The Jetter Versus The Eel.
October 26, 2009 by yoursydneyplumber
Filed under Blocked Drain, Sydney Plumber
We are asked on a daily basis, what’s the best way to clear a drain? As far as we are concerned, it’s no contest. We use Water Jetters for 100% of our drain clearing. We have an old Electric Eel sitting in our shed covered in cobwebs, it cost us a fortune to buy at the time too! ( I better put it on E-bay now). You may be thinking this comparison is biased, well it’s not. For years we used Electric Eels, lugging around big drums of metal sprung cables that we slowly wound into the sewer. Thrashed them around inside the pipes, leaving mess everywhere and most importantly – leaving a lot of the blockage behind in the pipe we were supposed to be clearing.
Then we had an epiphany. We invested money into purchasing Drain Cameras. Our first cameras were black and white had terrible picture quality but they showed us very clearly how many roots were being left behind after an Eel was used. At the same time we invested in our first Water Jet machines. We repeated this process and saw entirely different results. The inside of the pipes were crystal clear, all of the roots were gone and the inside diameter of the pipe was back to what it should have been.
So what exactly is a Water Jetter you ask? A water jetter is a drain clearing machine that combines the use of a motor and pump to deliver water at very high volumes and pressures to cut whatever is in its way. There are many variations on Jetters. Some expel more water per liter than others, other expel a lower quantity of water at a higher pressure to cut. We prefer the high pressure machines. They are perfectly suited to domestic applications. Coupled with the correct cutting tips and used with well trained technique these machines can be undefeated at clearing drains. Note how I said used with correct technique, as our marketing states – “Not all plumbers were created equal”. The use of these machines is something that takes years of practice. Don’t get me wrong, a poor operator can still do a poor job at clearing a drain with a jetter – we see this all the time.
A word of warning: If a plumber is advertising to clear a sewer with a jetter for $99 or a price that seems too good to be true, then beware, because they are not even going to try to clear your drain. They’ll put a camera in your pipe and then try to convince you to renew it and charge thousands. Even if it didn’t need replacing. A proper attempt at clearing the drain would have fixed the problem and saved you thousands.
The moral of the story is to choose a plumber who is genuinely going to try their hardest to clear your drain. If it is found then to be broken, then that’s a different story.
Every Highlander Plumbing truck you see around Sydney has a Water Jetter built into it. Our entire fleet uses Honda motor jetters running at 4500psi. We find this to be the perfect pressure for our day to day drain clearing. All of our trucks are also fitted with 100 meter long self levelling colour drain cameras as well. We can clear drains and view them all in one visit.
Your Sydney Plumber is brought to you by Highlander Plumbing, Sydney plumbers with the experience & know-how to handle all your plumbing needs. Whether you need help with clearing a blocked drain, hot water systems & tanks, gasfitting, rainwater tanks or many other plumbing services…Highlander are Sydney plumbers you can trust!
Find a Reputable Plumbing Company in Sydney
April 22, 2009 by yoursydneyplumber
Filed under Sydney Plumber
If you are looking for a plumbing company Sydney based, or otherwise, it is important to make sure you have explored all possible options and researched all the plumbing companies in the area to make sure you’ve found the best one. A lot of plumbing problems in newer houses are very easily fixed with a little DIY, and are usually superficial in that there is no real problem, other than a recent high level blockage.
For example, if a kitchen sink has become blocked within the last few days, simply turning off the water supply in the unit under the sink and unscrewing the piping can reveal any problems that can be cleaned yourself, without messing up the main system. These usually occur when excess food or oil has been forced down the drain and become clogged.
If the problem appears to go deeper than that; this is when you should call a professional plumbing company. Equally, blockages in the bathroom can be a bit trickier to fix without help, due to the complex under floor piping systems. Blockages in bathrooms usually occur from excess toilet paper being flushed or a gradual build up of hair in the shower/bathtub system. To stop this, simply buy a drain gauze to catch any bigger debris.
Finding a plumbing company Sydney based, or anywhere else in Australia is fairly simple. You can look in the business directories, in the local newspapers, or now commonly online. To ensure the company is reputable it pays to check a few of their credentials (do they have a premises, have logos and company vans, use newer looking tools? etc) and try and work out a fixed price before letting them start work. If they want cash in hand, this can often be a sign on unprofessionalism. It’s also a good idea to ask them for a few testimonials.
Sydney is of course a very large city, and whether you have a drainage issue, blocked drain or sink, need a hot water system installed or need some plumbing repairs…with a little research you will find a reputable plumbing company in Sydney who can help.
Your Sydney Plumber is brought to you by Highlander Plumbing…Sydney Plumbers with the experience & know-how to handle all your plumbing needs. Whether you need help with clearing a blocked drain, hot water tank installations, gasfitting or rainwater tanks…Highlander are Sydney plumbers you can trust!
