Vlog

• The smallest of holes in a pipe can cause lots of wasted water which also means money wasted down the drain!
• Watch how an experienced Perth based Plumbdog Plumber finds and fixes burst water pipes. 
• He sniffs out the problem on this property before finishing his coffee. 
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Plumbdog Leak Detection & Repairs – How We Do It

Do you hear running water on your property, but as far you remember you don’t have a fountain or pond in your home? This video will show how Richard will track and fix a burst water pipe. Unlike many others, we will find the leak and we will fix the problem too without having to call on or recommend anyone else to get the whole job done.

Sniffing Out The Problem

To give a bit of a background, we received a call from a client that there’s a leak in his property. He was able to identify the area where the sound of the running water came from and it is somewhere in the laundry and bathroom. The client was also able to isolate the problem that it was the hot water line.

Effective and Efficient

Our top dog Richard starts his investigation by checking the water metre, and this confirmed that there is indeed a leak in the property. Thanks to the information that the client has provided the location was narrowed down between the bathroom and laundry area. Of course, we wouldn’t want to be digging on  the entire pipeline just to find the source. Here in Plumbdog we made sure to use advanced technology to make our less time-consuming. To find the leak source accurately, Richard, turned on the hot water so that once it starts flowing down the pipes the heat will be detected by our equipment. He used our thermal imaging infrared scanner, the gear can sense heat, which will make searching easier. He walked around the perimeter of the laundry and bathroom and saw a significant amount of heat near the drain.

Gotcha!

He removed a few blocks and started digging in the area that the scanner had identified where the leak may be coming from. Almost two feet below he sees a pool of water, and lo and behold, he just found the leakage. There’s a pinhole on the pipe near the tee joint. All of that accomplished before he was even able to finish his morning coffee!

Resolve in One CALL

Richard proceeds to replace the damaged section by welding in a new pipe and running a test after. He also checks the water metre again to make sure that the leak was just in that one spot. Seeing everything looked good, he covers the hole and do a little sweeping and make it look like nothing happened there. To finalise the service, Richard, will complete and submit a water leak loss report on behalf of the client to the Water Corporation. They will compute the credit that can be applied to the client’s water bill.

This is just one of the reasons why we say we have ‘all the gear and every idea’. We are maintenance plumbing specialists and leak detection and repairs as well as blocked drains are just a couple of our specialties.

• Sometimes simply servicing leaking taps isn’t enough. 
• There’s a lot that could cause water leaking through walls. It’s important to call in a professional to test and check to really understand what the problem is before applying solutions. 
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Are you excited to see what we have in store for you this time? Our top dog and local Perth plumber Darius will be checking and fixing a shower leak. Water leak detection is one of the specialist services we offer at Plumbdog.

Let’s Inspect

First thing he did was inspect other fittings and appliances just to make sure there’s no visible leak in the air conditioning unit or taps. Then he heads outside to do a meter test, and upon checking it doesn’t seem to be a substantial leak that may cause it to continuously run.

All The Gear and Every Idea

Inside, Darius removed the tapware in the shower so they won’t be in the way. He proceeds to check the shower area and it looks like it is dry on the outside. He suspects that the leak is inside the wall. Making sure that this isn’t trial by error, Darius uses our specialised infrared equipment for accuracy by doing pressure testing. He attaches a hose assembly on the shower that will help in heating up the pipes, once that happens the heat will also penetrate through the tiles. The infrared will show the problem area that needs to be fixed.

Solution, solution, solution

Seeing that the main fixture set mainly on the left side had already discoloured (copper turned to black), that only goes to show that it has been sitting in a damp and wet area. When that happens, it means that the leak has been there for quite some time. He showed that the leak is right in the centre of the wall breech. Our top dog recommends replacing the set to address the issue.

Whistle while we work

Approved by our client, Darius replaced the breech by welding it in and all the plumbing fixtures. There’s no need to come back for the repair because we make sure that we bring most of the pipefittings and fixtures, there won’t be any need for multiple visits. He tests the fixture and there is no more leak!

Next step is repairing the wall. He will cover the spindles to make sure that the threads remain clean as he puts the cement on the wall. He also puts the tapware back on and tests them one more time. Voila another leak sealed!

