Vlog

• Blocked Drains – Tree roots don’t just break through and block drains, they can also squash pipes causing blockages
• Using specialised CCTV and our custom made High Powered Water Jetters, we can clear the blocked drain and clearly identify any potential future plumbing issues
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

In this video, our obedient Plumbdog Richard is on an 8-year-old property in South Fremantle, Perth. The property owners have been facing recurrent problems with a blocked toilet ever since they built the property. As the client says that this issue is cyclical, initially, Richard feels that the Air Admittance Valve, installed behind the toilet, is the problem as it might occasionally be letting the air inside the drain.

However, after an inspection, Richard dug behind the toilet, which an inspection opening is legally required for every bathroom. Noticing that water was being held, this indicated that a blockage in the drainage pipe would have been the cause.

Clearing Blocked Drains with High Powered Water Jetter

Using our locally custom made high pressure water jetter, we can clear pipes that others simply say can’t be done. If you’ve seen our other youtube videos, you would have seen how our boys make it look so easy to clear blocked drains.

CCTV Inspection

After clearing the blocked drain, Richard investigates the pipe’s condition using a CCTV drain camera. The opening from where the camera has been installed is almost 6 meters beneath the pipe’s initiation point. As the camera moves inward, notice where the pipe’s lining is ruptured. It looks like this could have been a problem since the house was first built.

As the camera moves further along, the pipe’s shape goes from round to misshaped. This misshape has contracted to the extent that even the tiny camera gear cannot make its way through. After examination our Plumbdog has determined that the pipe runs under a tree, and the tree roots have squished the tube narrow, creating a massive blockage is the way of flush’s inflows.

Cleared Drains & Recommendations

After fixing the problem we don’t just stop there. Having all the gear and every idea, we not only fixed the blocked drain issue in time for a long weekend, we are also able to put together a recommendation and quote to get the problem resolved for the long run. This will stop the need for frequently calling out a plumber when the problem persists which saves time, money and the inconvenience of having to deal with this issue over and over again.

If you are facing problems with blocked drains, then do not wait any longer and give us a whistle immediately. The longer you wait, the worse the situation will get and will burn an even bigger hole in your pocket.

• Common hot water problem – There’s low pressure from the hot water system and the water isn’t very hot. 
• Common cause – The hot water system has been left there doing its thing for years without a major hot water service or any maintenance at all. 
• Watch our local Perth Plumber, Top Dog Richard, at work on a property in Thornlie, Western Australia
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

On the job today, our customer is facing trouble getting hot water with a steady flow. The hot water system is a Rheem Stellar 360 gas water heater, manufactured in 2012. There’s no service sticker on the heater, which means it most likely hasn’t been serviced at all since installation.

The Tempering Valve

In a hot water system, the tempering valve is responsible for delivering the perfect hot water to 50 degrees inside the house. The valve mixes the right portion of hot and cold water to strike the ideal balance and prevents the user from burning due to water overheating.

The tempering valve installed on this property is calcified, suggesting it has been worn out, which is an excellent sign as it has done a fair job all these years. But to maintain the smooth functioning of the hot water system, you ought to replace it once every five years.

Taking his thorough investigation forward, the next thing that Richard checks is the water isolation valve, which on turning on, makes a rumbling noise that implies the overdue of the tank’s major service. This sound is the sign of complete degradation of magnesium anodes, which also means that there is most likely sediment in the base of the tank.

Other Checks

Examining the water isolation valve, cold relief valve and hot relief valve, all else appears ok.

Our obedient Plumbdog goes inside and checks the water temperature using the thermometer, which reads 43 degrees, seven degrees below the desired temperature. The flow of the water, too, is not up to the mark.

Fixing the Hot Water Issue

The ideal way of addressing this issue from the root is by opening the water heater and replacing the degraded anodes with new ones. The replacement and service is a costlier option but recommended for longevity of the hot water system. Due to budget constraints on the costumer’s end, we have a fix that won’t dig a massive burn in the pocket but our customer is still aware of the consequences of not performing a major service.

