World Toilet Day 2014 – a Sydney plumber’s view
Here’s a question for you: How much do you care about your toilet? We would be willing to bet that billions of people would love to have it!
Think about the upheaval when it’s blocked. Better yet, think about not having one. Your daily life would be very different. Your health, dignity and hygiene would be hugely affected. A clean glass of water could be an impossibility. It’s not a nice thought is it? Over 2.5 billion people across the world lack access to proper dignified sanitation – more than 35% of the population.
Help improve awareness of the global water sanitation crisis with some simple actions on social media (see below)In third-world countries, the water supply can be contaminated by waste including excrement. The contamination enters residences; ground water, wells and swimming areas. Diseases such as diarrhoea, skin disorders, typhoid fever and malaria thrive in this environment. This year, Pipe Perfection Plumbers will be taking part in World Toilet Day – a campaign that aims to break down the taboo around toilets and to reinforce sanitation as a fundamental human right.
How can I get involved?
Everyone can play a part in the World Toilet Day campaign by helping spread the word through social media:
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share/like our World Toilet Day inspired posts on Facebook and Twitter
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use the hashtags #WTD2014 and #wecantwait in your tweets and facebook posts
- support the campaign by signing the ‘Keep Your Promises’ petition which asks all global leaders and decision makers that have made a pledge to put an end to poor sanitation to keep their promise. Sign the petition here.
Pipe Perfection Plumbers will also be running a photo competition on their Facebook page next week, with some cool prizes to be won, so stay tuned!
Have you ever had to go without a toilet? Have you ever faced any water sanitation challenges? Did you know World Toilet Day existed? Share your story with us below!
Hide or pride? Styling around water tanks
Image courtesy of shaynnablaze.blogspot.com/Your water tank will never be the most aesthetically pleasing part of your property but there are two things you can do: hide it or make it a feature. Here are five styling tips for your water tank.
Wherever you live, chances are your house has a hot water tank or a rainwater storage tank and I bet it isn’t the prettiest thing in your backyard. Fortunately, there are two ways you can style this functional item: by hiding it or by making it a feature.
Hiding a water tank
- Camouflage it
One way to make your water tank less obvious is to make it look like part of its surroundings by painting it the same or a similar colour to the background it is up against. This could be your house colour, fence colour or even matching your garden. By not drawing the eye, it may even go unnoticed.
Image Courtesy of www.waterplex.com.au- Conceal it
If you find the tank too difficult to blend into its environment, consider concealing it altogether. Screens or encasements are a great way to make sure the tank is still accessible while blocking it from view.
Decorative metal screening can make a stunning backdrop for your garden with the added bonus of coming in a range of patterns, colours and finishes. No one need know there’s a tank behind the screen!
With an encasement you can treat the tank like a shed with a gate and lock, just another functional room or area you can visit in the garden. Another benefit of using an encasement is that it keeps children and pets away from the water tank, which can be a safety concern when there are large pumps in action.
Image Courtesy of www.chippystimber.com.auTaking pride in your water tank
- Refresh it
Many people dislike water tanks because it’s a fairly boring item and there’s not a lot you can do with it. Work around this limitation by carefully creating a garden around the tank so that it becomes part of the space. This refreshes the plain look of the tank, and also (literally) adds life to the area.
- Decorate it
There are a number of ways you can even make the tank a feature of your garden. Some people like to paint a mural acknowledging that ‘yes, it’s a tank, but we can at least make it a talking point’, while others prefer to decorate it, for example using ornamental metal screening, as above, so people notice it but it might not look like a tank.
Image courtesy of girlnearsighted.blogspot.com.auHide and pride
- Hide it by making it a feature
Instead of simply putting up a screen or encasement, why not make it a feature of the garden? You can get creative with timber screening by growing or hanging plants off it, creating a vertical herb garden or a garden wall look. Once the plants grow, no one will even know there’s a water tank behind it.
Image courtesy of homegardenair.comIf you have a small yard, this could also be a great way to save space; using the wall to grow plants means you can use the floor space for something else.
Image courtesy of www.jillbert.com/Will you hide your tank or make it a feature?
Written by Naomi Findlay
Naomi Findlay is the founder and principal educator at the International Institute of Home Staging. Australia’s premier home staging and property styling education provider. Students of the IIHS are all across Australia and include many contestants from The Block http://
Planning for an emergency: Our Checklist
Australia is the lucky country, but there are also some dangers that come with living Down Under. Bush fires, severe weather and utility incidents can put you, your family and your house in danger. The trick is to be prepared for the worst and you can rest assured that in an emergency, you will be ready to move straight away.
