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Changing a Wall Mounted Mixer Tap
  • A burst pipe is often reflected by a sudden increase in your water bill.
  • Contacting a licensed plumber to detect and fix your leak will save time, money and precious water.
  • Be sure to take care of pipes and avoid damaging them when installing so as to reduce the chance of a burst pipe later on.
  • Like & Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date!

Finding the source of a leak can be both time consuming and frustrating. The mystery of what mess you could find beneath the ground may be daunting, but with Plumbdog on hand we can save you time, endless digging to find your leak and many, many litres of water. Here Darius shows us how the team uses their specialist equipment to quickly find the source of the leak and fix the problem.

BURST PIPE
Darius arrives at a call out for a burst pipe and with some initial checks realises the problem is external to the house coming from the cold water main.

FUJI LEAK DETECTOR TIME
Like a stethoscope for leak detection, Darius uses the Fuji Leak Detector to test the area around the suspected leak. Navigating his way closer to the water metre he finds the correct spot to target his digging.

UNEARTHING THE PROBLEM
With the removal of a few pavers and a bit of digging, Darius finds the source of the water leak with damp soil near the copper pipe joining the polypropylene pipe. Turning the water main back on confirms this is the source of the leak, with water starting to gush out of the poly pipe. With a little more digging Darius reveals a number of damage points in the poly pipe that have weakened and split open.

AVOIDING THE ISSUE
The damage found was most likely caused during the installation phase of the build. The pipe was relatively new and should have lasted a lot longer, however the pipe looked as though it had been dragged and damaged, weakening the pipe. A nice reminder that taking care of your plumbing materials (like Plumbdog do!) will mean less hassles down the line.

THE SOLUTION
Darius decides the most efficient way to repair the damaged pipe is to extend the copper pipe down to where there is some undamaged poly pipe to connect to. Darius is careful to add a bend to the copper pipe extension to help relax the angle of the join to the poly pipe. Sharper angled joins are a possible contributing factor to damage and weak spots in the pipe.

Plumbdog uses specialist equipment, in this case the REMS press gun to join the copper pipe extension to the existing copper pipe. The press gun is used to crimp the sections of pipe together. A Plasson fitting is used at the other end of the copper pipe extension to connect to the existing undamaged poly pipe.
Tip: Always check that the Plasson fittings have the grab ring around the right way as sometimes they can be put in the fitting back to front.

TESTS AND CHECKS
Plumbdog takes pride in getting the job done well which is why the final checks are so important. Darius turns the mains water back on and runs the nearest tap while visually inspecting for leaks around the newly installed pipe. The water metre is also tested for a period of time to ensure that no water is being lost anywhere else.

GOT A LEAK?
Let Plumbdog play their favourite detective game!
If you’re in the Greater Perth area, invite us round to find your leak. We’ll bring our favourite gadgets and will be happy to get the problem sorted for you and save you time and precious water!

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, like and subscribe to stay up to date with our latest videos.

Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel

Changing a Wall Mounted Mixer Tap
  • Updating your wall mounted taps can be challenging as different manufacturers may use different sized parts.
  • Depending on the new tapware chosen, swapping over a wall mounted tap might be possible without getting out the jackhammer!
  • Darius from Plumbdog has some fun completing the final piece to the puzzle, changing the bathtub mixer tap to match the new matte black finish in the rest of the bathroom.
  • Don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Changing mixer tapware that is surface mounted is easy to do, but how do you change tapware that’s built into the wall without opening up the wall? In this VLOG Darius shows us some tricks of the trade to make this swap possible.

BACK IN BLACK
A quick tour round the ensuite bathroom shows the bathroom getting a little facelift with a new matte black shower head and surface mounted sink mixer tap. These fixtures are relatively easy to change and give the bathroom a modern sleek finish. But when it comes to changing the wall mounted mixer tap for the bathtub, things are a little less straightforward.

CHROME INVESTIGATIONS
The existing chrome wall mounted tap mixer body may not suit the new tapware. To find out, the Plumbdog team will have to dismantle the mixer tap and see if parts can be easily changed over. It’s not always possible to change out old components for new as manufacturers like to change small things to make it nearly impossible…. but when you’re a clever sausage like Darius it can be done.

