(click
on links below)
HANDY
HINTS
Save
time and money before you call our plumbers
| 1.
| Clear
the area around the problem to save time when our plumber arrives. eg vanity,
under sink cupboards) | | 2.
| Identify
the problem as best you can and advise what materials you think our plumber may
need. | | 3.
| Make
the most of your call out fee by having any other maintenance problems fixed at
the same time. | | 4.
| In
an after hours emergency, if you can wait until morning, turn the water off overnight
to save on after hours costs. |
Save
time and money before you call our electricians
Fault finding - do it yourself,
if your safety switch (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker ELCB) has tripped out, follow
these simple steps:
| 1.
| Remove
all appliances plugged into the faulty circuit. | | 2.
| Reset
the ELCB (if ELCB won't reset call us). | | 3.
| Plug
in each appliance (one at a time) and turn on. | | 4.
| The
appliance which trips the ELCB will require service or repair. |
Safety
and Kids
Your
children and your home. There are few things as precious as either of those things.
But in your home, danger often lays waiting for your children. Hot water is one
of those dangers, but there are some things you can do to make sure your children
are safe in your own home. Hot
water can quickly scald a young child. At 60oC, it takes just 1 second for hot
water to cause third degree burns to a child, an injury that could leave scars
and require skin grafting. So teach your children a simple rule: cold water on
first, hot water off first. It will help reduce the risk to you children wherever
they are. If
you have a gas hot water heater and are worried about the risk to your children,
you can also turn the temperature down to low. We
can also help you choose devices that prevent scalding, like thermostatic mixing
valves, which automatically mix hot and cold water so temperatures never get hot
enough to burn.
Renovating  | Have
someone help you design your new bathroom / kitchen. | | Ask
your plumber who his preferred supplier is and visit them to see what they offer. | | Think
carefully about your fixtures, resist the temptation to buy what's cheapest. | | Call
in your plumber before any other tradespeople. | | Make
sure you explain to your plumber the fixtures you plan to install and where. |
Drips
and Leaks | A
leaking tap can damage or stain expensive basins. | | Many
leaking taps are caused by pits and grooves in their seats that need to be ground
back. | | Don't
overtighten new washers. | | If
you are buying new taps, look for taps that are convenient for you. Check out
single lever mixing taps or quarter-turn taps. | | Before
you call a plumber to deal with a leaking tap, run it on full pressure for 10
seconds, it could fix the problem. |
The
Toilet | Never
flush anything that doesn't belong down the toilet - this includes sanitary products,
nappies etc. | | Replace
cracked toilets immediately, they can break and cause injury. | | Before
you call a plumber, take the lid off the cistern and have a look around, it will
help you help the plumber and could save time and money. | | If
you can't fix the problem yourself, turn off the tap below the cistern, flush
the toilet to empty it and call the plumber. |
Blockages
- When the drain's a little slow.
How many times have you called your plumber
to fix a slow or blocked drain? And yet, like most plumbing problems, blocked
drains can be easily avoided with a little care and the right measures to keep
potential obstructions from washing down to where they might cause a problem. | Don't
pour things like coffee grounds, tea bags, vegetable peelings or fat down the
sink. | | Install
hair catchers in you shower and bath, and don't flush things like cigarettes,
tampons or tissues down the toilet. | | Use
a plunger or an old fashioned mop to force air down pipes if they are blocked.
| | Don't
try using an electric eel yourself, using them wrongly can cause damage. | | If
your plumber uses an electric eel, ask how much cable was used from the point
on entry. | | If
you have a serious blockage we can use a CCTV to inspect your pipes. | | Clean
your gutters regularly. |
Gas
Work - its for experts only | Make
sure you know where your gas mains meter and shut off valves are. | | To
turn it off turn the lever so it is at a right angle to the pipe. | | Make
sure a gas water heater is well ventilated. | | The
first smell of gas turn of at the gas main and call your plumber. |
Conserving
Water | Think
about it: a drip a second is 7,000litres a year. | | Look
at your daily habits and think about how you can save water. | | Install
aerators, flow controls and water-saving devices. | | Check
for leaks and have them fixed as soon as you find them. | | Look
at your lawn, is one side greener that the other, you could have an underground
leak. |
Landscaping | Tree
roots can cause extensive damage to sewer lines. | | Plan
ahead, know where you sewer pipes are before you plant anything. | | Don't
plant any trees over or near sewer lines, Avoid rubber plants and other problem
trees. | | Think
about how shrubs will grow, don't plant them next to taps. |
Hot
Water Systems | Flush
the pressure relief valve on your water heater every 6-12months, it's the valve
at the top of the tank with a lever attached. | | Shut
off your hot water system when you go on holidays. |
Safety
and kids | Teach
your children to always turn cold water on first and hot water off first. | | Consider
installing an anti-scalding device such as a thermostatic mixing valve. | | To
reduce the risk of scalding, turn your gas hot water heater's temperature to the
low setting. |
Telltale
Signs | Plumbing | | | If
you have | The
problem may be | | No
water | Main
water valve turned off, or a burst pipe | | Low
water pressure | Galvanised
pipes, a partly turned off main or burst pipe | | Pools
of water on you lawn | Bad
drainage or an underground water or sewage leak | | Greener
grass spots on the lawn | An
underground water or sewage leak | | Gurgling
sounds coming our of your toilet and slow drains | A
partial blockage | | Excessive
water or gas bills |
A hidden leak, running taps or toilets | | Overflowing
outdoor | Blocked
drains | | Dampness
in walls or blistering paint | Possible
leaks, gutter roofing problems, grout bad around tiles. | | A
toilet that runs continuously or is noisy |
A faulty float or perished washers in the cistern | | A
dripping tap |
Damaged washers or a pitted seat | | Taps
that are difficult to turn off | A
spindle that is ceased, badly greased or pitted | | Rusty
Water | Galvanised
pipes, an old hot water tank, mains turned off and on |
Electrical | | | If
you have | The
problem may be | | No
Power | Check
with your neighbours to see if everyone has lost their power. If so call "Energy
Australia" | Have
you lost only part of your power?
What is working ? | Check
in the meter box to see if a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker is the cause
of the problem. | | Safety
Switch | If
your safety switch (often known as an RCD or ELCB or Scan Elec) is in the OFF
position try resetting it. If switch goes straight back off, unplug all electrical
appliances and then reset the safety switch. If the switch resets then plug in
your appliances one at a time until the switch trips. This appliance is more than
likely causing the fault and needs replacing or repair. If
the safety switch will not reset once the appliances are all unplugged an electrician
is required. | | Remember
electricity can kill or cause fires, so if in doubt isolate the power by turning
off the power by switching off the "Main Switch" in the meter box | | Electric
Water Heater - no hot water | Is
water leaking out of the water heater tank or is the relief valve continually
running. YOU NEED A PLUMBER. | | Otherwise
check your fuses or circuit breaker. If this doesn't rectify the problem YOU NEED
AN ELECTRICIAN. | | Run
out of hot water |
If you are on "OFF PEAK" remember one person having a shower can use
up to 80-100 litres of hot water. |
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