A leak at a plumbing connection is not only wasting water, it’s costing you money. Threaded fittings are used in the plumbing industry to connect pipes and fixtures and those fittings will leak if they haven’t been sealed correctly. Unfortunately, there is a common mistake, made by homeowners when attempting to seal a leak, they use plumbers putty instead of thread tape or joint compound. Professional emergency plumbers will use a pipe joint compound or thread tape on fittings before connecting them to seal the joints and prevent leaks.
To do this –
- Turn off the water.
- Cut the pipe on either side of the leak at least an inch away from the fitting. This will allow you to unscrew the fitting at the pipes joint.
- Now disconnect the leaking joint, you can use pliers or an adjustable wrench. Firmly hold one side of the fitting while turning the other side anticlockwise to loosen and then separate the two pieces.
- Clean both the male and female fittings threads, use a wire brush to remove any old pipe corrosion, compound or debris. A standard wire brush is best for cleaning the male fitting, but for a female connection, you will need a wire bottlebrush.
- Apply a good coat of pipe joint compound to the threads on the male fitting, you don’t need to apply the joint compound to the female side. If you are using thread tape instead of joint compound, wrap the male threads with several layers of tape.
- Thread the male fitting into the female fitting and tighten it until snug, then apply an extra half turn using your pliers or wrench.
- Install a coupling to reconnect the pipes. PVC pipes will need to have the ends cleaned with a PVC cleaner. Apply a generous amount of PVC glue to the pipes and connect with the coupling. If using copper pipes, you’ll need to clean the end of the pipe using sandpaper, apply the pipe flux and join the two pipes with a copper coupling and solder them together.
- Turn on the water supply to check for leaks.
What you’ll need
- Pliers or adjustable wrench
- Wire brush
- Rags
- Pipe joint compound
- Couplings
- PVC cleaner
- PVC Glue
Tips
- Soak any hard to remove fittings with some penetrating oil
- Pipe flux is a compound that helps to prevent oxidation during soldering
- Apply thread tape to the male connection first, then a coat of pipe joint compound as an added measure to seal the fittings.
- You must use CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) glue to connect CRVC pipes and fittings. APVC pipes and fittings are used for hot water lines.
Warning
- Don’t over-tighten plastic fittings, the threads are tapered, and this can cause the female fitting to split. Hand tighten fittings and then give an additional turn or two.
If you have any other issues or problems call 24 hour plumbers on 1300 896 508
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If you have noticed some water dribbling from your hot water system, don’t call emergency plumbers just yet. In the summer heat the valves in your hot water system can leak, they are designed to release a small amount of water – especially on hot days – to regulate the pressure in the water tank. If, however, the release is a little more than the occasional drip, you may have a leak on your hands, this means you’ll be paying to heat water, only to see it go to waste.
In Summary; If your hot water system is dripping it could be the normal releasing of pressure or a leak.
Two things to keep an eye on –
If your system is leaking every now and then, and only in small amounts it’s likely to be the pressure relief valves. There are two safety valves on a hot water cylinder.
- A Pressure and temperature relief valve – during heating the valve discharges hot water to the drain line to relieve the pressure generated by overheating, it can also occur on hot summer days when the temperature rises, it’s designed to prevent your tank from over pressurising.
- An expansion control valve – this opens and releases water if the pressure from your water supply exceeds the pressure of the ECV valve. Unlike the PTR Valve the water it releases is cold, which is less energy consuming and expands the PTR’s life span.
Both valves are designed to allow small amounts of water to drip from your tank to ensure the pressure doesn’t build up. However, this loss should be minor and happen intermittently, if your tank is constantly dripping water it has developed a leak and you should hire emergency plumber on 1300 896 508.
There are several reasons why a water tank leaks.
- There could be tiny particles of grit caught in the valve, the seal is probably damaged and isn’t sealing properly. It’s worth noting that these valve seals don’t last forever, so, it’s a good idea to have them inspected once or twice a year to ensure they are sealing properly.
- If you have high water pressure at your home, it can cause your system to leak. If this is the problem, you’ll probably just need a pressure limiting valve installed.
- The easiest way to tell if your system is relieving pressure, or, leaking is to put an empty ice cream container under the pipe for an hour and see how much water it collects. When you know roughly how much water you are losing give your emergency plumber a call, they’ll help you determine the leak and fix the problem.
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A good plumber is hard to find, regardless of your situation and plumbing needs. Whether building a new home or you require them for commercial purposes, such as maintenance and emergencies for your restaurant or hotel. Finding a good reliable plumber is crucial for your business to keep it running smoothly – plus your staff and your customers will appreciate it. Finding a good plumber, that is reasonably priced and will be available when you need them most is a more difficult task than you would expect.
Rely on us!
That’s why Sydney’s restaurants rely on Plumbers Direct. An Australian company with over 25 years’ experience in the service industry and we have earned ourselves the respect we deserve by offering premium services at reasonable prices.
Restaurateurs across Sydney have been relying on the people at Plumbers Direct for a long time, and there is a good reason for it. We have a hundred percent satisfaction guarantee and will be sure to fix your plumbing problems without hassle. We pride ourselves on our ability to complete the job promptly- so there will be no more looking at your watch scratching your head waiting for your plumber to appear!