Note: because this a quick fix, there’s a fair amount of possibility of residue being stuck inside the valve with the residue already sitting in the tank. This fix could last a long time or it could quickly get blocked up again.

Warning

The tempering valve does a great job at regulating water temperature and stops the residents from getting scalded. The water in the house may be very hot but it’s not hot enough to cause and harmful damage.

We always recommend hiring a professional to do the job. Not only are we qualified and experienced with the right tools for the job, we are also insured and are aware of the consequences to each part of the process.

If you are keen to try replacing the tempering valve on your own, be especially aware that the water directly from your tank is much hotter than the water that comes out of the tap in your home. It can cause severe burns and as you can see from the video, hot water can continue to flow from the tank depending which system you have.

Final Check

Richard goes back inside the house and checks if the water is adequately heated. On checking, the thermometer reads precisely 50 degrees, which is the desired result, and the flow of the water has improved considerably.

If you face a similar issue at your place and need a Plumber in Perth, then do not wait any longer and give us a whistle! Our Plumbdogs will fix your plumbing problems using the knowledge of their expertise. We pride ourselves in being genuine maintenance plumbing specialists. Not only do we have all the gear and every idea, our specialist services also include water leak detection and repairs and finding and fixing blocked drains.

What is involved in installing your new hot water system?

Hot water systems are made to last anywhere from 6-15 years. Over this time, safety regulations have changed in both the plumbing and gas worlds…

There are a lot more items we need to check to make sure installations are compliant.

Before

We were recently requested to replace this unit and in doing so we needed to bring this install up to standard.

For the new unit we needed to install a heat trap, a tempering valve, an expansion control valve, 2 drains and a soak pit under each drain. We also needed to add a gas shut off valve.

For some units, there will be even more that needs to be done, like the addition of a concrete slab under the unit…

After

This is what the pipework looks like after all the new standards have been applied to the new install.

N.B. These items are NOT included in a straight swap install.

Continue reading to find out what each one of these items does to protect your system and house…

Heat Traps & Lagging (insulation)

Heat traps are valves and or loops of pipe installed on the cold water inlet and hot water outlet pipes on hot water systems. They allow cold water to flow into the system, but prevent hot water from flowing out of the system back up the cold water pipes.

Lagging is insulation used to reduce heat loss and conserve the energy consumed. It is important that the heated water piping has adequate insulation to minimise heat loss.

Read the technical note from the Plumbers Licensing Board >> Heat Trap (And Insulation).pdf

Tempering Valves

A tempering valve ensures your hot water is at a safe temperature for personal hygiene use. A tempering valve has a temperature sensitive element which adjusts the level of cold water depending on the temperature of the water from the hot water system.

Regulations on safe water services are Australia-wide and fall under the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA). The water in a hot water storage system must be kept at a minimum of 60°C (AS3500.4.2 Clause 1.6) to prevent bacteria. The maximum temperature water can leave the tap is 50°C (AS3498) and a maximum of 45°C in institutions such as early childhood centres, schools, and nursing homes or other facilities where the young, sick, aged or disabled could be using hot water.

A tempering valve or other tempering device reduces your hot water temperature at the tap, to allow you to meet both Australian standards.

Tempering Valves should be replaced every 4 years.

Read the technical note from the Plumbers Licensing Board >> Tempering Valves.pdf

Expansion Control Valves

Expansion Control Valves limit the maximum pressure in a pressurised, unvented water heater system by relieving excess pressure to the drain line.

Expansion Control Valves should only be installed on the cold or inlet installation on a water heater as the valve is primarily intended to cope with the excess pressure generated during a normal heating cycle.

Expansion Control Valves are safety valves and should be replaced every 4 years.

Temperature/Pressure Relief Valves

Temperature & Pressure Relief Valves are safety controls which ensure that the temperature of the water in a pressurised unvented water heater cannot exceed 99° C in the event that the normal thermostatic controls fail.

