If you suddenly find you don’t have hot water, it could be that one of the elements in your hot water service is at fault. Electric water heater element testing is one way to determine if one or both elements have failed.
In a typical electric water heater, you have four parts that could have failed, any one of these can result in less hot water or no hot water at all. The first thing to check is the elements themselves. The other common problems are with the thermostats.
How hot water elements work
Most electric water heaters have two elements, and both have their own thermostat. If your thermostat isn’t working the elements won’t heat up. The upper heating element and thermostat control the lower heating element and thermostat, and if the upper element and thermostat have gone bad, you won’t have ANY hot water at all. If you don’t have enough hot water, it could be a sign of the lower element and thermostat going bad.
What can you do? If you have a multi-meter and a voltage tester you can check yourself. If you don’t, call your emergency plumber on 1300 896 508 and book an appointment.
There are a few simple things you can do
- Check your circuit breaker first and make sure it hasn’t been tripped. The electric water heater should be on a dedicated two pole circuit in your breaker box. See if it has tripped – no power – no hot water. If the breaker hasn’t been tripped you will still need to see if you have power in the hot water system, shut the breaker off for the water heater.
- Many thermostats have a reset button – you will need to shut off the power and remove the covers to reset them.
- Only perform a water heater element test when the power is OFF. Electric water heaters have a powerful current in them, and you can be seriously hurt from a shock. The current can also ruin your testers – make sure the power is OFF.
- Checking your water heater power is a must on an electric water heater, unlike gas water heaters, electric units don’t work when the power is off.
- Remove the covers for the upper element and thermostat, remove the insulation and protective cover, the two hot wires should be at the top of the thermostat. Turn the power back on and CAREFULLY use a non-contact tester to check for power. Make sure the tester is working – so check it on something you know is ok first. Do you have power?
Make sure the power is OFF before you look at or check any electrical devices, and remember to call our 24-hour plumbers if you have any issues you are uncertain of how to tackle.
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Pipe straps can be used to help quieten noisy pipes. If your pipes are rattling, squeaking or banging it doesn’t necessarily mean that your pipes need to be replaced. The air inside the pipes the can cause noises. Another source of noise is the water that is flowing into the pipes – if its level is too high and any air in the pipes isn’t enough to cushion the pressure. Alternatively, the noise can be due to old pipe straps that have loosened. There are a few things you can do to decrease or stop the noises made by banging pipes –
- You can fix existing pipe straps that are loose or damaged
- You can install pipe straps, or add additional straps
- You can call in a plumber
What Are pipe straps?
Pipe straps are also known as pipe clamps, and they are used in the installation of pipelines for several reasons. Mostly, they are used to anchor pipes to the surface where they are being installed to prevent them from falling apart. They are also used to control the vibrations and movement of the pipes as water pressure pushes it towards the edges. If pipe straps are constantly subjected to high amounts of water pressure, it can cause them to loosen. Pipe straps can also become less effective if they have been installed many years ago. It’s important that you maintain your pipe straps to avoid having to endure those irritating sounds coming from your pipelines.
Where to buy pipe straps
Pipe straps are available from plumbing supply stores, and hardware stores, with prices varying between brands and sizes. They can also be made from different materials including metal and plastic. You can hire plumbers Sydney from Plumbers Direct on 1300 896 508 – for advice on the type and size of strap you need to purchase.
How to install pipe straps
If you know how to do it, connecting a pipe strap is quite easy.
- Determine the location or locations where the banging sounds are being heard – this is where you place your additional pipe straps
- You can choose to set pipe straps every meter on vertical pipelines or every two meters on horizontal pipes.
- When you purchase your straps, make sure the bolts are included
- Install the pipe straps using the metal clamps and tighten the bolts
- You can also apply some insulating plastic pipes if you need further protection.
Pipe straps can also be supplied and installed by your local plumbers. Along with installing pipe straps, you can also avoid noisy pipes by turning your taps on and off slowly – this way you are regulating the amount of air within the pipes.
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Your toilet is used every day, so you need it to flush, time and time again without fail. Unfortunately, the toilet can clog, which always seems to happen at the most inconvenient time, and if your toilet is starting to overflow, it’s even worse.
Unfortunately, if your toilet does start to overflow, there frequently isn’t much an amateur plumber can do about it, apart from calling out 24 hour plumber at Plumbers Direct on 1300 896 508.
In the meantime –
Stop it at the source
If your toilet has started to overflow you need to stop the flow of water coming from the toilet. In most bathrooms, the best place to find this is at the toilets main shutoff valve. You can often see the water line from your toilet to the bathroom wall; there will be a handle located along the line. If you don’t see a handle, it could mean that your valve has been placed below your floor tiles or behind a wall. If this is the case when your emergency plumber arrives you may need to talk to them about rectifying this for you. Other than shutting the water to your house at the main water valve, the only way to stop the flooding is to turn off the toilets shutoff valve.
Because this valve probably hasn’t often been turned, it may have become sticky or rusted which will make it harder to turn. It’s a good idea to turn the valve every few weeks and then ensure it is accessible, should the unthinkable happen.
If this doesn’t work
If your toilet is still overflowing and you can’t get to the shutoff valve, you need to open the cistern. Remove the lid on top of the cistern and check the flapper. If the flapper is open, reach in and close it manually – this should stop the flow of water. If the flapper isn’t open, or it won’t stay closed manually, find the float ball. This is the part that floats on top of the water to stop the cistern from filling at a certain level. If you lift the float ball to the top of the tank, the water will shut off.