We complete the job on the spot
Gone are the days of the plumber doing half the job and then finishing it… well, whenever they get around to it. Plumbers Direct get the job done. Whether you’re just starting up installing that commercial kitchen or you’re after a well established and reliable plumber for emergency services, Plumbers Direct will look after all your plumbing needs. Plumbers Direct offer a 24/7 service and are guaranteed to help you out with those untimely plumbing issues no matter what time of day. You can relax and know that you have someone reliable on speed dial to get the job done fast, ensuring that your restaurant can stay open.
Zero call out fees
Plumbers Direct have no call out fee and will cater your services to suit your needs. We pride ourselves on customer service and will respond to your emergency in a timely manner and do the job properly the first time – so you don’t waste any of your precious time on the phone trying to get the repair job repaired again. We boast a five-star rating and have been specialising our services in Sydney restaurants for decades.
So, if you are in the restaurant game and are in need of a reliable plumber, let’s face it, every restaurant needs to run like a well-oiled machine. Maintenance is part of that, so give our people at Plumbers Direct a call and we will service all your plumbing needs at the drop of a hat.
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Sadly, we are ALL guilty of, at one time or another, putting something down the sink that we shouldn’t. It’s a lot easier just to pour, or let something go down the drain, after all, it can’t hurt, can it?
While your drains are probably working quite well now, it’s only a matter of time before all that grease and grime starts to build up, and then clogs your drain for good.
There are certain items that should never be poured down the sink.
FLOUR – your sink isn’t a bin. If you have ever made a cake, you know that flour and water make a gooey mess, imagine what happens when flour and water meet inside your drain. If you want to avoid a blocked drain, don’t pour flour down the sink.
MILK – while you might be surprised at this one, any dairy products poured down the drain can have an impact on the environment. This is because milk needs large amounts of oxygen to be broken down in the environment which deprives other organisms of the air they need to survive.
COFFEE GROUNDS – coffee smells good, and a lot of people think that pouring coffee grains down the drain will help make it smell a little nicer, but instead, it leads to problems. Coffee grounds stick together and over time can easily block your pipes, add them to your compost heap instead.
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE STICKERS – those pesky, tiny stickers can cause BIG problems. If you have been tempted to let one of those stickers wash down the drain – DON’T. While they look innocent enough, they take years to compost down, which is bad news for both the environment and your pipes.
SEEDS AND GRAINS – seeds, nuts and grains also cause problems for our drains, and this includes cherry pits, corn kernels and chia seeds that expand in water. To keep your pipes clean don’t throw any seeds down the drain instead throw them into the bin or add them to your compost.
RICE AND PASTA – both pasta and rice will continue to absorb liquids – even after being cooked and will turn into a hard-to-break down, sticky mess.
PUMPKIN – cutting up a whole pumpkin is great until it comes time to clean up the mess. You are left with a stringy, orange mess that is hard to clean up, imagine how your pipes would cope if you tossed it down the sink? Add your leftover pumpkin scraps to the compost bin, or garbage bin.
If your drains are blocked call your emergency plumber on 1300 896 508 today.
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If you have decided to tackle a renovation of your bathroom, laundry or kitchen, there are a few things you need to think about.
When you call out for your plumbers in Sydney, these are the top questions to ask:
Does my renovation need a *development application*?
If you want to add anything major – such as an extra bathroom at the back of the house, you will need to ask council permission. For most other work – a straight swap/replacing old for new you should be okay, but it’s best to ask your licensed plumber first. After all, it would be costly to have to undo any work thanks to a legal problem.
What are the warranties on the products supplied?
Buy the best fixtures you can afford, they generally come with longer warranty periods.
Do the fixtures meet Australian standards?
As always – buyer beware. Do your research. There are still loopholes that allow for the sale of items that don’t meet Australian standards, so always make sure you use or buy quality products.
Do I have an up-to-date diagram?
You would need to contact your local water authority to obtain a copy of your property’s *Drainage diagram*; this will show you where all the pipes are (or where they SHOULD be). If the house has been previously renovated, make sure the current layout matches the diagram because if it hasn’t been updated, you could cut through a pipe by accident and end up with a wet mess. Don’t forget if YOU are carrying out any renovations and have made changes to the outlay of pipes – update them on the diagram.
This document is a bit like a time-machine and dates back to when water pipes and drains were installed on the property. With these you can *see behind* the walls, it lets you know what – if anything has been done to the house and if everything is up to standard.
A drainage diagram is an official document that shows the layout of the property and the location of pipes, including where it connects to the waste-water system. There are different types of drainage diagrams, but the one with the best view of your property is the sewerage system diagram. It lets you see where all the original plumbing was and if they have been moved. If they have been moved it’s important to know.
Your home may have a brand-new kitchen or bathroom already, or an extension or new deck has been added, but has the diagram been updated? Have pipes been moved? Should they have been moved? It could be a sign the work wasn’t done by professionals.
Call our 24 hour plumbers on 1300 896 508 before beginning any renovations, use the drainage diagram when planning changes to your home, and ensure they are properly and professionally updated and kept up to date at all times.
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