by Gary Mays | Oct 12, 2013 | Consumer Issues, Emergency Plumber, Gold Coast Plumbing, Insurance, Leaking Pipes, LPG / NG Gas Leaks
The plumbers at Whywait Plumbing are constantly bewildered by some people think if they ignore the smell of gas that it will go away. Gas leaks are never something you should ignore, even if you perceive it to be that you only have a small gas leak. A suspected gas leak can be dangerous and you should deal with it immediately.
If you smell that distinctive gas smell inside your home we recommend the following:
- Evacuate everyone from the house and open all of your doors and windows
- leave the house and turn off gas at the meter (or LP Gas cylinder if that’s what you’re using).
- If you can and it’s safe to do, switch the power off at the electricity meter box too, so electrical appliances can’t generate a spark.
- Then move to a safe distance and call your plumber or local gas authority (see below).
If you smell that distinctive gas smell outside your home then we recommend the following:
- Immediately turn off or remove all sources of ignition such as cigarettes, mobile phones, and any outdoor electrical equipment in the immediate are
- Call the 000 emergency number and inform you have a gas leak and where you suspect the leak is plus any other relevant information that you have observed
- Turn off the gas at your meter
Your gas meter is usually located at the side or front of your home and to turn off do the following:
- Turn the valve at the gas meter to the OFF position
- If the OFF position is not obvious or has worn off over time then generally the valve is off when the handle is at right angles or to the gas inlet pipe.
Modern gas appliances are almost fool proof but like all appliance they must be maintained. Signs to look for and observe that may indicate that your gas appliances may not be operating correctly include:
- fluctuating flames on your cook top
- you are running out of hot water
- you are running out of gas
- faint smell of gas
- sudden increase in gas bill
- hissing noises from pipe joints
- flames are yellow or red
If you observe any of these appearances or problems then turn off the appliance and contact Whywait Plumbing immediately for a gas-fitter to be sent to your home. Because if nothing else you and your family may be at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Finally never ever attempt to fix a gas leak yourself. It must always be undertaken by a licensed gas-fitter. Repairing a gas leak must always be undertaken by a licensed gas fitter with a gas certificate of compliance issued where pipes, fittings or appliances are modified or replaced. Very simply all these requirements are the law, they are not voluntary options.
When it comes to installing, repairing and maintaining your gas pipes & appliances you can depend on the professionalism, expertise and experience you receive from the experienced gas fitting experts at Whywait Plumbing.
by Gary Mays | Sep 25, 2013 | City of Gold Coast, Cold Water, Consumer Issues, DIY Plumbing, Emergency Plumber, Gold Coast Plumbing, Gold Coast Water, Leaking Pipes, Plumbers, Plumbers Gold Coast, Plumbing Emergencies, Plumbing Maintenance, Toilets, Water, Water Leaks, Water Meters
How to check if you have a water pipe leak
With a water pipe leak, it’s commonly said that prevention is the key. Positive preventive maintenance saves you thousands of dollars in hassles and water damage.
That’s why you want to follow the simple step by step check for a water pipe leak. This will prevent the hassles before they hit you where it hurts most – in your pocket!
Step by Step Instructions
Below we run through:
- Check your taps
- Check your toilets
- Turn the taps off
- Check your water meter
- Wait 15 minutes
- Compare water meter readings
- Turn the taps back on
- When to call a plumber
- When your good to go
At Whywait Plumbing, we have always preached that preventative maintenance policies and procedures will prevent many of the significant cost blowouts in plumbing maintenance.
As always, prevention on checking for a water leak is the best solution. An underground concealed water pipe leak is often impossible to see or hear. More so if your home is on sandy soil or has lots of garden vegetation.
The simplest way to check if you have a concealed water pipe leak is to follow the how-to steps below:
Step 1 – Check your taps
Check all taps both inside the house and outside the house are not dripping.
Step 2 – Check your toilets
Check the toilet cisterns are not overflowing or running into the toilet bowl by tipping a few drops of food dye into the cistern and if there is no colouring of the water in the toilet bowl you know there is no leak.
Step 3 – Turn the taps off
Turn off all the taps that you normally leave turned on, such as the washing machine, dishwasher and the toilet cisterns.
Step 4 – Check your water meter
At the council water meter check the meter is not turning and write down the figures on the meter dial.
Step 5 – Wait 15 minutes
After 15 minutes recheck the water meter and write down the figures on the meter dial again.
Step 6 – Compare water meter readings
Compare the figures you have written down, and if the numbers have not changed at all, then you have no water pipe leak. If the numbers have changed very slightly repeat the test but do it for at least 1 hour.
Step 7 – Turn the taps back on
If you are satisfied there are no leaks remember to turn back on the taps you turned off at the washing machine, dishwasher and toilet cisterns.