Emergencies are something that we deal with often. We have seen first hand what it is like to be in an emergency situation and how best to deal with it. The people who generally deal with it best are those that are prepared. With that in mind, we have created a detailed checklist that you can print off and have handy to prepare yourself for emergencies.
Print it out and have it ready, and you’ll be good to go!
Emergency survival kit checklist
Food and drink:
❏ At least three litres of water per person to last for up to four days
❏ Non-perishable food
❏ Can opener, cutlery and cooking equipment
Bags and first aid:
❏ Medical and sanitation supplies
❏ First aid kit and manual
❏ Essential medications
❏ Toiletries including toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and shampoo
Supplies for the kids:
❏ Specific food items the child needs (formula, for example)
❏ Change of clothing and nappies
❏ Favourite toys
Supplies for the pets:
❏ Enough food and water for a few days
❏ Items to contain pet, such as a cage or leash
General handy items:
❏ Battery operated waterproof torch
❏ Fully charged mobile phone and charger or phone card
❏ List of emergency contact numbers
❏ Pen and paper
❏ House and car keys
❏ Important documents in sealed bags (passport and drivers license, for example)
Clothes:
❏ Clothing and footwear
❏ Change of warm protective clothing and shoes
❏ Wool blankets and/or sleeping bags
Additional items:
❏ ________________________________________
❏ ________________________________________
❏ ________________________________________
❏ ________________________________________
❏ ________________________________________
Now that you’re all prepared, you can rest easy knowing that in case of emergency, your family is in great shape.
Busting tradie myths with plumber Darren Clancy
Pipe Perfection Plumbers founder Darren Clancy was recently interviewed on radio 3AW following a News.com.au article where he shared insights on ‘tradie myths’ and how you can avoid being ripped off by a bad tradie. Darren, who’s been a plumber for more than 30 years, says a good portion of his customers at Pipe Perfection Plumbers have had negative experiences with previous plumbers. He found that in most cases, it was because the customers did not have much information at their disposal to be able to make a good decision about who to use. In case you missed it, here are some of the myths about tradies and how you can make sure you circumvent the dodgy ones.
Myth #1. Tradies only provide rough time estimates based on hourly rates, so they can push the cost out. While there are a few tradies who might do this to waste time and charge you for it, others give a rough estimate to begin initially because they need to scope the job properly and make sure they know what needs to be done.
Solution: Agree on a fixed and final price You should be able to agree on a fixed price after a tradie has inspected your issue and has a better sense of the job. Sometimes a tradie may even charge to quote you and that should mean that the final cost is not likely to shock and surprise you as they will have had time to investigate the job properly. You should also aim to secure strong guarantees beforehand:
What does the tradie offer over and above statutory warranties? Do they only offer what they are told to by the NSW Office of Fair Trading or do they offer more? What happens if you are not satisfied?
Myth #2. Tradies inflate the cost of parts. Often people are overly concerned about inflated costs.
Solution: When it comes to small repairs, don’t sweat it. You don’t think to ask your hairdresser to itemise the price down to shampoo, conditioner, colour etc – do you? Plumbing suppliers set a recommended retail for parts and plumbers tend to stick to it. Get your final fixed price so you know what you’re up for. And remember, you’re not paying for the widget. You’re paying for the expertise, time and knowledge taken to identify the issue correctly, devise the best solution and install it so it works the best way for the longest time. If you are getting a bathroom renovation done, by all means, search out sales and clearances to get your bath and taps. Sometimes you’ll be able to access pricing that your average plumber couldn’t dream of getting from their supplier.
Ask for evidence. For example, a drain camera can show the source of a problem.Myth #3. Tradies make up phantom problems. The job starts with a blocked toilet and progresses to tree roots in your piping. How do you know if it’s true or whether they’re taking you for a costly ride?
Solution: Ask for proof If a plumber tells you that your blocked drain is due to tree roots in your pipes and it will take serious work, chances are they are not lying. Good tradies will be able to provide evidence by way of photos or a video; otherwise you simply have to ask.
Myth #4. Tradies are often late, rude and dirty. Sadly the number of people who are surprised when PPP plumbers are on time, polite and neat shows there are plenty of tradies who are late, rude and don’t clean up after themselves. This is not professional conduct!
