by Gary Mays | Jan 18, 2014 | City of Gold Coast, Consumer Issues, DIY Plumbing, Gold Coast Plumbing, Insurance, Leaking Pipes, Plumbers, Plumbers Gold Coast, Plumbing Emergencies, Plumbing Maintenance, Water, Water Leaks
Badly installed or faulty plumbing installation will flood your home and is a risk you need to minimise. At Whywait Plumbing we have lost count of the amount of flooded homes we have attended. A flooding house caused by faulty plumbing leaves home owners angry, frustrated and often soaking wet.
Whywait staff frequently have to deal with distraught homeowners who are heartbroken by the loss of family heirlooms such as photos and documents. The problem with most plumbing is that it is hidden in the walls or the roof or the floor or is underground. While some plumbing problems are preventable it is impossible to deal with things you cannot see like pipes in walls or in the roof space.
There are steps every homeowner should take inside their home that ultimately can save you a lot of time, money and aggravation. At Whywait Plumbing we recommend you take the following steps to prevent your home being flooded from inside:
1. Know where to turn off your water – always know where the main water supply valve is to your home and practice turning it off to ensure you know how to do it. At regular intervals check that the valve is working. When going on holiday turn off the water supply to your home to ensure you do not return home to a flooded house.
2. Check washing machine & dishwasher hoses – the hoses to these essential household appliances are invariably manufactured from plastic or rubber. These machines are constantly left turned on to the water supply meaning the hoses become part of the plumbing system. In case of an emergency it pays to know where the valves are to isolate the machines plus check the valve is working at regular intervals. At regular intervals check the hoses for bubbles or soft spots or if there is moisture on the hose as these are signs of a potential problem looming.
3. Check hot water tanks – if you hot water tank is inside your home usually in a cupboard or occasionally in the ceiling it pays to check it at regular intervals. A hot water tank will generally last 7 – 15 years depending on location and water quality. Once the tank is over 10 years of age it is living on borrowed time. Always ensure you know where the isolation valve is for the tank and check it at regular intervals to ensure it is working.
4. Check toilets – your toilet cistern is connected permanently to the cold water supply and will either be connected to the cistern tap under the cistern by copper pipe or a stainless steel flexible connector. Leaks are common at the connections so it is wise to check the cistern tap is working and to check the copper pipe or flexible connector for kinks or signs of moisture as these are signs of a potential problem looming.
5. Check sinks and basins – your kitchen sink and your vanity basins are frequently connected to the hot and cold water supply with stainless steel flexible connectors. These connectors are one of the most frequent causes of flooded homes. Frequently there are no isolation valves under the sink or basin so you need to check these connectors at regular intervals for kinks or signs of moisture as these are signs of a potential problem looming.
You cannot prevent everything and unfortunately there are no warnings to tell you something is about to burst.
The most important thing though is to ensure every person living in your house knows where to isolate the main water supply and how to turn it off. If you are not sure of how to isolate your water supply call Whywait Plumbing now.
By Gary Mays
by Gary Mays | Dec 31, 2013 | City of Gold Coast, Cold Water, Consumer Issues, Gold Coast Plumbing, Insurance, Leaking Pipes, Plumbers, Plumbers Gold Coast, Plumbing Emergencies, Plumbing Legislation, Plumbing Maintenance, Water, Water Hammer, Water Leaks
Do you know the risks of living with high water pressure because I frequently listen to clients of Whywait Plumbing recollecting the days gone by when high water pressure was the norm. For many high water pressure had been a bonus, especially when water was virtually provided for free. High water pressure enabled many to stand in one spot and water the whole garden or to literally pressure clean the car or driveway.
Both Gold Coast and Logan council areas in the past had high water pressure delivery. Frequently in excess of 800kPa and often as high as 1100kPa. In reality high water pressures caused many problems with damage to pipes, appliances, taps, valves and fittings from water hammer which also reduced their operational life plus caused excessive noise in the water reticulation system.