Fixing the clog
Now the flooding has stopped, it’s time to look at the clog. The best way to tackle this is to use a plunger. If you are unable to remove the clog utilising the plunger you need to call in an emergency plumbing and have a professional look at the issue and get it sorted for you. The blockage may be somewhere in the sewerage line and could be anything from tree root damage to just a blockage of toilet paper.
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Of all the fixtures in your home, the kitchen faucet is probably the fixture we use the most, in most households the humble kitchen tap is used up to 40 times a day. From washing hands to rinsing plates, washing vegetables, filling the kettle or washing the dishes, at the end of the day, the kitchen tap gets a real workout. When it’s time to buy a new faucet, our Plumbers Direct team know you need to choose a new fixture that will not only *do the job*, but will keep doing its job for many years to come.
First, you need to decide what *look* you are aiming for – something new and contemporary? Something rustic? Traditional? Antique? Elegant? Copper or bronze coloured faucets are great for a country old world style kitchen. Pewter or nickel coloured taps look great in a traditional kitchen while chrome or stainless steel has a very contemporary look.
Now you have chosen your style, next you need to know your hole configuration. Most sinks come with holes drilled into them ready for the placement of a new faucet. A sink with one hole is made for a single-control faucet, while 3-hole sinks have been designed for a hot and cold-water handle and your tap, while a 4-hole sink has been designed for single control or two handle sinks and accessories (these could be – a soap dispenser, sprayer or filtered water faucet). If you have an under-mount apron front sinkholes are drilled into the countertop behind the sink.
Types of kitchen taps
The right faucet for you depends on personal preference.
- High-arc taps – if you have a big, roomy sink or fill a lot of large pots, our Sydney team of plumbers believe a high-arc or gooseneck faucet is for you. They give you more room to work. And have tapered handles and flowing curves that can become the focal point of your kitchen. This style is best used in a deep sink, if your sink is shallow you’ll get a lot of splashing.
- Pull-out and pull-down taps – pull out faucets have a spray head that pulls out towards you, while a pull-down faucet has a spray head that pulls down towards the bottom of the sink. Both options help you water plants or clean the sink. Pull-outs are popular because they are the perfect combination of function and style.
- Single Handle taps – these faucets are basic and have a single handle that controls flow and temperature.
- Two-handle taps – (one hot and one cold) provide a classic look that looks great in period style kitchens. They are not as popular as a single handle faucet as they aren’t as easy to use.
- Touch taps – are growing in popularity and are *hands-free* taps that turn off or on with the touch of a hand.
Call Sydney plumbers today on 1300 896 508 for help with choosing and installing your new taps in Sydney.
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A dripping toilet can be a major annoyance, especially if it never seems to want to stop! It can also lead to a big waste of water so you should get to the bottom of it as soon as possible. Follow these steps to fix your dripping toilet by yourself at home.
Step 1: Is the overflow tube being triggered?
Inside your toilet tank, there will be a few different contraptions. You should first find the overflow tube and check whether the water is going over the top of this tube. If it is, then it might be your ballcock’s inlet vale or an issue with the float. If it’s not, then move along to step 4.
The role of the float is to float as the water goes up, which, will in turn, indicate to the inlet valve to close, thus stopping the water from continuing to fill. An issue with either of these means the water is too high and it will keep running instead of turning off properly.
To check, flush the loo with the top of the tank open. When the water has gone most of the way up, you can grasp the top of the float mechanism that’s attached to a rod and pull it until the water stops. Many times this will work, and it means the float is the problem – not the inlet valve.
Step 2: If the float is the problem
Sometimes you will need to fiddle around with the level that the float sits in the tank. This way you can get it to trigger before the water starts pouring into the overflow tube. There will be a little screw on the ballcock that you can twist that will do exactly this, so have a play around and see if this makes a difference. If it does not make a difference, then it is probably the float itself that needs changing. You can pick up a new one (and the rod) from your local hardware or plumbing service store.
Step 3: If the inlet valve seems to be the issue
If the inlet valve appears to be the issue rather than the float, it’s generally just easier to replace the whole ballcock rather than trying to fix the inlet valve itself. You need to switch off your water either at the valve at the toilet, or the water mains if you can’t find one. Then, flush the toilet until all the water is gone and drain the tank completely by scooping any leftovers out and drying up.
To remove the ballcock, you’ll need to unlock it from the tank itself. On the outside of the tank, you’ll see a nut where the ballcock is secured which you will need to undo. Reach into the tank and take the ballcock out from where it has been secured at the bottom – by pushing up from the outside. Put the new ballcock back in where the old one was and then screw on another nut to secure in place.
Step 4: Is the flapper the problem?
If water isn’t going into the overflow tube on flushing but there’s still dripping or leaking in the bowl then there might be an issue with your flapper. Switch off the water at the valve (or at the mains if it is hidden) and then wait to see if the water level in the tank subsides (about 15 minutes should show results). This might indicate your flapper chain is too tight, or there is a leak.
Change the flapper by draining the tank (outlined in step 3), and then check the flapper seat itself is not dirty, cracked, or damaged and the flapper fits tightly in place. If need be, just pull the flapper out and put back in a new one.
Step 5: It’s time to call a professional
If none of these solutions seemed to fix the issue, and you are finding that your loo is still running, dripping, or leaking, then it’s time to get in the plumbers Sydney to take a look at what could be the problem instead. They are experienced with uncovering more obscure causes of leaks in loos, pipes, and sinks. You have put in a good amount of effort in trying to get the job done yourself, but now and then it’s just going to be something crazy that’s the issue that you’d never heard of. There is no shame in getting an emergency plumber to assess the full situation for you!
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