Trust the experts to have leaks fixed. There are instances where the water may be going through the wall on a certain area, but the main leak is somewhere else. That will be time consuming and may cost more for you in the end as you may end up re-grouting more than you have expected.
That’s why just give us a whistle and Plumbdog will ROC (Resolve in One Call) your leaks away!

• Join top dog Richard as he sniffs out the blocked drain problem and fixes the issue too.
• Finding and fixing blocked drains is one of our specialist plumbing services and we are no strangers to blocked showers.
• Watch the video and see how we do it!
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Blocked Shower Drain

In the video, we were called out to a property in Myaree with a blocked shower drain. Our local Perth Plumber and top dog Richard shows how he efficiently and effectively located the problem area and cleared the blocked shower drain which also affected the water passage in the washroom.

Richard first visited the place and made a thorough investigation regarding where the drain was blocked. He then investigated the layout of the house before opening the threaded access points on waste pipes. He found that the blocked shower waste pipe and found that the main reason for blocking is the build-up of hair and tree roots combined in it.

Hair & Tree Roots

We always say some of the most common causes of blocked drains are tree roots (which you would have seen from our other videos) and hair. At this job we had both. Yummy!

The hair naturally came from normal shower usage but the house also had a tree at the entry of the drain which the combination of tree roots and hair caused this blocked drain issue. After identifying the problem, Richard proceeds to clear, clean and remove all of the debris causing the blockage aided by having the right tools for the job.

It’s one thing to just remove and clear the problem area but having all the gear and every idea, we make sure it’s cleared properly and checked.

Don’t Panic, Give us a Whistle!

People often panic when they witness a blocked shower drain and try to think of quick fixes. More often than not simply pouring a drain cleaner bought at the local hardware store or a homemade DIY solution will not do the trick. As you can see from the video, with the amount of hair buildup along with tree roots causing this blocked shower, a store bought drain unblocking solution will not do the trick.

• When a like for like gas hot water system replacement just isn’t possible 
• The work of gas fitters in Perth are inspected by a third party which is good for the industry and consumer
• Check out more of our VLOGs & don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

When It’s Time To Change a Hot Water System

This video will show how Richard replaces and relocated the gas storage hot water system at a home in Parkwood.   He will be completing the installation and will make sure that it is compliant to the standard regulations of what installed hot water tanks should look like.

Tired Tank

When the client called, their problem was that they didn’t have hot water, the pilot light was out and there was a substantial amount of water leaking from the tank. Richard asked for some photos to make sure his diagnosis will be accurate before making any recommendation. Aside from the fact that the tank is 19 years old, it was missing compliant components such as a gas isolation valve and soak pits for the relief valves.

Options, options, options

After some meticulous investigation, Richard provides 3 quotes for the client. They will choose from a Vulcan 135, a Rheem 135 and a Rheem Stellar 330. The client followed Richard’s recommendation and chose the Rheem Stellar 330. With its advanced technology and given a 5-star energy efficiency, this tank is cost-effective in the long run, not to mention the 10-year warranty that gives the customer assurance that it is definitely built for the long haul.

Aside from getting a new tank, it is Richard’s job to make sure that it will be compliant to the standard regulations.  He talked to the client that the best place to relocate the tank from the alcove corner is to the main wall next to it.  The area will give ample space and clearance for the hot water storage. The client had to move their existing clothesline and will have to opt for a shorter line, or they will have to move it in a different part of the property.

Time to do the Dirty Work

Richard showed how he laid the pipework since he had to replace the old ones as they were as old as the tank. He made sure that the fittings are placed strategically, avoiding the tank so if in any case there are some problems in the future there will be no problems troubleshooting it. The worst thing is having to take out the entire gas system just to fix the fittings. He also laid a big concrete slab where the water heater will sit on.  He also installed a gas isolation valve and the hot and cold relief valves now has soak pits. All installed and ticked the checklist for compliance requirements for a gas storage hot water system.

Whistle and We will Come

Our expert plumbers in Perth install and complete the work as efficiently as possible. We provide solutions that are compliant and cost efficient to our customers whether it’s replacing a new hot water system or giving your existing system the servicing it needs. Give us a whistle and we will come!