Category: Plumbing Services

Hot Water Cylinder Replacement – Not A Do-It-Yourself Job For The Inexperienced

Hot water cylinder replacement is ordinarily not a do-it-yourself job. If your hot water tank has a leak, or if you need a bigger hot water unit, we highly recommend you consult a professional plumber. The team at Inline Plumbing & Electrical will be able to assist you and provide details about the various types of hot water systems, their pros, and cons. They will help you to choose the right brand and type of hot water system most suitable for your household.

When selecting a new hot water cylinder tank

Should your present hot water tank be leaking, need replacing, or is damaged, then the most cost-effective way to replace your hot water system is to obtain a like-for-like new one. If your household circumstances have changed and you need a larger hot water system, make sure you have sufficient space to fit the new cylinder comfortably. If you are considering to fit the new hot water cylinder in a separate location from the one that is set aside for it, it is best to consult a plumber who will outline the costs of doing so.

Disposing Of The Old Cylinder

If you have plumbing experience and you want to remove the old hot water cylinder it is important to disconnect it from the plumbing system, drain it thoroughly and follow the steps below:

• Turn the cold water supply to the cylinder off. Do this by either detaching the cold water storage tank or by turning the mains water supply off. Finish off by draining the water tank.
• Switch the mains electricity supply off. Proceed to disengage the immersion heater from the mains electricity power supply.
• Pour out excess water from the hot water cylinder using the draincock located at the base.

While disengaging the pipes from the cylinder, take special note of the existence of the current plumbing fixtures. Doing this will play a crucial role when re-connecting the new hot water cylinder. It might be worthwhile to consider marking a short description of each of the pipes with a marker and masking tape. While at it, be sure to carry out the following:

• Disconnect all the pipework of the hot water cylinder. Fasten them out of the way if you can.
• Loosen the stiff joints by applying a little penetrating oil to them.
• Remove the cylinder and relocate it to a safe place.
• Carry out a thorough inspection of the pipework. In particular, look out for signs of wear and tear. Also, take this time to rid them of any unwanted debris in the area where the tank was sitting.

After you have removed the old tank, see to it that its base is firm and large enough for the new tank to rest on comfortably.

Installing A New Hot Water Cylinder

Place the new cylinder in the correct position. Make sure it sits firmly in that position. Go ahead to connect the fittings and pipes:

• Adjust the current pipes if possible to see to it that they fit the new cylinder seamlessly.
• Connect the parts using tapes to guarantee the tightness of the threaded joints.
• Connect the feed pipe to a draincock and finally to the tank in case one does not already exist.
• Re-establish the connection to the mains electricity supply.
• When the cylinder is full, check the container thoroughly for leaks.
• As soon as you are satisfied, turn on the water heater and start heating the water. Check the cylinder from time to time for any leaks.

Superior quality hot water systems 24/7 Repair and Service.

After a thirty-year service to Sydney and other regional areas, Inline Plumbing & Electrical guarantees fast and excellent quality same-day service. We are experts at fixing blocked drains, toilets, taps, leaking pipes, and other plumbing and electrical jobs.

Professional Plumbing & Electrical Service

• Expert hot water system repair and replacement
• Fast and efficient blocked drain clearing using Drain Jetters and Cameras
• Tap and shower repairs
• Plumbing and Electrical emergencies
• Toilet cistern repair and replacement
• Repairs to broken pipes e.g. Water, Drain & Sewer pipes
• Gas repair and replacement

Fast & On-Time Same Day Service

• Fast same day service
• 7 days a week emergency call outs

Reliable & Professional

• Excellentest standards of professional work
• Experienced plumbers and electricians
• Specialist skills in key areas always allocated where needed.
• Highly experienced office staff ensuring efficiently on-time job allocation
• Accurate paperwork consistent with the quote

Happy Customers

• 60 % of jobs from satisfied faithful customers
• Thousands of loyal satisfied customers
• Testimonials tell the story.

Phone Quotes

• Honest over the phone quotes
• Competitive pricing without compromise to quality

Contact Inline Plumbing & Electrical now for an up-front price and have your specific problem resolved fast. Call 1300 465 463 today for your inquiries about hot water heating system units.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Alright, in this video I’m going to show you how to reset the reset button if you’ve tripped the reset button in your electric hot water tank.