Legally under Australian Standards, AS/NZS 3500.1:2003, Plumbing and Drainage – Water Services, the relevant clause is 3.3.4 which states, “Maximum pressure within buildings – Provision shall be made to ensure that the maximum operating pressure at any outlet, other than a fire service outlet, within a building does not exceed 500 kPa.” This was further reinforced with amendments in 2010 to clause 3.2.1 which states, “The maximum flow rate from a shower, basin and kitchen sink or laundry trough outlet shall not exceed 9 L/min.”
These very clear definitions within Australian Standards create a dangerous situation that many home and building owners are unaware of. This is because they have the incoming mains water pressure set above the maximum legislated operating pressure of 500kPa level for most connected plumbing fixtures. These plumbing fixtures include dishwashers, washing machines, ice makers, boiling water units, mixer taps, refrigerators with water dispensers and hot water systems.
Having excessive water pressure can cause you more problems than you may be aware of. Aside from damage to pipes, appliances, taps, valves and fittings from water hammer which also reduced their operational life plus caused excessive noise in the water reticulation system, you may also be voiding your property insurance and manufacturer’s warranty on any number of these expensive household appliances.
Most insurance policies and appliance warranties are void if your water pressure is above the recommended operational levels. This will always come back to the requirements of Australian Standards which is of course 500kPa.
Most hot water system warranties are void above 500kPa once again with the reference point being the requirements of Australian Standards. Many people are fooled into thinking they have a compliant system as they have pressure limiting valves installed. In reality the majority of these valves over 3 years old are faulty and in need of replacement.
As council water retailers will not guarantee supply pressures the onus is back on home and building owners to ensure they are compliant with Australian Standards. Most homes and buildings constructed since 2003 have pressure reduction valves installed after the water meter but these frequently require recalibration. Homes and buildings constructed before 2003 seldom have a pressure reduction valve installed which means they are susceptible to the fluctuations in water supply pressure.
The risks of high water pressure can be devastating on multiple fronts so if you are unsure of what your water pressure is and whether your system is compliant in regard to your insurance policies then contact Whywait Plumbing Services now to carry out a comprehensive analysis of your incoming water pressure to ensure you are aware of the risks of living with high water pressure..
By Gary Mays
by Gary Mays | Nov 15, 2013 | Bathrooms, City of Gold Coast, Consumer Issues, Health Issues, Plumbers, Plumbing Maintenance, Whywait Plumbing
33% of employees admitting they do not wash their hands every time they use workplace toilets is why Whywait Plumbing ensures toilet basins are correctly installed and maintained
Construction sites, workshops, factories, offices, restaurants in fact any Gold Coast workplace is a breeding grounds for germs with the majority of businesses not making workplace hygiene the priority it needs to be. Recent research indicates poor workplace hygiene is costing business Australia wide up to $800 million in lost wages each year and the Gold Coast is not exempt with:
- 33% of employees admitting they do not wash their hands every time they use workplace toilets
- 5% of employees worry about other employees not washing their hands when using workplace toilets
- 70% of employees genuinely believed poor workplace hygiene affected their overall job satisfaction.
