight to the pedigree in the field. If you’re in the Greater Perth area and need of a reliable Perth Plumber, give us a whistle!

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, like and subscribe to stay up to date with our latest videos and if you’re in the greater Perth area give us a whistle!

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• The smallest of holes in a pipe can cause lots of wasted water which also means money wasted down the drain!
• Watch how an experienced Perth based Plumbdog Plumber finds and fixes burst water pipes. 
• He sniffs out the problem on this property before finishing his coffee. 
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Plumbdog Leak Detection & Repairs – How We Do It

Do you hear running water on your property, but as far you remember you don’t have a fountain or pond in your home? This video will show how Richard will track and fix a burst water pipe. Unlike many others, we will find the leak and we will fix the problem too without having to call on or recommend anyone else to get the whole job done.

Sniffing Out The Problem

To give a bit of a background, we received a call from a client that there’s a leak in his property. He was able to identify the area where the sound of the running water came from and it is somewhere in the laundry and bathroom. The client was also able to isolate the problem that it was the hot water line.

Effective and Efficient

Our top dog Richard starts his investigation by checking the water metre, and this confirmed that there is indeed a leak in the property. Thanks to the information that the client has provided the location was narrowed down between the bathroom and laundry area. Of course, we wouldn’t want to be digging on  the entire pipeline just to find the source. Here in Plumbdog we made sure to use advanced technology to make our less time-consuming. To find the leak source accurately, Richard, turned on the hot water so that once it starts flowing down the pipes the heat will be detected by our equipment. He used our thermal imaging infrared scanner, the gear can sense heat, which will make searching easier. He walked around the perimeter of the laundry and bathroom and saw a significant amount of heat near the drain.

Gotcha!

He removed a few blocks and started digging in the area that the scanner had identified where the leak may be coming from. Almost two feet below he sees a pool of water, and lo and behold, he just found the leakage. There’s a pinhole on the pipe near the tee joint. All of that accomplished before he was even able to finish his morning coffee!

Resolve in One CALL

Richard proceeds to replace the damaged section by welding in a new pipe and running a test after. He also checks the water metre again to make sure that the leak was just in that one spot. Seeing everything looked good, he covers the hole and do a little sweeping and make it look like nothing happened there. To finalise the service, Richard, will complete and submit a water leak loss report on behalf of the client to the Water Corporation. They will compute the credit that can be applied to the client’s water bill.

This is just one of the reasons why we say we have ‘all the gear and every idea’. We are maintenance plumbing specialists and leak detection and repairs as well as blocked drains are just a couple of our specialties.

• Sometimes simply servicing leaking taps isn’t enough. 
• There’s a lot that could cause water leaking through walls. It’s important to call in a professional to test and check to really understand what the problem is before applying solutions. 
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Are you excited to see what we have in store for you this time? Our top dog and local Perth plumber Darius will be checking and fixing a shower leak. Water leak detection is one of the specialist services we offer at Plumbdog.

Let’s Inspect

First thing he did was inspect other fittings and appliances just to make sure there’s no visible leak in the air conditioning unit or taps. Then he heads outside to do a meter test, and upon checking it doesn’t seem to be a substantial leak that may cause it to continuously run.

All The Gear and Every Idea

Inside, Darius removed the tapware in the shower so they won’t be in the way. He proceeds to check the shower area and it looks like it is dry on the outside. He suspects that the leak is inside the wall. Making sure that this isn’t trial by error, Darius uses our specialised infrared equipment for accuracy by doing pressure testing. He attaches a hose assembly on the shower that will help in heating up the pipes, once that happens the heat will also penetrate through the tiles. The infrared will show the problem area that needs to be fixed.

Solution, solution, solution

Seeing that the main fixture set mainly on the left side had already discoloured (copper turned to black), that only goes to show that it has been sitting in a damp and wet area. When that happens, it means that the leak has been there for quite some time. He showed that the leak is right in the centre of the wall breech. Our top dog recommends replacing the set to address the issue.

Whistle while we work

Approved by our client, Darius replaced the breech by welding it in and all the plumbing fixtures. There’s no need to come back for the repair because we make sure that we bring most of the pipefittings and fixtures, there won’t be any need for multiple visits. He tests the fixture and there is no more leak!

Next step is repairing the wall. He will cover the spindles to make sure that the threads remain clean as he puts the cement on the wall. He also puts the tapware back on and tests them one more time. Voila another leak sealed!

Trust the experts to have leaks fixed. There are instances where the water may be going through the wall on a certain area, but the main leak is somewhere else. That will be time consuming and may cost more for you in the end as you may end up re-grouting more than you have expected.
That’s why just give us a whistle and Plumbdog will ROC (Resolve in One Call) your leaks away!