This particular one is a 40 gallon General Electric one, and about two years old at the time I’m filming this.

And it has like two elements on it, one on the bottom, one on the top, and the reset button popped on me.

I was working on something upstairs electrical and I think it popped the switch. So what I’m going to do is.

You want to make sure the power is off before you go into the patch panel here. So I’m going to undo these two screws.

There’s one at the bottom. Then once you get these two screws out, you will more than likely will see some insulation in the way.

And on this unit the reset button is right here so you’re gonna push it back in and that just kinda reset the electric to go to the bottom element and stuff. You’re gonna wanna put the fiberglass insulation back in.

Make sure you have your cover the right way. You never want to leave this uncovered because someone could get electrocuted if they happen to brush up against the wires inside.

If you have any pets they like to jump on top of an electric hot water heater, God only knows what they can get in to.

Basically you hit that reset button and put the cover back on.

You’re probably going to want to wait twenty minutes to a half hour and see if that has solved the issue for you. I hope that you liked the video and I hope this helps.

3 Everyday Concerns & Commercial Plumbing Problems

Office managers and business owners in New South Wales have a lot more to worry about with their workplace plumbing, as opposed to the worrying done by residents of private homes.

If a pipe leaks or a toilet experiences issues at home, you can simply do work around it until a plumber arrives to resolve it.

However, in a commercial setting, a problem with the plumbing system can critically impact your business, resulting in a harder to work in space for your employees, and reducing your customers’ experience in your business.

When looking for a plumber, you need a professional who understands the differences between residential plumbing and commercial plumbing, and can respond appropriately.

Here are 3 typical concerns with commercial plumbing that any plumber you call in should understand.

1. Higher Demand At home, you have only a small number of sinks and toilets, working for a handful of people. Yet in a commercial space, you surely have users and a lot more hard working appliances. Higher demand signifies a more complex plumbing system, and also more likelihood of a breakdown in any given section at any given time.
2. The Need for Expediency As mentioned above, a commercial plumbing complication needs to be corrected fast, before your business is potentially affected. A non functioning toilet, for instance, limits customers and staff options when they need to use the bathroom: a less-than-ideal situation for all parties involved. This means a good plumber has to work quickly to save you from losing money, while still making sure the job gets done right.
3. Higher Stories Most office workspaces are often located in towers with multiple stories, with bathrooms and kitchens on all levels. This brings gravity into the equation, which has the ability to cause a lot of trouble for the plumber to deal with.

If you’re an office manager or business owner with a commercial plumbing problems, call the professionals at Inline Plumbing right away!

3 Common Plumbing Problems To Watch Out For In Winter

Winter has arrived in Australia and the cold weather has already started growing over New South Wales.

This poses a great deal of unique risks for your plumbing system, which can result in a big problem if you’re not careful.

Plumbers usually stay very busy during winter, encountering common plumbing problems.

The sooner you are aware of these problems, as well as the more you know what to look for, the faster you can respond and save yourself from a big bill.

1. Grease in Your Pipes

Warm, thick comfort foods are the perfect meals to enjoy during the cooler seasons. Whilst preparing food, be sure that you don’t let anything that could block or clog the drain fall down in it. In particular, you should never pour hot grease and fats down your drain.

They will solidify quickly in the coolness of your pipes and can easily cause blockages if you let them. Avoid at all costs pouring any oils, grease or hot fats down your drain during winter cooking, and if you notice signs of a clog, call in a plumber to check the problem out.

2. Frozen Pipes

Frozen pipes are a huge problem in the outer Sydney suburbs and the regional areas of New South Wales in the winter.

When water freezes in your pipes, it puts a lot of pressure on your plumbing system, potentially even bursting a few pipes.

Luckily, preventing frozen pipes is as easy as running your water outlets and faucets just a tiny bit, only letting them trickle when you turn them off, and by leaving the heat turned on overnight. Plumbers can also insulate pipes that are near an outside wall or in similar troubled spots to keep the water from freezing.

3. Burst Hot Water Systems

The extra burden during the winter months usually sees a spike of hot water systems needing to be replaced. Check your hot water heater for leaks or potential faults.

If you require help with any plumbing problem or have any plumbing concerns, call us today.

3 Ways to Spot A Slab Leak

A slab leak is a serious problem in your house, mainly because it can be very hard to detect or access.

