How do you stop water hammer?

A water hammer is a sudden stop of water throughout your water pipes that creates a vibration within your pipework. This typically occurs after a tap or valve is shut off suddenly. These often occur a lot more in older houses with old pipework.

So, if you live in an old house, you may start to notice a loud banging noise occur when you shut the water off. These typically occur on appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines, but still happen when you turn any tap off suddenly. It is normal for old pipes to get worn out and clips to fall off the pipework allowing the pipes to bang and not be able to absorb the sudden stop in water.

Below are some tips and tricks to help with your water hammer issue:

Tip 1. Inspect all visible pipework underneath your house or where you hear the loudest banging. If the pipework is loose, add a few saddles to the pipework to support the pipework and eliminate the vibrations in the pipework.

Tip 2. Open all the taps within your home to try and drain out any possible blocked air within the pipework. Let it run for a few minutes and then turn all the taps off slowly.

Tip 3. Test the pressure within your home on a garden tap with a pressure gauge. If the pressure exceeds 500kpa, you will need to reduce the pressure. High pressure is a common cause of water hammer.

Tip 4. Install water hammer arrestors on your pipework, specifically on the dishwasher taps and washing machine taps. These are designed to absorb the sudden stop of water and eliminate the water hammer.

Tip 5. After you have tried all of the above, call a licensed plumber and they will be able to assist you and eliminate the issue you have.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

How do you fix a badly clogged toilet?

Toilets become clogged and there are ways to avoid them, but sometimes no matter how hard you try to avoid them they just clog up, but that’s life. Finding where the problem is may sometimes the hardest part of the battle. If you can’t find the source of the blockage, sometimes you’re going in blind. But there are ways to clear your clogged toilet.

The easiest way to do so is to simply pick up the phone and call a your local licensed plumber. If you value your own time and don’t want to waste it, sometimes calling a plumber is the easiest and most cost-effective way. If a plumber can come out and clear your drain and it takes 1 hour to do so, instead you spend double or even triple the amount of your own time trying to clear it.

Although, you can do it yourself and it’s rewarding when you do. These are simple ways you can try:

Simply place the plunger in the toilet and go for it, but be careful not to spill water all over yourself. This method is always used by a plumber and is the first step he/she attempts to unblock your toilet.

Another out of the box option would be using a wet vac. Placing the vacuum hose down the toilet and trying to suck the blockage out instead of pushing it down can just be as effective. Once you feel like you have sucked the blockage and all the water out of the toilet, flush and test it to see if you are successful.

The old trick of flushing the toilet and filling the toilet bowl up with water method and leaving for a extended period of time can also do the trick. We as plumbers always get called to a job for a blocked toilet, but sometimes when we arrive it has cleared itself. This occurs because the weight of the water constantly pushing against the clog for long periods of time will clear it.

But if this problem persists, please consult your local licensed plumber.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

Why does my toilet keep clogging?

Does it seem like your toilet is clogging up every other week and you are constantly plunging for Australia at the Olympics? Well this isn’t normal and there is probably a reason as to why this is happening.

The most common cause is YOU and your family flushing things down the toilet that shouldn’t be flushed. Some examples of items you should not flush are tampons, baby wipes, condoms, facial tissues, q-tips, dental floss and cotton balls. The only things you should be flushing are toilet paper and human waste. The rest don’t break down in the flushed water and will cause your pipes to be blocked. These blockages often occur with the toilet itself. The easiest way to do this is put a bin next to the toilet.

The next most common reason for toilets that keep on clogging up are a weak flush from your cistern. This is caused by a faulty outlet valve inside the cistern not allowing enough water to pass through it and flush away the bowl. Not enough water will not be able to flush away your waste and it will not be able carry away the waste within the pipes. This causes them to stop and build up within the pipe causing a terrible clogged pipe. Repair the outlet valve by servicing it or replacing it with a brand new one to solve the issue.