OUT WITH THE OLD… AND SOME OF THE NEW
When dismantling the new mixer tap there is a brass mixer tap body and a cartridge which mates onto the face of the tap body. These pieces fit together and are what create a seal to stop the water flow. In theory, the brass tap body can be discarded as there is already one mounted in the wall from the existing tapware.

When dismantling the existing chrome mixer tap, Plumbdog is extra careful not to damage parts just in case it can be swapped and the old tap needs to be reassembled, but thankfully this is not the case here.

SQUARE PEG ROUND HOLE
Like poetry in motion, Darius cuts a slightly larger hole in the wall to allow the new square black mixer tap fixing to slide in and screw on to the existing brass plate in the wall.

With a bucket at the ready for any water that wants to drain from the pipes in the wall, Darius continues to assemble the new tap using the cartridge from the old tap as it is the correct size to create the best seal.

Piece by piece the tap is replaced using a little from the old and a little from the new.

SPOUTING WITH JOY
With the mixer tap successfully assembled, the final piece to the puzzle is fitting the spout where Darius finds he needs to cut back the wall piece to ensure the spout sits flush against the wall.

Using specialised equipment called a spud or nipple cutter (ouch!), he cuts back the spud by a few threads. This equipment prevents damage to the wall that could occur if using a hacksaw for the job.

Extra care is taken with a drop sheet to protect the bathtub and bathroom floor and to catch any mess.

SOME FINAL CHECKS AND TIPS
Always seal around the tap to ensure no water can run back into the wall.
Take care of your fellow plumbers. Greasing the stainless steel grub screw in the tap will help prevent the metals from seizing together, allowing the next person to remove the screw with a little less cursing!

Turn on the water, check for leaks around the mixer tap and check that hot is hot and cold is cold!

Plumbdog take great pride in their knowledge and have specialised equipment to help you achieve the best result, especially when things aren’t as straightforward as you had hoped.

If you’re in the Greater Perth area and want to save yourself from a date with the jackhammer, Plumbdog is your wingman. Give us a call today!
Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, like and subscribe to stay up to date with our latest videos.

Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel

Blocked Kitchen Sink
  • Understanding where a drain is really blocked will help to know where to clear it from
  • Plunging a blocked pipe is only a temporary fix
  • Contacting a licensed plumber to fix a blockage will save time and money in the long run
  • Don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel!
  • Top Dog Richard was recently called out to a property on a Friday due to a blocked kitchen sink. The sink simply wouldn’t drain and was causing headaches for the family, especially going into a busy weekend.

In this VLOG, Rich shows us what was causing the blockage and how he unclogged it using his specialised equipment.

EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK

A quick check of the various drains in the house verified that the blockage was contained to the kitchen sink, as this was the only one backing up. A further investigation found that the overflow gully located on the other side of the home was also backflowing, leading Rich to believe that the gully pipe was blocked, rather than the shorter kitchen waste pipe.
The gully pipe was situated under the slab of the house, running the entire width of the home and the blockage could be anywhere along that pipe.

MORE THAN TAKING THE PLUNGE

The first step the Plumbdog team will take is to use a plunger down the gully pipe to see if the blockage can be dispersed. This can lower the water level, making it easier to use other equipment. Plumbdog will never stop at using just a plunger, as further investigation is always required for blockages and this would be considered a quick fix, not a permanent one.

GREASE IS THE WORD

The next step involves feeding a drain jetter 2-3 metres down the gully pipe to clear out any immediate build-up. Rich then switched to his rigid nano cam/CCTV, but the camera lens was quickly covered in grease, confirming that the blockage was due to fats and oils being washed down the kitchen sink.
To prevent any mess inside the home, a towel was placed in the kitchen sink to avoid any splashback that may occur during the next step.
A rear-facing jetter was then fed through the gully pipe, assisted by the CCTV camera to monitor the progress. Metre by metre, the grease was cleared all the way up to the kitchen sink waste pipe.
While retracting the CCTV, it was clear that the gully pipe was now free of any grease build-up and the kitchen sink was draining with ease again.