The problem becomes apparent when a pipe that is built into the base of your house, beneath a concrete courtyard or another inaccessible location, springs what would usually be an ordinary leak. These days, plumbers can use advanced technology to identify the leak and repair the pipe, but the main issues arise when detecting it.

The further along a slab leak goes, the increase in damage it causes, and while Sydney has its share of professional plumbers, they won’t be much help if you don’t know how to catch the signs of trouble when they come about.

Hence, here are three ways to detect a slab leak that can save you a lot of cash.

1. Spikes in Your Water Bill
   The quickest and easiest way to detect a slab leak is to literally follow the money. If your water bill suddenly spikes in cost, particularly if you haven’t been using the water more than you usually would, then it could indicate a leak. Additionally, if the leak cannot be easily spotted, it is likely that there is a problem in a pipe that is tucked away, such as a slab leak.
2. Noises
   Running water does make a noise, and in fact, this forms one of the many ways professional plumbers can detect a slab leak: high-tech sound detectors. The everyday person most likely don’t have access to this sort of equipment, so keep your ear peeled for sounds of trickles, drips or running water on your property when there is no apparent source.
3. Puddles and Spots
   If you’re fortunate, the slab leak will form a puddle or even a moist spot where none should occur, waving a big red flag right at the source of the trouble. Nevertheless, even if there is no obvious moisture, you can still detect a slab leak if you notice cold or warm spots on your concrete, where the leaking water below it has altered the temperature.

If you experience any of the warning signs as mentioned above, and believe it could potentially have a slab leak problem, then call us right away!

3 Signs You Need To Replace Your Water Pipes

Sydney has its share of older houses, and with this comes older plumbing systems that may need upgrades or replacements.

It is not a pleasant possibility to consider, but in a few cases it could be necessary.

Fortunately, you have access to Sydney’s most experienced and highly regarded plumbers on hand to not only replace your worn out pipes, but to do so with efficiency and speed to make your home plumbing system function better.

Here are 3 warning signs that signify your water pipes need to be replaced

1. Rusty Water
   Seldom, rusty water may come from a hot water heater that needs replacing, typically if the rust or discolouration only appears when you turn on the hot water. If the discolouration arises from both cold and hot water, it means there is corrosion somewhere inside the pipe system itself. A qualified plumber can pinpoint the problem area and safely replace the damaged piping.
2. Lead Pipes
   Lead pipes are dangerous and are no longer up to code, but there are some old towns in New South Wales where some buildings carry outdated plumbing. This can pose as a health risk to you and your family if left in place; it is of utmost importance you get them replaced as soon as possible.
3. Leaks and Pits
   Show Up If you can spot corrosion and pitting in your pipes, take that as a wake up call saying they need replacing. Otherwise, they could spring a leak, add rust and/or any other contamination to your clean water in no time. Likewise, if a leak has already been sprung due to that corrosion, then nows the time to replace the corroded pipe, or any pipe for that matter.

Whenever you spot any indication that you need to replace your pipes, call upon the experts at Inline Plumbing to do the job right!

The Best Sydney Plumber To Replace A Sewer

This short article refers to an actual sewer pipe replacement job performed in the Eastern Suburbs region of Sydney.

This type of job sometimes referred to as a dig up, primarily involved the excavating of part of the ground, in order to expose and access the broken section of earthenware pipe which had collapsed. Much care was required in executing this job, as for the most part, the work involved was just 1 metre away from the sewer mains.

The customer’s property allowed for easy access to the rear-yard via a driveway.

This being an advantage, as the vast majority of the work was to be done in the rear-yard. So, the drainage plumber’s equipment and materials were easily delivered to site, via the driveway, without any disruption to the customer.

Incidentally, sewer renewals are often only realised whilst a blocked drain is being unclogged by the drain plumber. It is therefore of great importance that you keep up with the maintenance of the entire drainage system to your home, taking note and monitoring any cause to your blocked drains.

That is because, if left unattended to, a drain blockage could lead to further unnecessary and expensive sewer renewal costs, much like the one in this example.

What’s involved in replacing sewer pipes?

The scope of works involved the dig up and renewal of a section of the sewer in the back-yard, 1 metre from the mains line.