The last and most difficult reason would be that your sewer line has tree roots within it or that your sewer line is damaged. Both of these problems happen quite a bit in old homes and cause a lot of problems with blockages. Clear signals that this is the problem is you will often notice water flooding out of a drain pipe in your backyard. You will need the assistance of a licensed plumber. They will be able to clear the blockage and locate where the blockage is.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

How do you unblock a slow draining toilet?

Blocked toilet or slow draining toilet = horror show! Frustrating to say the least. Don’t worry, there are things you can try so that you don’t feel helpless and so you don’t have to leave the toilet being clogged to fate.

We have simple methods that you can try yourself so you walk out of the bathroom feeling like a hero and less like a zero!

Method 1. Fill the toilet bowl up with cistern water and wait it out, this will hopefully provide weight and force on the blockage. This will force the blockage to be pushed further down your sewer line, clearing your blocked toilet.

Method 2. Purchase a plunger and plunge like a pro. You can purchase a toilet plunger from your local plumbing supplier and plunge like your life depended on it. This method is tried and tested, plunging a toilet creates pressure within the trap of the toilet where the blockage is normally. The plunging movement up and down will create movement in and around your blockage, moving the blockage along.

Method 3. Purchase a toilet auger. This is a long thin contraption that has a cable attached to a handle that acts as a hand eel. Send the cable down your toilet rotating the the handle in a clockwise motion. This will start to travel in and around the trap of your toilet, down to where your blockage is. Once it meets your blockage, it will hopefully break down the blockage and relieve the water from your drain.

If these simple but effective methods do not work, you may need to contact a licensed plumber as the problems may be further down the sewer line and not able to reach with the methods above. A licensed plumber with have all the tools required for your toilet blockage.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

Will a toilet unclog itself?

Blocked toilets are a common occurrence within your household, it’s safe to say you will come across a couple of these issues a few times in your lifetime.

As you stare down at the water rising to the top of the bowl and plead and pray that the toilet water level will subside before making quite a mess on the floor, you start to wonder why and what are the causes of clogged toilets? Well the answers are staring at you rising up the toilet bowl just waiting to overflow onto the bathroom floor and create a mess that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy (or would you?)

STOP FLUSHING THE CISTERN is the very first thing you should do!

Toilets are like every other drain in your house and work by gravity, having a full toilet bowl water exerts it’s own pressure on the clogged toilet and yes will sometimes clear the clogged toilet for you. If you have another toilet within your place and time on your hands, leave the toilet full retreat out of the bathroom and lock the door to make sure nobody uses the toilet or bathroom ( it can get quite smelly). Leave overnight until the morning, and the clogged toilet may have unclogged itself. Now all you will have to do is the clean the bowl and flush away the remnants of the debacle you found yourself in the day before.

Things to avoid before this nightmare happens again would be to go easy on the toilet paper and, if unavoidable, flush before sitting down and adding more.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

How do you dissolve fat in a drain?

Fat accumulated inside sewer pipes is a surprisingly common plumbing problem. Dealing with a fat clogged pipes can be a frustrating experience. When fat solidifies inside the pipe, it blocks the flow of water and this leads to the pipe being blocked and overflowing. When a fat clogged drain pipe occurs, everything can get smelly, messy and unhygienic. Fat and grease blockages are probably the worst type of blockages to come across and sometimes hardest to deal with.

Fat accumulated inside sewer pipes is a surprisingly common plumbing problem. Dealing with a fat clogged pipes can be a frustrating experience. When fat solidifies inside the pipe, it blocks the flow of water and this leads to the pipe being blocked and overflowing. When a fat clogged drain pipe occurs, everything can get smelly, messy and unhygienic. Fat and grease blockages are probably the worst type of blockages to come across and sometimes hardest to deal with.