PLUMBDOG TO THE RESCUE

Grease build-up is a very common problem that can occur over time. While there may be some short-term solutions available, it is important to contact a plumber who isn’t afraid to get their paws dirty to properly clear the build-up in the pipe. Plumbdog has the state of the art equipment to get the best results, so if you’re in the Greater Perth area and are in need of a reliable Perth Plumber, give us a whistle!

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, like and subscribe to stay up to date with our latest videos.

Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel

Sacrificial Anodes
  • Preventative Maintenance for your Hot Water System is important
  • Replacing sacrificial anodes is an important part of the maintenance
  • It is just as important to use a licensed plumber for the job
  • Like & Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date!

 

Changing anodes looks like an easy job but it isn’t always as easy as it looks. It’s the same in any industry where professionals exist because of training and experience. What might seem like a simple task may require a better understanding of the equipment, even having the right equipment, the parts and the right way to do the job.

SACRIFICIAL ANODES ARE NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL

You already know that there are many makers of hot water systems. We work with just about any hot water heater but we also supply and install new systems from Rheem, Rinnai, Dux, Vulcan and Bosch just to name a few and there’s more. Just like if you wanted to buy spare parts for your car, a case for your mobile phone, a memory stick for your camera or even fittings for your garden hose, the first thing you usually do is check whether you are buying the correct part for your make and model. This is the same for sacrificial anodes.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN USING ANODES THAT JUST AREN’T RIGHT?

We’re not sure where the client purchased or the specifications provided but what we know is they bought the anode online. It could have been advertised as a generic anode and after installing the anode, the hot water kept spitting and spluttering.

In the video, you can see that our clients had installed an anode which is smaller than the original and the customer has said that the hot water has not been the same since installation. The water has been spluttering and spitting and what we can see is the new anode is already in worse condition to the old anode which it replaced.

REPLACING SACRIFICIAL ANODES

You may have seen videos, maybe even ours, where replacing sacrificial anodes is an important part of servicing and maintaining hot water systems. Watching our videos, you would already know that sacrificial anodes are made to corrode over time as their name suggests, they sacrifice themselves to attract particles in water to help extend the life of the hot water system and hence why they need to be replaced over time.

BENEFITS OF USING A PROPER LICENSED PLUMBER

Unless you have the skills and knowledge, time and equipment, we highly recommend giving a proper experienced and licensed plumber a whistle. The person who bought the anodes at this property already wasted money buying anodes that simply didn’t do the job, suffered having hot water that did not work properly and wasted time and money in the process. Furthermore, you could injure yourself or cause damage to the property or the hot water unit if you really do not know what you are doing.

GIVE US A WHISTLE!

Next time you need a plumber that genuinely services hot water systems and not one that simply pushes you to buy a new hot water system, think of plumbers like Plumbdog. If you’re in the Greater Perth area and are in need of a reliable Perth Plumber, give us a whistle!

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, like and subscribe to stay up to date with our latest videos.

Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel

Load More Vlogs

Planes, Chains and Leak Detection

A burst pipe is often reflected by a sudden increase in your water bill. Contacting a licensed plumber to detect and fix your leak will save time, money and precious water. Be sure to take care of pipes and avoid damaging them when installing so as to reduce the chance of a burst pipe later on. Like & Subscribe

Read More

Back in Black – Changing a Wall Mounted Mixer Tap

Updating your wall mounted taps can be challenging as different manufacturers may use different sized parts. Depending on the new tapware chosen, swapping over a wall mounted tap might be possible without getting out the jackhammer! Darius from Plumbdog has some fun completing the final piece to the puzzle, changing the bathtub mixer tap to match the new matte

Read More

Blocked Kitchen Sink – Going Beyond the Plunger

Understanding where a drain is really blocked will help to know where to clear it from Plunging a blocked pipe is only a temporary fix Contacting a licensed plumber to fix a blockage will save time and money in the long run Don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Top Dog Richard was recently called out

Read More

Replacing Sacrificial Anodes (The Right Way)

Preventative Maintenance for your Hot Water System is important Replacing sacrificial anodes is an important part of the maintenance It is just as important to use a licensed plumber for the job Like & Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date!   Changing anodes looks like an easy job but it isn’t always as easy as

Read More

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