Solution: Follow by reputation A good way to know if a tradie is professional or dodgy is to check their reputation. Ask friends and family if they can recommend someone from personal experience (not just from the free magnets they have on their fridge door). Also check reviews left on online directories and social media. At a minimum, you should check to make sure your tradies are:
- Qualified/accredited and licensed,
- Have public liability insurance, and
- Have workers’ compensation.
When they come for a quote, feel free to judge first impressions. You can tell a lot about their work ethic from the first few minutes of dealing with them. They should be
- On time, or at the very least should call if they are running late,
- Well presented as their trade allows (a paint stained painter is probably a good thing!), and
- Polite, especially when answering questions. There are no stupid questions.
Myth #5. A cheap tradie isn’t ripping you off. Just like anything in this world, if the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Cheap tradies may be so because they cut important costs like insurance, equipment or materials and/or quality employees.
Solution: Do some due diligence In addition to checking credentials, get a clear understanding around the longevity of the solution that’s offered and the warranty around it. Often, an approach that will last many years but has a higher upfront cost is better value in the long term.
Tradie myths busted? Unfortunately there are some tradies out there who give the rest a bad name because negative experiences are shared more often than the positive ones. The good news is that online reviews and a greater awareness of consumer rights have empowered consumers to shed light on the bad and the good. It is important to remember that there are good and bad service providers in every industry, so you should take the time to check out their reputation and ask the right questions to help identify the right one for you.
What has your experience been with tradies?
What to do when you trap a boundary trap
Pippy discovers what happens when gardens and plumbing don’t get alongA beautiful landscaped garden in the Earlwood turned into an enemy of the waterways as Pipe Perfection Plumbers’ Darren Clancy found out.Pippy the J Van on what happens when gardens and plumbing don’t get along… I like to think I’m the kind of girl that appreciates the great outdoors. I am, after all, coloured green and keeping me running with an upgraded engine is probably better for the environment than buying a new van. But I remember once, when I was younger and I used to transport sports teams around in Victoria, getting bogged during one particularly rainy football season. The grass in the carpark was mush and it was the days before mudguards—you get the drift. Nature got the better of me that season.
Plants versus pipes
Where was I? …Oh yes, the day nature got the better of the pipes. Darren and I trundled up to this lovely old one-storey house in Earlwood. It had been renovated in the past year and the owners had brought in a landscape gardener to do up the backyard. It was lovely, except the gardener had chopped down the boundary trap and then planted a tree in it. Because this was an old house, the sewer was made of clay rather than PVC. It looks a little bit like a terracotta pot, so maybe the gardener was confused? Anyway, over the course of the year, the tree grew bigger and its roots pushed into the drain through the little cracks in the clay, crushing the boundary trap and causing a blockage.
Arborist, builder or plumber?
The boundary trap is the pipe that flows from your property to the main sewer line. It’s the last bit of pipe that plumbers are allowed to handle before you need to call in Sydney Water so it was important that Darren had access to it. Well, I don’t think I’ve seen Darren do so much work that wasn’t traditional plumbing! First he had to remove the tree, and then he rebuilt the boundary trap. When the boundary trap was finally accessible, he then removed a great big wad of baby wipes Mrs Earlwood had flushed while cleaning her baby, not realising that even ‘flushable’ wipes aren’t truly flushable.
Set your boundary trap free
Darren says it’s common to see boundary traps cut down or covered up because a lot of builders, landscapers and homeowners don’t know what they are (and, let’s face it, some of them are ugly). This Earlwood garden was able to infiltrate the boundary trap not only because the gardener planted a tree in it but also because the pipes were the old clay kind that gets cracks in it, letting the tree roots settle in the pipe. If you have an older house with clay pipes, it’s a matter of time before you’ll need to switch over to PVC. Installed correctly, PVC is watertight, which means there’s no chance of tree roots getting in. In this case, Darren replaced the boundary trap with PVC and advised Mr and Mrs Earlwood that they’ll need to look into replacing all the clay pipes with PVC at some point.
Does your garden pose a threat to your plumbing?
Check it while it’s hot: 5-second hot water maintenance
Want to make sure your hot water doesn’t tank this winter? This one maintenance check takes just 5 seconds and will help to keep your water heater running safely
Have you heard of exploding hot water tanks (yikes)? It might sound like the beginning of a Myth Busters episode (it was), but it is a real consequence of water tanks under pressure (really!). Don’t believe us? Read about this hot water heater that became a flying projectile: hot water tank under pressure. This, and the possibility of your water cylinder failing, is why water heater manufacturers recommend that you check your tank’s pressure relief every winter. Every tank has a Pressure and Temperature Relief (PTR) Valve, which is essential for the safe operation of storage model water heaters.