Removing fat and grease from your drain is hard, but never fear, we will give you a few options that you can try yourself:

1. Caustic soda – This can be very dangerous but also effective. You can purchase this from your local hardware. Whilst there remember to purchase your PPE, gloves and safety glasses. Simply remove as much water from your drain pipe as possible and pour down the caustic soda making sure you have opened windows, as the fumes are quite over powering. Leave for one hour for the caustic soda to penetrate the fat and grease. Then wash down with boiling hot water. If this does not help, pour more down the drain and leave overnight. In the morning, it should have subsided and again wash down the drain with boiling water.

2. Boiling water and vinegar is a home remedy that when mixed in a ratio of 1:1 can be quite effective. The boiling water increases the temperature inside the fat loosening up and the vinegar can help to clean away the fat and grease from within the pipe. Followed with more boiling water to help wash away the remainder of the grease. This option is cheaper and better for the environment.

3. If these options fail and the fat clogged drain is stubbornly blocked, you may need to call upon a licensed plumber to use his high pressure water jetter of electric eel to do the trick. He will definitely get the pipe flowing like the way it always did.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

Who is responsible for a blocked drain?

So you have a drain that is pouring out with sewerage in your garden or back yard, and you are wondering who is responsible for this? Well it all depends on where the blockage is. Unfortunately you probably will not have the resources yourself to identify this.

You are going to have to call your local licensed plumber to firstly clear the drain and determine where the blockage has occurred. It’s very simple if the blockage is within your property of upstream towards your house. From the boundary shaft/trap it’s your responsibility. If the blockage found is within Sydney Waters Sewer Main, it is their responsibility and they will refund you the money you paid to the plumber plus unblock the main.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

How do I completely clear a blocked drain?

There are a few ways you can completely clear your drain, whether it be your kitchen/laundry sink, shower floor waste, basin/vanity waste, or bathroom floor waste. Of course, the easiest and most efficient way is to call a licensed plumber. They are equipped with all the specific blocked drain tools to efficiently clear your drains. Sometimes you can have a go yourself and save some money in the process.

You may need to visit your local hardware store to purchase some tools, but there is nothing like the self-satisfaction feeling of solving a problem yourself.

Blocked drains and sinks can sometimes be unclogged using a simple hand plunger that you will find at your local hardware or possibly supermarket. To unclog a drain, simply place the plunger over the waste outlet and continue to push down and lift up until you feel like the drain is clear. This will create a vacuum seal and provide pressure within the clogged pipes, and with the pushing and pulling action hopefully move the blockage and move it along the drain.

You could also purchase Draino from your supermarket and pour that down your sink. This is a special chemical that reacts with water and can potentially burn away the blockage to relieve the drain.

If all of these handy tips fail, you may need to call a qualified plumber as they will be able have your drained unclogged in no time. They will be able to provide you with the cause and remedy to prevent it happening again.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

How do I know if my drains are blocked?

When you have a suspicion that your drains are blocked, they probably are! Your drainage system is designed not to be noticed or smelt. You probably have already worked out that drains are laid and installed with a small amount of fall so that your waste is slowly draining away, out of mind and out of site. If you notice something, that generally means that something is impeding the drainage system and creating a clog. You will start to hear gurgling sounds, bad odours from the pipes, overflowing sewerage outside or possibly from floor drains, toilets filling up and slowly draining away. These are pretty clear indications that your toilets are clogged.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

How do I drain the pipes in my house?

Draining the pipes in your house are done when you need to fix a water hammer problem, shut down seasonal property for the winter and make major plumbing repairs. To drain the pipes, follow these simple steps:

1.      First, shut off the main water valve at the water metre.

2.      Starting at the top floor of your house, open all the sink faucets. Doing so will allow air into the system to help the flow of the water.

3.      Go to the lowest level of your home and open the faucet in the laundry tub or lowest sink. This will let all the water from the above floors drain.

4.      Return to the highest level in the home and open the tub and shower faucets.

5.      Flush all toilets which will empty the tanks.

6.      If you are leaving the property unattended (such as closing for the winter), leave the faucets in an open position.

7.      If done correctly, there should be no water coming out of any faucet, except possibly a small drip.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

What is plumbing rough?