Step 8 – When to call a plumber
If the meter dial reading on the water meter has changed after 1 hour then in all likelihood you have an underground concealed water pipe leak, and you need to give Whywait a call to organise leak detection.
Step 9 – When your good to go
If the meter dial reading has not changed, that means your underground water reticulation piping is in good condition.
Prevention is the key
No matter what your results in the above step by step preventative maintenance suggestions, we recommend you repeat it monthly. We also recommend you record your water meter readings every month as any change in water use patterns will quickly indicate a possible leak.
As a rule of thumb, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE for any water leak after the council water meter that is on your property. Therefore we recommend that you at least check your water meter reading every month and seriously consider the installation of an AquaTrip water pipe leak detection and control system.
by Gary Mays | Jan 23, 2012 | Bathrooms, City of Gold Coast, Consumer Issues, DIY Plumbing, Emergency Plumber, Form 4 notifiable work, handyman, Health Issues, Insurance, licensed plumber, Plumbers Gold Coast, Plumbing Legislation, Queensland Government
Cleaners are not plumbers.
A phone call I received last week from a cleaner asking me are cleaners able to legally undertake plumbing work alerted me to the pressures many cleaning contractors face from unscrupulous building owners and property managers. Increasingly there is a tendency by commercial building owners and their property managers to require their cleaning contractors to undertake work tasks that are legally plumbing. Cleaners undertaking plumbing tasks are quite merely breaking several laws as are their employers and supervisors.
The most common plumbing tasks that cleaners who are untrained, unskilled and unlicensed appear to be being required to undertake as part of their cleaning duties are:
- unblocking of drains
- unblocking of toilets
- disconnecting and clearing of traps
- servicing of urinals
What plumbing work can a cleaner perform
The only plumbing-related tasks a cleaner or any other person can legally undertake are:
- cleaning or maintaining ground level grates to traps on sanitary drains
- replacing caps to ground level inspection openings on sanitary drains
- maintaining an above or below ground irrigation system for the disposal of effluent from an on-site sewerage facility
- installing or maintaining an irrigation or lawn watering system downstream from an isolating valve, tap or backflow prevention device on the supply pipe for the irrigation or lawn watering system
- replacing a jumper valve or washer in a tap
- changing a showerhead
- replacing, in a water closet (WC) cistern, a drop valve washer, float valve washer or suction cup rubber.
All other work must be undertaken by a licensed plumber and drainer – no ifs, no buts, no exceptions.
Laws that apply to who can do plumbing
Cleaners who are required and frequently forced by their supervisors and employers to undertake plumbing tasks usually at the behest of building owners and property managers are all breaking the following laws and regulations:
- Building Services Authority Act 1991
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011
- Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code
- Plumbing and Drainage Act 2002
- Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2003
- Standard Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2003
Plumbers and drainers, unlike cleaners, are trained to undertake tasks such as clearing of drains or working on toilets or urinals. All of these tasks require specialised training, diagnostic skills and an awareness of health and safety issues. Above all plumbers are licensed to undertake the work by the Queensland Government plumbing regulator, the Plumbing Industry Council. The latter are legally required to protect public health and safety through Queensland’s plumbing and drainage licensing system.
Standard Plumbing & Drainage Regulation 2003 requirements
Tasks such as unblocking of drains, unblocking of toilets, disconnecting and clearing of traps or servicing of urinals are covered explicitly by schedule 2 of Standard Plumbing & Drainage Regulation 2003 as detailed below:
- work necessary for maintaining, repairing or replacing a fitting or fixture
- work necessary for maintaining or repairing an apparatus other than a backflow prevention device or thermostatic mixing valve
- work necessary for replacing apparatus other than a backflow prevention device, thermostatic mixing valve, tempering valve, water heater, cistern, pump or water meter
- work necessary for maintaining, repairing or replacing fire hydrants or fire hose reels
- unblocking a pipe that is sanitary plumbing or sanitary drainage
- work necessary for maintaining or repairing a solar or heat pump hot water system in a building classified under BCA as a class 1, 2, 3 or 4 building
Work undertaken under schedule 2 does not require the lodgement of form 4 with the local government plumbing & drainage inspectors. Still, all work must be conducted by a licensed plumber or drainer.
A cleaner despite what they are told cannot undertake any of the above tasks. They and those that instruct them to do the work are breaking the law, and all are liable for fines plus leave themselves exposed to common law claims under the due diligence provisions of the new WHS Act 2011.
It is straightforward if there is general cleaning of a plumbing fixture then there is no issue its a cleaning task. Where a component part is replaced or disconnected from the plumbing or drainage system, fixture or fitting for maintenance or servicing it can only be legally undertaken by a licensed plumber.
I reiterate the answer to the question are cleaners able to legally undertake plumbing work is a resounding NO and if you are unsure call Whywait Plumbing any time of (07) 5580 4311 to get assistance.
