VLOGS

Fault-Finding a Continuous Flow Unit That’s Not Firing in Ardross

In this job, Rich is called out to an Ardross property with a frustrating problem:
Hot water is working on one side of the house, but completely dead on the other.

The homeowner has:

• A gas continuous flow unit (not firing) on one side
• A gas storage unit (low pressure, but still heating) on the other

Let’s run through the full on-site diagnostic process — and show why checking the basics first always pays off.

🔍 Step 1: Test the Closest Tap

Rich starts by turning on the nearest hot water tap to the continuous flow unit — the laundry tap.

• The unit doesn’t fire
• That confirms there’s no activation happening when hot water is called

🔌 Step 2: Confirm Power Supply

• Rich checks the powerpoint and power cable with a tester
• ✅ Power is live at the socket and flowing through the lead
• Next, he removes the front cover of the unit to check for any signs of startup
• Still nothing — no electrical activation, even though power is confirmed

🔧 Step 3: Suspected Internal Fault

With the system receiving power but failing to respond, the likely issues could be:

• A faulty flow sensor
• A failed PCB (printed circuit board)
• Or another internal component not allowing startup

💬 “At this point, we’ve ruled out external factors. No point throwing a new unit on the wall without knowing what’s wrong with the current one.”

💡 Final Recommendation: Replace — But With Purpose

Due to the unit’s age and the lack of electrical response, Rich recommends a replacement system.

But not just a like-for-like swap — because:

• It’s better to troubleshoot first, so you don’t repeat the problem
• You get the chance to size the new unit correctly
• And ensure you’re not replacing a working system due to a simple oversight

🐾 Plumbdog — Perth’s real plumbers with all the gear, every idea, and a methodical approach to hot water troubleshooting. 

📞 No callout fee | ✅ Gas & electric hot water specialists | 🔎 Fault diagnosis done right 

Plumbdog leak detection specialist James is back on the tools in Ballajura, WA — this time called out for a suspected underground water leak.

🧪 Diagnosing the Leak

James starts with the water meter, confirming it’s spinning despite no taps running. This indicates a leak and lets us calculate the water loss per minute — useful not just for our detection process but also for the Water Corporation lost water claim after the repair.

🔎 Acoustic Leak Detection in Action

Armed with his Fuji acoustic detection gear, James checks around the front yard and gets a clear signal near the front hose tap. He uses his ground spike/listening stick, which comes out wet — confirmation that we’re right on top of the burst pipe.

🔧 Repair & Confirmation

After carefully digging down, James finds a split in the pipe. He provides a cost estimate on the spot, which the customer approves. The repair is done using Auspex pipe, which connects easily to most pipe types.

Final tests show the water meter is no longer spinning, and everything is watertight. James backfills, cleans up, and heads off to the next job.

🐾 Real Leak Detection by Real Plumbers

Forget guesswork — Plumbdog uses specialised acoustic equipment to accurately locate leaks without unnecessary digging. All repairs are completed by fully licensed plumbers, and we even help customers apply for lost water rebates.

✅ Fully licensed & insured
✅ Acoustic leak detection gear
✅ Same-day emergency service available
✅ Friendly, dog-loving team 🐶

📍 Need leak detection in Ballajura or nearby suburbs?
Contact us today and one of our leak detection specialists will be on their way — ears up and tools ready!

The Importance of Getting a Good Plumber Before You Pour the Slab

Some jobs make you shake your head. This one? Full-body eye roll.
Darius is called to a newly built home only to discover a textbook example of what not to do when plumbing a property:

• No Inspection Openings (IOs)
• Prelaid jump-up pipes cast in the neighbour’s garage footings
• A disconnector gully (DG) that’s impossible to rod due to a 45° M+F fitting on the outlet 😬

🔍 What Went Wrong
Let’s just say… you won’t find this install in a plumbing best-practice guide.

• ❌ No access points for maintenance
• ❌ DG setup that’s unusable
• ❌ Construction that completely ignores future servicing

💬 “I know what you’re all thinking — ‘Just rod the DG.’ Yeah, nah. You can’t when it’s been fitted like this.”

💪 What We Did Instead
Thankfully, Darius doesn’t go anywhere without a full arsenal of gear — including the Turd Muncher 2000 🎉
Using:
• High-pressure water jetter
• CCTV camera
• Hard-earned Plumbdog know-how

He managed to work through the nightmare setup and get things sorted.

🐾 Don’t Let Bad Builders Ruin Your Pipes 
📞 Call Plumbdog if you want things done right from the ground up — literally. 
We’ll sniff out the issues before they’re buried in concrete. 

Big Tree, Small Wall, Mixed Signals — A Real Plumbing Mystery Solved the Right Way

This one’s a team effort — and a great example of what happens when a drain blockage just doesn’t want to play fair.

Darius and Plumbpup Chris had both been out to the property already, and while they managed to get some temporary flow going, something wasn’t sitting right.
The drain wasn’t behaving normally — and that’s when Rich stepped in with all the gear and every idea.

🧰 Step 1: Set Up the Full Arsenal

Rich got to work with:

• The water jetter for blasting
• The CCTV camera for visuals
• The locator to pinpoint where the trouble really started

Right from the get-go, the locator was acting strange — giving mixed depth and distance readings, likely due to:

• A small retaining wall
• A very large tree in the area
• And possible interference from old or poorly installed pipework

💬 “It’s one of those jobs where the drain’s telling you it’s fine… but your gut says otherwise.”

🪓 Step 2: Dig Deeper (Literally)

After narrowing it down, the customer agreed with our recommendation:
✅ Let’s not waste more time band-aiding this
✅ Dig it up, replace the dodgy section, and sort it for good

The team came back and completed a minor drain replacement, removing the affected section and reconnecting properly — no more surprises hiding under trees or walls.

✅ Result: Job Done, Long-Term Fix in Place

Since the repair, the customer’s had zero further issues.
A bit of upfront investigation, a bit of digging, and the right long-term fix made all the difference.

💬 “Some drains just can’t be tickled — they’ve got to be poked.”

🐾 Plumbdog — Perth’s real plumbers, ready for the drain blockages that don’t play fair. 
📞 No callout fee | ✅ Drain locator & CCTV specialists | 🛠️ Long-term drainage solutions