Tempering Valves
July 15, 2009 by yoursydneyplumber
Filed under Hot Water Systems
Tempering Valves Can Prevent a Burn Injury
Tempered water is compulsory on all new residential developments in NSW. You cannot simply turn the heater down or you will breed Legionella. The tank must stay hot, but the water coming out must be tempered down.
If your hot water heater is being replaced with a different style or different capacity then it must be tempered by law. No exceptions. This is a very important safety message, not a “sell job”. You must now be suspicious of a plumber that does not insist on installing a tempering valve with a new heater; it shows that he is not aware of the current law.
Tempering valves have on average a 5yr lifespan. We recommend replacement after 5 yrs. This valve is a safety valve and cannot be serviced. If the valve fails to operate it is to be replaced.
Many of the instantaneous hot water systems on the market can now be purchase with an inbuilt preset temperature which does not require an extra tempering valve to be fitted.
Here is a quick extract from our code on hot water:
AS 1056.1
With reference to clause 3.2.2 the thermostat for a storage water heater shall be set at not less than 60°C. This clause then explains that a minimum setting of 60°C is specified on the advice of the Department of Health, NSW, that bacteria Legionella pneumophillia do not survive in temperatures above 55°C.
AS 3500.4
With reference to Clause 1.10.2, Part B, all new hot water installations, shall deliver not water not exceeding 50°C in residential buildings, at the outlet of all sanitary fixtures used primarily for personal hygiene purposes.
Here are the facts:
If you have small children then you must read this. The bulk of childrens’ burns victims that present to casualty each year are burns that were caused by hot water scalding. As you can see from the facts below, a burn can be inflicted by hot water to a child very quickly. Childeren do not know to pull away from hot water as quickly as an adult either, so the burn is made worse by an extended exposure.
We are sorry to shock you with these facts, but we feel you should know them.
- at 50°C, a deep scald takes 5 minutes in an adult or child;
- at 54°C, a deep scald takes 35 second in an adult and 10 seconds for a child;
- at 60°C, a deep scald takes 6 second for an adult and 1 second for a child;
- at 65°C, 2 seconds for an adult and 0.5 seconds for a child;
- at 70°C, in a typical factory setting – 1 second for an adult.
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, rainwater tanks or many other plumbing services…Highlander are Sydney plumbers you can trust!
Hot Water Plumbing Tips
May 24, 2009 by yoursydneyplumber
Filed under Hot Water Systems
Most homes have standard plumbing. While standard plumbing has been very useful to us over centuries, it is now time to make these plumbing systems more efficient. In today’s times of environmental crisis and depletion of natural resources, it has become even more important to consider options like efficient hot water plumbing.
In standard plumbing systems, there are separate pipes for cold and hot water. When you want hot water, you typically have to wait a few minutes before you get hot water and in the meantime you let the cold water flow to get it out of the way. We are so used to the practice that we hardly give it any thought.
But, this method of accessing hot water not only wastes water; it also runs up huge utility bills. This is because water has to be treated and pumped before it enters your home plumbing system. And, then the sewer water that is discarded from your home also has to be treated and pumped. Both these processes use up a lot of energy in the process. Energy required for this process releases greenhouse gases and adversely affects our environment.
Efficient hot water plumbing is an environment conscious design that can help you save both energy and water. How about taking on a DIY project to change your standard plumbing to hot water plumbing? You could certainly accomplish large chunks of the project on your own without any professional help. You may be required to call in hot water plumbing, tanks & system professionals if you want to completely replace your standard plumbing system with a full time hot water recirculation system.
But, switching to a hot water plumbing system has numerous advantages. Apart from the satisfaction you get from a job well done, you will also have fast and easy access to hot water and you will save thousands in utility bills over the long run.
In a complete hot water recirculation system, a water pipe has to be connected from the last fixture back to the water heater inlet. Depending on your current plumbing layout, you may even need to re-plumb some of the hot water piping to get the system to deliver hot water to every faucet.
Apart from changing your entire plumbing system to a hot water recirculation system, you can also consider other hot water delivery systems. There are many hot water delivery system options currently available in the market and their installation is a lot simpler that hauling your entire plumbing system.
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, rainwater tanks or many other plumbing services…Highlander are Sydney plumbers you can trust!
Hot Water Systems – The Basics
April 20, 2009 by yoursydneyplumber
Filed under Hot Water Systems
Hot water systems are plumbing related systems that are fitted to almost all modern houses to help heat and control the water flow. They usually consist of four entities..
- a cold water tank to store the initial water and help with topping up the supply
- a boiler that heats up the water (by gas or electricity)
- a hot water tank that holds all of the hot water for when you use the hot tap for showers or in the sink, and
- radiators which take water from the boiler and heat it up to keep areas of the home warm.
There may be different combinations to this general setup, some with different pressures and some that do not have a cold water tank at all.
Some of the installation for hot water systems can be a DIY job, although it is highly recommended that you hire a professional plumbing company for most installations and repairs, especially where gas is concerned, which can be very dangerous. However to keep the system running efficiently there are some things you can do at home by yourself. One of these common things is “bleeding radiators.”
Over time air passes in to your radiators as water flows through the system. Eventually this will cause a reduction in heat and may cause you to increase the temperature. Either way you end up spending more money to heat the house fully, than you would have done when the hot water system was first installed.
To fix this you have to regularly bleed the radiators to let the air out. This process simply involves using the bleed key (you’ll be given this during installation, or it may be fixed on top of the radiator dial), to turn anti clockwise and release the pressure. If you haven’t done it for a long while, placing down a towel can catch any scummy water that leaks out.
There are many Sydney plumbers and hot water engineers that can help install and repair hot water systems, to help your home run smoothly and efficiently. Although some things can be done yourself, hiring a professional plumber who is experienced your particular brand of hot water system e.g. Rheem, Aquamax, Vulcan etc ensures the job is done correctly.
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!