Fix a Blocked Drain
March 27, 2009 by yoursydneyplumber
Filed under Blocked Drain
Fixing a blocked drain can be a nightmare. Whether your bathtub got blocked up with hair, your kitchen sink got clogged with bits of food, or you have a complete drainage problem, trying to fix it yourself can drain your pockets of cash.
If you think it is a minor issue and the blocked drain only seems to have occurred over the last few days then store-bought drainage cleaner may do the trick, but if it doesn’t, the worst thing you can do is shop around for more drainage cleaners or over-hyped products. In this case you will be wasting money, because you need to hit the source of the problem, which these products clearly aren’t reaching. In some cases they can make the situation worse, or overflow your system entirely.
DIY or Hire a Professional?
Often a recently blocked sink can be fixed by carefully turning off your water and inspecting the pipe. Make sure you have all the required tools and some old towels to lie down because there could be a buildup of water and gunk. Using some rubber gloves and the required wrenches, remove the pipe directly below the sink and inspect it. If it is blocked, simply clean it out and reconnect it. If you can reach down or prod further in to the pipes, do so carefully to unblock any excess waste. This will generally fix most blocked sinks. However if the problem is rooted deeper in to the plumbing then it is time to call a professional plumber.
Poor Drainage
Poor drainage can occur for a number of reasons; however it is more prevalent in older homes. Over time materials wear out and become less efficient, years of waste, grease and oil can buildup, there may be ground movement causing the pipes to move or break, tree roots can force their way through the system, and neighboring problems can seep through in to your own system.
Contacting Sydney Plumbers
Contacting a plumbing company in Sydney to fix your blocked drain is highly advisable. They have the tools and knowledge to really get in to the system.
Professional plumbers use high powered water jets, core lining and even cameras to survey the situation, something not available for DIY.
To save you money in the long run you should make sure your plumbing is fully up to date with today’s standards and if you ever find a blockage, it should be fixed immediately to prevent further and more costly damage.
Your Sydney Plumber is brought to you by Highlander Plumbing…Sydney Plumbers with the experience & know-how to handle all your plumbing needs. Whether you need help with clearing a blocked drain, hot water tank installations, gasfitting or rainwater tanks…Highlander are Sydney plumbers you can trust!
Tips for Finding a Sydney Plumber
February 24, 2009 by yoursydneyplumber
Filed under Sydney Plumber
Need a Sydney plumber?
Maybe you have a leaking toilet? Or perhaps a blocked drain in the bathroom? Maybe the hot water system is on the fritz?
OK, you know your plumbing problem is beyond DIY help and you need a professional plumber in Sydney, but how do you find a reputable & reliable plumbing company?
Here are a few tips to help you find the best Sydney plumber in your suburb…
Firstly, is your situation a real emergency? Perhaps you have a broken pipe and the possibility of water damage to your property is very real. If so, you will be looking for 24 hour emergency plumbers if it just happens to be 2am!
On the other hand, if you just have a leaking tap and there is no immediate danger of water damage then you might be prepared to wait a little longer before your plumber arrives.
Do you know someone who has recently used a plumber? Word of mouth is very powerful and nothing beats a personal recommendation. This person should be your first contact. A friend will give you an honest appraisal of the plumber and you’ll soon know if they weren’t up to scratch. This will be a far better strategy than choosing a plumber in Sydney at random from the phone book.
It’s a good idea to agree on a fixed price before work is started. Be wary of plumbers who aren’t prepared to give you a plumbing price guarantee. You certainly don’t want any nasty surprises after the work is done and you’re handed the invoice.
When the job is complete keep any parts which were replaced just in case you need them for evidence if the plumber claims they were broken, and you were not happy with the quality of their work.
Do a quick background check on your plumber. Make sure they aren’t a “fly by night” operation using only a mobile phone. Make sure they have a physical address, land line telephone and professional website. Also, check how long they have been in business and if they can provide you with testimonials.
Are they a member of the Master Plumbers Association and a recognised Enviroplumber? Both of these are strong indications of their professionalism and concern for the environment. Ask your Sydney plumber for copies of any other qualifications they may have.
Be wary of plumbers who say they will only do the job for cash-in-hand. This is would be an indication that they may not be registered and are avoiding paying tax. Professional plumbers do not operate this way.
Ask your Sydney plumber to provide some case studies for jobs similar to the problem you have now.
And finally, make sure your Sydney plumbers are clean and tidy, arrive on time every time, and are fully equipped to deal with any plumbing job.
Your Sydney Plumber is brought to you by Highlander Plumbing…Sydney Plumbers with the experience & know-how to handle all your plumbing needs. Whether you need help with clearing a blocked drain, hot water tank installations, gasfitting or rainwater tanks…Highlander are Sydney plumbers you can trust!