These valves may be used to guard against overtemperature and over-pressure hazards wherever water is stored in unvented containers. This is a requirement of Australian Standard AS 3500-4.

Temperature & Pressure relief valves are safety valves and should be replaced every 4 years.

Gas Shut Off Valves (not shown above)

Allows the manual isolation of the gas flow in natural gas and LPG systems. In the open position (gas is flowing) the handle (lever) will be parallel with the pipe, when it is closed (gas not flowing) the handle (lever) will be perpendicular to the pipe.

Read the Newsletter ‘Gas Focus’ for more details >> Gas Valve.pdf

Soak Pits

Required so that the release of steam or hot water is controlled and does not cause a nuisance, is readily noticeable and will not cause damage to buildings or injury to persons.

Some units will require two pits to be installed and they should have gravel placed in the bottom. One pit for the Expansion Valve and one for the Temperature & Pressure Relief Valve.

Read the technical note from the Plumbers Licensing Board >>  Water Heater (SOAK PITS).pdf

Gas Pressure Tests

As replacing a hot water system involves touching the gas lines, a gas pressure test will need to be carried out to ensure that the system and pipework is gas-tight.

After your system has been replaced

Your hot water system should be serviced every two years to make sure it continues working efficiently.
Read our post about Anodes to learn more about how a storage hot water system works and how to keep it running smoothly. Read the blog post

If you have any questions, please feel free to give Plumbdog Perth a call – 1300 884 146.

At Plumbdog Plumbing we like to facilitate as much training as possible and yesterday i had the privilege of spending the day out on the road with Darius from Plumbdog Midland. There’s no better way to share our skills with each other than being out on the road and attending actual jobs together. In the world of plumbing maintenance and emergencies our work is so varied and so its great to be able to see first hand how we each go about solving plumbing maintenance concerns for our clients individually. It really helps us to deliver the same high standard of customer service for our clients which we believe is the backbone of our business.

I particularly enjoy spending time with Darius because his enthusiasm towards plumbing and customer service is contagious, I believe Darius is the best of the best in plumbing maintenance, and no one loves plumbing more than Darius!

Recently I recorded a video and posted a blog in relation to this Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic,  as this situation has put us all in a very unknown territory, where none of us really no how it will affect us all individually . It almost feels like the calm before the storm out there on the streets of Perth, Western Australia.

I was really proud to see how Darius was handling himself and how he was asking his clients if they had any special requests in order to satisfy their personal safety concerns during the time that we were on site performing plumbing services.

It was great to see so many clients protecting themselves and also protecting us during our encounter with them. One client asked if it was okay for only one of the two of us to enter her property to minimise risk as she was concerned about the health and well being of her husband, and so she asked Darius if he wouldn’t mind washing his hands before getting started with servicing her leaking toilet. Our client had prepared some homemade soap and a laid out a clean hand towel for Darius to use, and asked if he wouldn’t mind placing the towel immediately into her washing machine once he was finished washing his hands. Another client spoke to us through her fly screen at her front door, and at the point Darius required her signature in order to formally accept our quotation he gave her the option to use her own pen if she preferred. She accepted Darius offer to use her own pen, and also wore surgical gloves in an attempt to best protect herself and not come into physical contact with our quotation sheet. None of these requests were unreasonable for Darius and he was more than happy to oblige.

Following this valuable feedback we have decided to add extra bullet points to our booking form process and are we are now giving our clients the opportunity to voice any special requests they may have whilst we are on site in relation to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. So now our clients have the opportunity to request anything within reason in order to help them feel safe during our attendance to their properties. We will do our upmost to accommodate and meet these expectations, and will certainly discuss all points to ensure the health and safety of everyone concerned.

Plumbdog Plumbing will continue to evaluate and improve its services in relation to safety to our clients and our people , so our clients can be assured that we will not allow any plumbers to attend clients properties should they themselves have any symptoms.

Please contact us should you have any questions or if you require our services.