Vlog

Plumbdog Plumbing Perth are following the advice and recommendations released from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Australian Government, and we are monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak very closely.

The safety of our employees, contractors, customers, and suppliers remains our highest priority through this difficult time. Plumbdog Plumbing will be following these guidelines and updating them throughout, as required.

• We can confirm our employees and contractors have not travelled internationally within the past 14 days.
• We can confirm our employees and contractors have not to our knowledge, been in contact with anyone who has a confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Plumbdog Plumbing will follow strict quarantine measures where required by the World Health Organisation (WHO) / Australian government, to ensure the safety of our people and the West Australian community.

At Plumbdog we already had a screening process in place whereby all of our clients are required to complete our online booking form prior to us confirming our client’s bookings. This booking form allows us to gather specific plumbing details we require for each job including clients name, residential address, phone number, and email address. Our valued clients are also required to advise of who we are meeting us at the property during our visit, for reasons such as access, works approvals and for payment.

Due to the seriousness of this Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak we have added some extra questions to our online booking form, allowing us to understand who is residing in the property and if they are showing any symptoms relating to Coronavirus (COVID-19). Should any client answer yes to our specific ‘screening’ questions, then we will be using our due diligence and will be assessing each booking on a case by case basis whether or not we will be able to attend the property. Fortunately, in many instances our work is external of the property, such as when we are clearing blocked drains, performing water leak detection and repairs, and when we are repairing hot water systems, and so by monitoring risk we are confident in minimising the risk to our employees, contractors, and customers.

The questions we have added to our booking process are as follows:

• Has any person residing in the property been in contact with anyone who has a confirmed case of COVID-19?
• Has any person residing in the property travelled internationally in the past 14 days?
• Is any person residing in the property showing signs of any flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, coughing, or difficulty breathing?

We hope our valued clients understand and do not take offence in our need to include this screening in our booking process, but we have or duty of care for the general public of Perth and surrounding suburbs to ensure we are able to help those in need throughout this terrible time. If we ourselves at Plumbdog become infected, then we are not able to help others and will ourselves be at home in quarantine with our families.

We see ourselves as the go to Perth plumbing specialists, and we need to ensure we are on call and available to homes and businesses in ensuring they are able to remain open and operate as effectively as possible, in regards to plumbing and gas fitting during this difficult time.

Our greatest sympathies go out to all of those people who are, and who will be affected by this horrendous virus, and we wish you and your families all the very best in your full recovery.

We are confident in our government and the Australian people that we will all bounce back, and we are sure this outbreak will bring us closer together and allow us never to forget the importance of community, family, friendship, and supporting local business .

We look forward to being able to assist our valued clients, should you have any questions, please do not hesitate in contacting us via our website or by telephone 1300 884 146.

Updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) can be found here.

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.

Discover which Hot Water System is best for you

Are you looking to upgrade your current hot water system or are you renovating and not sure which system is best to buy for you home?

I am sure you have lots of questions running through your head, like what size of hot water heater do I need for my home? Or should I go for Gas or Electric, Solar or Heat pump? Which is the most efficient Hot Water System for my home?

Hot water systems account for a quarter of the average Australian household bill, given that this is one of the most expensive appliances to run in your home you want to ensure you buy the most efficient hot water heater your budget will allow.

Read on to see which Hot water system is best for your home!

Choosing an Energy Source

Solar or Heat Pump Technology – These types of HWS are usually more expensive and more complicated to install, however they are the most energy efficient and will pay for themselves in time with the low running costs.

Largely the climate you live in or the position of your home will determine which of these are suitable for your home.

Solar

The best situation for Solar is on a North facing roof.  A solar hot water system consists of solar panels and a storage tank for the hot water.  There are 2 types Thermosiphon Systems which has both the solar panel and storage tank together on the roof and Pumped or Split System which has the solar panel on the roof and the storage tank on the ground.

To give you a rough idea a 4-person home will need roughly 4msq of solar this roughly equates to 2 panels and if you look around your neighbourhood most solar hot water systems you will see will be 2 panels.

You would need to install a slightly larger tank than with Gas and Electric HWS to allow for more storage on days with less sunlight etc.  Most tanks come with a gas or electric booster in case you need it.

The solar panels can be flat or evacuated tubes, the evacuated tubes are more efficient and require less space however there would be a higher up front cost them.

Solar hot water systems on average can provide you with around 90% of your hot water with no running cost.

Heat Pump

Heat pump hot water systems are roughly 3 times more efficient than electric storage tank system, they work by removing the heat from the air and using it to heat the water in the storage system.

You can buy either and integrated system which is the compressor and the storage unit together or you can buy a split system which is the storage system and compressor separate.

Similar to an air conditioning unit the compressor needs to be installed outside as it can be quite noisy, it needs a well-ventilated area.

Heat Pump hot water systems tend to work better in warmer humid climates however as the technology advances new systems are being developed to work specifically in colder climates.

These are your 2 most energy efficient option however budget restrains may not make these achievable, we encourage you to consider the low running cost of these appliances and calculate a life time cost of the appliance before committing to a purchase.

Gas & Electric Hot Water Systems

Storage Hot Water Systems

A storage hot water system is the most common type found in homes across Australia and is usually the cheapest to buy.  Storage hot water systems work by heating the water in the tank and storing it there.

They can be placed either in laundries, cupboards, under the stairs or outside.

It’s recommended that you set your thermostat to 60 degrees every degree higher will cost you more on your water heating bill and may result in you scalding your hands when you turn on the tap.  Any lower and you could be at risk of creating Legionella in your water a nasty bacteria.

Storage hot water systems are available in gas or electric depending on what fuel is available in your area will depend on which is best for you.  If natural gas is not available in your area you can always op of LPG gas.

Gas is a more efficient method to heating your water than electric, not only is gas cheaper it also heats the water quicker than their electric counterpart.  The gas heat is instantaneous much like a gas cooktop where’s the electric storage system works similar to a kettle taking time to reach the desired temperature.

Storage hot water systems are a relatively easy installation, giving you immediate hot water from the tap and are generally low maintenance which is why these are the most popular type of hot water system Australia’s buy.

Continuous Flow Hot Water Systems

You might be considering buying a continuous flow hot water system, these units are small and mounted on a wall.  They don’t store water instead they heat the water as you need it.

They work by pushing cold water through copper piping, and applying heat directly to these pipes. When a hot tap is turned on, a flow sensor triggers a gas burner and starts heating the water. Whatever you have set the thermostat to is the temperature your water will be heated to.  Unlike their storage counterparts these guys won’t run out of hot water.

If you buy a continuous hot water system they won’t suffer from heat loss, run out of water and it is also more energy efficient than storage hot water heaters as you can set the desired temperature you require and only heat the water as you use it.

They can be mounted indoors or outdoors depending on the type you buy, always check you have the appropriate ventilation and flue requirements met.

What size tank do I need?

Making sure you have the right size system for your needs is imperative, too big a system and you’re wasting electricity and heating water unnecessarily to small and you’ll be over working your hot water system reducing its life span.

Below is a guide from our friends at Sustainable Energy Authority Victoria, 2002

Requirements for natural gas and LPG hot water systems

Requirements for solar hot water systems

Requirements for continuous flow

The below assumes you are using the hot water outlets at the same time

Contact Plumbdog Perth if you have any questions about your solar system – 1300 884 146

Download the HWS buying guide here