- 40% of employees fearing poor workplace hygiene will cause them to get sick
- 50% of employees believe concerns about workplace hygiene affected their productivity
- 75% of employees believe poor workplace hygiene indicates their employer “doesn’t care about them”
- 55% of employees are dissatisfied with their workplace toilets
- 55% of employees criticised their employer for not providing a clear vision and clarity of expectation for the expected level of hygiene that all employees should meet
- 56% of employees are distracted from work due to concerns regarding the hygiene behaviour of other employees
- 57% of employees believe their personal productivity is reduced because of time spent talking to other employees about their company’s hygiene standards
- 72% of employees are reluctant to recommend a business with poor workplace hygiene
- 54% of employees indicated they had to spent time cleaning up after other employees in workplace kitchen and toilet facilities
Most frightening with all of the issues surrounding workplace, health and safety, (W,H&S) is that the research survey showed up that the hygiene habits of Australian workers are appallingly low with one in six employees falling ill from poor workplace hygiene and the poor cleanliness of lunchrooms and staff toilets. For employers the statistics are even more frightening with:
- 4.8 employee sick days annually
- productivity losses of $800 million in wages for employers
Whywait Plumbing found this workplace urinal with no flushing water and full of odour blocking tablets to mask the smells that were overpowering with employees only using the toilet as a last resort
The plumbing technicians at Whywait Plumbing are frequently shocked at the condition of workplace toilet facilities that they are asked to repair with many businesses failing to maintain their employee workplace toilet facilities operationally with the most common faults being:
- toilets not flushing correct amounts of water leading to blockages
- urinals not being maintained correctly
- basin taps not working
- hot water turned off or disconnected
- cracked porcelain basins, toilets and urinals
All too frequently these workplace toilet facilities are also poorly maintained in regards to cleaning hygiene with the most common issues being:
- no soap dispensors
- no paper towel dispensors
- broken toilet roll holders
- cracked wall and floor tiles
All of the above issues create an ideal breeding ground for germs leading to cross contamination within the workplace. No matter which way you look at it poor workplace hygiene reflects poorly on any business.
Business owners and managers need to take the lead in the workplaces issued by outlining the expected hygiene standards for workplace kitchen and toilet facilities. It is well proven that a business with a good company culture that has a clear vision and clarity of expectation with regard to workplace hygiene ensures that the expected level of hygiene are complied with by employees.
By Gary Mays
by Gary Mays | Oct 29, 2013 | City of Gold Coast, Consumer Issues, Health Issues, Plumber Brisbane, Plumbers Gold Coast, Plumbing Maintenance, Queensland Government, Rain Water Tanks, rainwater tanks, Sustainable Plumbing
Rainwater Tanks… Maintaining Clean Water
It is now six years since the water management crisis in South-East Queensland was at its peak. Rainwater tanks were the flavour of the month and were being sold and installed by every man and his dog, aided and abetted by generous subsidies from the Queensland Government.
Unfortunately, the panic by the Queensland Government at the time and the relaxation of standards with countless shoddy installations are now beginning to bite. This has led to a situation where government agencies are picking up the pieces to repair lousy policy.
Fortunately, there have been some significant publications and research undertaken by the Environmental Health Committee (enHealth) of the Australian Health Protection Committee, which has published an excellent publication called “Guidance on Use of Rainwater Tanks”, which we advise you to download and read if you have a rainwater tank by clicking here.
Rainwater tanks in an urban environment were always going to be an issue concerning maintenance, and the plumbing technicians at Whywait Plumbing Services see this issue constantly:
- Poorly maintained or completely failed rainwater tanks are everywhere
- Pumps that no longer work are commonplace
- Leaking rainwater tanks are commonplace.
Rainwater tank systems are generally low maintenance, but they are not maintenance-free. Routine rainwater tank maintenance is required to maintain the life expectancy of the infrastructure and ensure compliance with the Public Health Act.
Maintaining your rainwater tank is your responsibility as the property owner. The biggest threat posed is the potential to create a health risk in the tank, becoming a breeding site for mosquitoes. All rainwater tanks must be fitted at all times with the following:
- Inlet strainers that are 1mm or less to prevent mosquitoes from entering the tank
- All overflows must be installed with a high-flow flap valve that automatically closes and seals when not in use to prevent mosquitoes from entering the tank.
The recommended maintenance required, plus the routine regularity, are listed below:
- Three months: remove debris from gutters, downpipes & first flush devices. Check insect screens on rainwater heads & overflow outlets are debris free, intact & in good condition.