This meant excavating so as to expose the section of the broken drain pipe which had a break approximately 1 metre below ground level. In addition to this breakage, the boundary trap was also in need of replacement, plus 3 inspection openings had to be installed. But for the purpose of this article, our description focuses on the main job, being the replacement of the collapsed sewer drain, and the finishing off to the ground, to complete the job. Equipment, materials and job execution

Due to the elaborate nature of this dig up, it involved the use of a number of different materials and equipment to complete the job.

The following list describes in detail, the way in which the job was executed by the drain plumber and his assistant, using these important materials and equipment :

• Firstly, a concrete saw was needed to begin the excavation process, by cutting away a section of the concrete ground. This cutting away of the concrete ground enabled the drain plumber to expose the soil underneath the concrete, which in turn, would expose the broken pipe.
• That said, after the concrete was cut away, the next step was to begin removing soil from the affected area. The soil was dug up and put to one side, for the time being, in order to expose the collapsed earthenware pipe.
• Having removed sufficient soil, thereby fully exposing the broken section of pipe, the old broken pipe was subsequently removed, and also put to one side with the soil, for removal from site.
• In so doing, any unwanted wastage and material from the site, like the old collapsed earthenware pipe, and the leftover soil from the excavation etc. was placed into a hired 2 cubic metre skip bin.
• With the excavation part of the job completed, the plumber was then in a position to cut and fit brand new 6″ PVC pipe in conjunction with new 6″ PVC fittings. This newly fitted length of PVC pipework was cut to size and snugly fit, to line up with the remaining earthenware pipe (situated either side of the new section of PVC pipe).
• The join between the earthenware pipe and the new PVC pipe was sealed using a special PVC to clay plumb-quick fitting, making the connection water-tight.
• Now that this all-important part of the job was complete, the next part of the process was to backfill the excavated section of the drain line. This involved close to a tonne of blue metal, a material whose function, in this case, was three-fold. By way of further explaining this, the blue metal was initially used to partially fill the excavated area, and at the same time lend support to the renewed pipe. In addition to this, it created a foundation (footing) for the new concrete slab to sit on. Therefore, by filling the hole in the ground, as it were, the blue metal, automatically lent support to the new drain line, preventing any shift from occurring due to any possible future ground movement.
• This new section of ground line was further achieved by the combination of some waterproof sheeting (pre-cut to size to fit the shape of the slab), together with some leftover soil, a layer of sand binding, and the pouring of a reinforced concrete slab, to act as the ground finish and uppermost layer.
• By way of further explaining the make-up of the ground. Put simply, once the blue metal was placed within the hole, surrounding the drain-pipe, the next layer upwards was created by approximately 200mm (nominal) height of leftover soil. Above this layer, a layer of 50mm (nominal) sand binding was created, which was levelled off in readiness to receive the waterproof membrane.
• The reinforcement rods were then laid on top of this sheet of waterproof membrane before the final step in the process took place, that being the pouring of the concrete ground slab.
• For this concrete finish, the correct mixture was made in advance and then put through a hired concrete truck (cement mixer). Once the slab was poured this was then levelled off precisely, in keeping with the surrounding ground to the rear-yard, thereby allowing for a neat finish to the concrete slab.

The Costs To Replace A Sewer

Naturally, all of this labour and materials can come at quite exorbitant costs to the drain plumber, all of which need to be weighed up and included in his quote to the customer.

The drain plumber and his assistant had spent 2 days on-site, perfecting a job, which had required a great deal of skill, expertise and expense to complete.

5 Home Plumbing Jobs That Are Not DIY Projects

When it comes to facing an at-home project, many of us think we are the king or queen of DIY.

Although we may be pretty good at some projects, the truth of the matter is that there are just some projects that should be left to the professionals.