Plumbing can be separated into two generic categories: rough plumbing and finish plumbing. Rough plumbing generally consists of routing pipes through walls, running vent stacks to roofs and connecting drain lines and water supply lines to sewers. Rough jobs usually involve hand tools and power tools. Finish plumbing typically refers to plumbing work that occurs after interior finishing. These types of jobs range from drywall to removing caps on drains and water supply pipes. Finish plumbing utilises tools that twist and tighten drains and pipes.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

How do you find a leak in an underground pipe?

Finding a leak as soon as possible is essential in reducing potential damage to your property. Unless the leak is bubbling at the surface, you need a leak detection expert to come to your property. Once there, specialised electric and acoustic leak detectors will be used to determine the source. A leak detection specialist will first survey all of your valves and metres to determine which valves are affected. Once the source is located, the leak can be fixed quickly depending on the size of the leak. FXD Plumbing are experts in leak detection, and have the highest quality technology.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

What is acoustic leak detection?

One of the types of leak detection, acoustic leak detection uses the sounds and frequencies transmitted by a leaking pipe to determine if there is a leak. Leaking pipe sounds create vibrations that acoustic detectors pick up. Various microphones can be used to determine the exact location of a water leak. Any type of leak detection is essential is preventing damage and costs. Signs of a leak include damp or discoloured carpet, hissing sounds behind walls, poor water pressure, mould, musky smells and visible signs of water. An ongoing leak can cause severe damage to your house and your finances. FXD Plumbing are experts in leak detection, and have the highest quality technology.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

What is a water leak detector?

A water leak detector can be electronic or acoustic. An electronic leak detector is an electronic device that detects the presence of water to prevent leak damage. These devices are usually a small cable that lies on the floor and relies on electric conductivity to determine if there is a water leak. Acoustic leak detectors rely on sensitive sounds to pick up the frequencies of leaking sounds.

 

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

Can I get gas to my property?

A licensed plumber can visit your property and determine how gas will be connected to your property. A plumber will also determine if the site has any special conditions and what the next steps would be. To connect gas to your property, there needs to be no unobstructed access between the location of the gas metre and the direct line to the street. You may also be asked to remove shrubs or break concrete in order to connect gas to your property.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

What is the most cost effective hot water heater?

Hot water heaters run on various fuel types. The four main types of fuel are solar boosted, natural gas, heat pump and electric.

1.      Solar Boosted Hot Water

This is one of the most efficient and cost effective hot water systems available. These systems are boosted by either gas or electricity, but get the majority of their energy from the sun.

2.      Natural Gas Hot Water

Natural gas is the next best cost effective option. These types of systems use natural gas as fuel, and are generally best for households of four or more people.

3.      Heat Pump Hot Water

Heat pumps use electricity for power, so they rank lower for cost effectiveness. If gas and solar are not an option, this is the next best system.

4.      Electric Hot Water

Electric systems are not very efficient and run on electricity from non-renewable sources. These cost the most in terms of electricity bills, and also produce the most greenhouse gas emissions.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.

How much does it cost to install a hot water system?

Licensed plumbers can easily fix hot water systems. It may be time to call a plumber if your hot water runs out quickly, you have a very high water bill, your water has low pressure, water is a rusty colour or there are leaks. FXD Plumbing services and installs storage heaters, instant hot water heaters, solar hot water heaters, heat pumps and hydronic heating. Plumbers can both install and maintain hot water systems within your house.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Give Us A Call Now on 0428 795 498.

Do plumbers work on water heaters?

Licensed plumbers can easily fix hot water systems. It may be time to call a plumber if your hot water runs out quickly, you have a very high water bill, your water has low pressure, water is a rusty colour or there are leaks. FXD Plumbing services and installs storage heaters, instant hot water heaters, solar hot water heaters, heat pumps and hydronic heating. Plumbers can both install and maintain hot water systems within your house.

To find out more contact Scott at FXD Plumbing Sydney Inner West or Call Now on 0428 795 498.