- Six months: check roof & flashing’s, remove overhanging branches & repair any defects. Check for signs of mosquitoes & larvae, plus any evidence of animal, bird or insect access. Check for algal growth & if detected, locate & seal the light entry point. Check tank, fittings & pump for any leaks or defects & repair.
- Twelve months: check the integrity of the tank support base, check pumps & solenoid valves along with all plumbing bypass or backup systems & repair as necessary.
- Twenty-four months: check the sediment level in the tank and water quality. Generally, accumulated sediment should be removed from the tank at intervals not exceeding three years.
If you are no longer using your rainwater tank, you must cut it up and remove it from the site. It cannot be allowed to become a mosquito breeding site or a home for vermin such as rats or mice.
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 | Aug 23, 2013 | City of Gold Coast, cloudy hot water, Consumer Issues, Gold Coast Plumbing, Health Issues, Hot Water, Hot Water Heat Pump, Hot Water Temperature, licensed plumber, Plumbers Gold Coast, Plumbing Maintenance, Taqua built in filtration sink mixer tap, Water Filtration
Why does my hot water look yuck?
Why is my hot water cloudy is one of those perennial questions that arise for the plumbing technicians at Whywait Plumbing.
Generally, the problem is based around reoccurring issues of “what do you think causes cloudy (white, not dirty) water that comes out of the kitchen tap when on hot? It doesn’t do it in the cold; you don’t get the same residue if you boil cold. The photo below is the residue after 30 seconds when the water settles.”
Very simply, in most cases, cloudy, hot water is caused by dissolved gases in the water. We assure you it is safe to use.
To get cloudy water from your hot tap, you must create the right set of circumstances for everything to come together simultaneously.
So why is my hot water not clear but looks milky?
Turning on the hot water tap and having milky or cloudy water for a few seconds is not unusual. This is a common occurrence that a fundamental principle of physics can explain.
To understand why hot water can appear cloudy, you first need to know that all the water in your home is stored in your pipes under pressure. When water is under pressure, it has a higher capacity to hold dissolved gases. However, when you heat water, the ability to hold those dissolved gases is reduced. This creates supersaturation, which is when there are more dissolved gases in the water than they can carry.
When you turn on the hot water tap, the release of pressure causes those dissolved gases to be released in the form of tiny gas bubbles, which give the water a cloudy or milky appearance. Think of it like popping the cork off a bottle of champagne – all that pressure has to go somewhere!
What causes hot water to look milky or cloudy when you first turn on your tap?
If you’ve ever turned on your hot water tap and found that the water is milky or cloudy, don’t worry, you’re not alone. This common occurrence can happen when turning on the tap releases the pressure, often in an initial highly pressurised burst. The dissolved gas in the water comes out of the solution in the form of tiny gas bubbles, which fill the water and give it a cloudy or milky appearance.
But the good news is that this is a normal and healthy condition for your water. In fact, reasonable quantities of dissolved gas or air in water are not uncommon. And as the gas bubbles dissolve, the water will clear from the bottom up, like a disappearing act. You can easily observe the water rapidly clearing from the bottom up in a glass.
So, if you’re concerned that your hot water service is defective or your water is contaminated, don’t be. We guarantee that cloudy water does not mean anything wrong with your hot water service or water quality. In fact, gas bubbles in your hot water supply will increase with the increase in temperature of your water because the hotter your water, the lower the number of gas bubbles that can be held. So, give it a few seconds, and your hot water will be clear and ready to use.
What should I do if my hot water is always cloudy?
If your water is continually cloudy after the initial burst of hot water, it needs further investigation. Gas bubbles do not cause cloudiness that does not dissolve in hot water.
Seldom is it a fault with your hot water service? If the water does not lose the cloudiness within thirty seconds, you likely have a water filtration problem or a sediment buildup in the hot water tank.
Investigating cloudy, hot water needs to be undertaken by a licensed plumber, so if you are continuously asking yourself why is my hot water cloudy, you need to call us at Whywait Plumbing on (07) 5580 4311 and book a site visit.