Hence, here are 5 plumbing jobs are ones that need to be undertaken by expert plumbers, just like us:

1. Remodelling The Bathroom: While revamping the plumbing in your bathroom can increase the overall value of your home, completing it yourself is a very risky task. You want this new bathroom to increase your bank balance, not quickly empty your bank account to fix the mess you have made. Leave the task of installing plumbing fixtures in your bathroom to the professionals.
2. Rerouting or Replacing Sewer Pipes: When one of your sewer pipes leading into your home is clogged, do not try to fix it on by yourself. Rather, you should report the problem at once to a professional plumber. Blocked sewer pipes require a lot of heavy-weight equipment that you most likely won’t have lying around at home. Calling on qualified plumbers will take the trouble of out your hands.
3. Replacing Old Piping: Has the piping in your plumbing system become rusty or cracked? Have a burst pipe? It may seem inviting to develop your plumbing skills with what seems like a simple DIY task. But the truth is, replacing old pipes is an extremely complicated task and involves taking out a significant portion of piping from your home.
4. Gas Line Plumbing: Working with gas is incredibly hazardous, end of story. Professional, qualified plumbers are trained in dealing with gas utilising appliances safely to make sure your home stays as safe as possible. Never attempt to make any repairs to any gas issue yourself, as you might think that you have fixed the problem, however, you could have just made it work. Always call a professional plumber for your gas line plumbing troubles.
5. Septic Tank Installation: The smell from a leak in your septic tank could be the turning point as to when you begin to attempt a DIY fix. Yet, it may be very hard to locate exactly where the problem is when it comes from the septic tank. A professional plumber will know what to look out for and can undergo repairing faults immediately.

Call us today to get your plumbing problems repaired safely, quickly and properly with Inline Plumbing.

Tankless water heaters are an excellent alternative to the more traditional models of water heaters, as the water is heated as it makes its way from the tank to your shower head or tap.

Although there are many advantages in installing a tankless water heater, including a never-ending supply of hot water and lower operating costs, there is always the chance that you’ll run into problems occasionally.

Here are the most common repair issues when owning a tankless water heater.

Build-up Hard water

Build-up Hard water is an issue across all parts of Sydney, as it can leave residue behind whilst passing through a tankless system.

The residue itself won’t cause you any harm, but it can build up and begin to clog the system, restricting the flow of water and can cause a lot of trouble if left unaddressed.

Schedule a maintenance servicing to remove any hard water build-up.

Ventilation issues

Ventilation issues In order to ensure you won’t overload the system, your tankless water heater needs to be properly vented from all the heat generated. Backups and clogs can interfere with ventilation, potentially causing the unit to shut down to prevent it from overheating. Once more, ensure your tankless water heater is properly serviced will safeguard your unit of any clogs and buildups, and fix any malfunctioning or damaging ventilation issues.

Corrosion Condensation

Corrosion Condensation on the tankless water heating unit can drip onto the gas burner, ultimately corroding it. Over time, this will not only restrict the flow of gas but reduce the efficiency of the entire system. Regular servicing can prevent a tankless water heater from critical damage. Call us today for all your tankless water heater repair and servicing needs.

You Might Need A Sewer Line Repair If You Notice These Problems

It’s easy to understand why the worst plumbing news any homeowner could hear is that they have a leaking sewer line.

A homes sewer line is usually buried underground, so if it happened to spring a leak or you have a blocked sewer, there can be devastating results.

The good news though is that thanks to modern advancements, such as “trench-less technology”, this problem has been made easier to deal with.

Always leave the job to a qualified sewer plumber, however, before you call someone in to look at the problem, you should first spot the signs of sewer leaks.

The sooner you do this, the better off you and your home will be.

Below are a few possible signs of sewerage damage one may experience:

• Abnormal Water Flow. If there’s a leak in the system, your home’s water pressure may go down. On the other hand, in you are experiencing a clog or a back-up in your system, your toilets and sinks may drain overly slowly, if at all.
• Strange Smells. Just as you’d expect, sewage creates awful smells. If you notice some just outside your house or somewhere else they shouldn’t be, you can be sure you have a problem.
• Puddles Showing Up Out Of Nowhere. Similarly, a leak in your sewerage pipes can create odd puddles or possibly strange divots in your yard.
• Suddenly Greener Grass. Sewage, dare we say, can act as a natural fertiliser, and as gross as it is, a leak may actually feed your grass and plants to make them a lot healthier. If you suddenly become aware of a patch of shrubbery or plants in the yard that’s much greener than the rest of your plants, there may be a sewer leak feeding it.
• Higher Water Bills. Leaking water is wasted water, which you are paying for, even if you’re not using it. An unexplainable spike in your water bill could signify that your sewer line is wasting water.

If you need a sewer line repair – contact the team at Inline Plumbing for a fast and affordable quote.