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!
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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!

• It’s fun for our Plumbdogs to get our paws dirty and dig things up but we need to be safe and know what other services lead into the property.
• Watch as Richard shares some knowledge that any good plumber should know when taking on a job like this.
• Learn how you can check your pipes for a gas leak using this simple method with simple materials you should have at home.
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Another day for our top dog Richard as he headed off to Wilson, WA for a water leak detection job.  There was already an initial visit to the property, and he was able to identify where the burst water pipe and fixed it with a temporary repair.  Two to three weeks later he comes back to complete the work, and that is to lay new supply pipes.  This would mean he would have to dig around and that is why he brought an excavator for the job.  Part of what he needed to do was to locate all the other supply services such as the water, electricity, and gas supply. On one side of the property, Richard would have to manually dig through this small corner area where the gas meter is. Armed with his good old shovel he uncovered the Atco gas main line. However, while digging he was able to notice something that was not supposed to be in the picture, he smells gas. From a burst water pipe, we have now a suspected gas leak too!

Licensed Plumber and gasfitter. . . All rolled into one

Plumber’s hat OFF and now gasfitter’s hat ON! Since Richard was able to expose the gas pipes he will now investigate where the leak is coming from.  He was able to uncover an old rusty galvanized pipe connected to a pretty new yellow PVC pipe.  It is quite simple on how to find a pipe leak; all we need is some soapy water. Mix regular dishwashing detergent with water and place them in a spray container. After making the mixture, spray it on the pipe then wait and observe.  He saw that bubbles started to form on the rusty part of the galv pipe and he could even hear a faint hissing sound, thus confirming the leak.  Bubbles forming in an area is an indication of leak and this needs to be reported.

Gas leak = Alarm bells

Before he continues any further with his digging, he will need to report the gas leak to ATCO gas by calling their helpline so they can dispatch a technician onsite. Due to the nature of the problem, it will be deemed as an emergency and will need to be dealt ASAP, within the next hour or so. Important reminder: any gas leak should be reported right away to a gasfitter or the supplier.

The work done by the previous technician was not a great job job. Instead of extending the new pipe up until the rusty galvanized pipe they just had it cut up to a certain portion.  The leak would have been avoided if they replaced the entire line.

We have all the gear and every idea and that’s why we believe we are the best maintenance plumbing experts in Perth. Licensed plumbers and Gasfitters, give us a whistle!

• Ticking Water Meters when water isn’t in use is a good sign that you might have a water leak.
• Having a uniquely stunning property can also mean it ca be difficult to detect water leaks. 
• On the property today, our skilled Perth plumber detects leaks with minimal damage to the property to keep things aesthetically stunning. 
• Pipes erode over time and sometimes fixing just one broken pipe might not do the trick. 
• We pride ourselves in being genuine maintenance plumbing specialists specialising in water leak detection & repairs.
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

In today’s video, top dog Richard is on a beautifully architectured property in Victoria Park, Perth, Western Australia. The task in hand is to find and fix a potentially massive leak at the residential property. The plumbing on this property is all over the place making it a good challenge for our Plumbdog to find and fix the enormous leak.

Signs of a Water Leak

Noticing that the water meter was still ticking even when the water was not in use, the client sought professional help and gave us a whistle!
After testing the meter, Richard notes that the dial is spinning peculiarly fast, indicating a potential water loss of up to 20 liters per minute for this property.

All The Gear and Every Idea

Our vans are stocked with all the gear and Richard uses advanced water leak detection equipment to start the inspection on the property’s long driveway. After checking over a particular area to spot the leak, he can hear a significant amount of noise from below the deck. Rather than simply removing the whole deck or main parts of the deck to check for the water leak, he inspects through the small panels on the side first. This minimises any unnecessary damage to the aesthetics of the property.

Finding & Fixing the Leak

After lifting the small panel, he can spot the downstream flow of running water. After inspecting a little closely, he figures out the leak source, which is a broken fitting. Two water lines are running parallel to one another, and one of them has been broken due to a massive tree root. The tree root has broken one of the screw fittings, and the enormous pressure of water has further destroyed it by wearing it out and eroding its other parts. Seeing the extent of damage, it’s clear that the leak has been present over a substantial amount of time.

To fix this issue wholly itself, Richard will now replace the pipe’s destroyed fitting with a new one. One of the pipe fittings types that we like is auspex which he will use today. The old hepworth pipe fitting has now been replaced with the auspex to ensure that this situation does not occur again in the near future and the pipes function smoothly.

Inspection

After the repair work is completed Richard does another check of the meter reading. Unfortunately, he finds out that the meter is still ticking a little, thankfully not anywhere close to the last time. However, it indicates leak of several liters happening somewhere, which means another burst pipe somewhere else on the property. These situations call for the process to be repeated until the next problem area is identified.

In case you detect any possibility of a potential leak on your property, then do not wait for any further. Give us a whistle at the earliest to prevent damage of this magnitude, as it will not only burn a hole in your pocket but cause a lot of accidental water loss. Also don’t forget using a licensed plumber also means that they can help you with a leak loss report which is a report for the Water Corporation which confirms that the leak repair has been carried out by a licensed plumber. This allows you to send the report to the water corp to seek a deduction for lost water.