1. Find the PTR valve
The purpose of the valve is to release pressure build-up, which occurs when the water heats up and expands. Never block the outlet of this valve for any reason. The valve is always near the top of the water heater, at the same level as the hot water outlet. It may be labelled but if it isn’t, it looks like this. 
2. Identify the drain line
It is normal for the valve to release a little water through the drain line during each heating period. The drain line runs from the valve down the tank and empties at the foot of the heater. Make sure there are no obstructions to the drain line. 
If water is leaking continuously, this indicates a problem with your water heater and you should call your plumber to check it out.
3. Perform a 5-second check
On the PTR valve you’ll see the easing lever or a cord that operates a lever. Standing out of the way of the drain line, gently lift the lever or pull on the cord and let it snap back. 
This should release water into the drain line. Be careful, as this water will be hot. If the water does not flow freely during this check, you will need a new valve. If you do not replace an underperforming valve, the best-case scenario is that your water cylinder fails. The worst-case scenario is the pressure build in the tank could cause your hot water heater to explode—ouch!
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The tale of one thousand and one wipes (and a blocked drain)
‘Flushable’ wipes
Darren Clancy, head plumber at Pipe Perfection Plumbers, almost gets wiped out at a house in Marrickville. Pippy the J Van was there to witness the failed flush. When we pulled up to a new two-storey house in Marrickville, I thought we would be there to install the plumbing, so rarely do brand new sewer pipes have problems. Instead, we were greeted by a sewage stench and some very worried looking uni students. Yes, the pipes were active, so why was sewage running through their backyard almost to their laundry room?
Pippy was not impressed with this blocked drain!No ordinary blockage
Darren got to work, immediately identifying the problem as a blockage. He had a go at clearing the drain but struggled to see the way through. He thought it was something solid until he started grasping face wipes. So many face wipes it was a like a magician’s handkerchief, a never-ending stream of the once-white squares bundled up, blocking the pipe. Normally with a blockage we’d just go down and clear it but unfortunately in this case even our machines were running into trouble, getting caught in the drain because there were so many wipes in there. If there were only a few it might not cause such a problem, but it only takes a couple to catch in a pipe of 100mm in diameter to start a blockage.
Darren clearing the blocked drain of the baby wipes!The disappearing drain
Darren had to call the big guys at Sydney Water for a drainage diagram. A drainage diagram shows us where the boundary trap is, which is the bit outside the house that leads to the main sewer. Or at least it should… the drainage diagram turned out to be a work of fiction, so Darren had to pull out the pipe locating kit and cameras to find the thing before we were actually able to do any work on the sewer. When he opened it up, he saw another blockage further down than the original one and once we cleared this one the sewer started running properly. What a relief!
The most expensive face wipes in the world?
All in all the job had gone from a simple blockage to the discovery of one thousand and one wipes to getting a misleading drainage diagram to the detective work to find the boundary trap —and then fixing the plumbing. It was a one-hour job that ended up taking half a day. I’d say they were the most expensive face wipes in the world! Darren asked to see the brand of face wipes the girls had flushed. Do you want to know a big joke? The packet said the wipes were ‘flushable’. “They don’t break down for a long, long time, they’re like a rag,” Darren explained. “The ones I was pulling out of this drain – we couldn’t even rip them with our hands.” I’d like to be the plumbing van that pulls up to that marketing person’s sewage flooded house to see whether they still think the product is flushable.
Do you ever flush wipes down the toilet? (Don’t!)
Hammered from a solid day’s plumbing
Pippy tells us what happened at an interesting job that she drove Darren toDarren is a plumber, so what was the Pipe Perfection Plumbers founder doing wielding a jackhammer at a job in Earlwood? Pippy the J Van can answer that question. When Darren and I pulled up in front of a renovated house in the inner west suburb of Earlwood, we realised immediately that something wasn’t quite right. First of all there was the distinct smell of a blocked drain. Secondly, the Earlwoods were forlornly pointing to sewage coming out from underneath their house. Yep, definitely a blocked drain.
Out of bounds
The standard procedure to clear this kind of blocked drain is to find the boundary trap—that’s the bit of a household drain that leads to the main street sewer—and clear it out. There was a problem….. the boundary trap was nowhere to be found.
Drainage diagramDarren requested a drainage diagram from Sydney Water. This is a map of the house’s sewer system but, frustratingly, they are rarely accurate. Some of them should be nominated as works of the highest calibre fiction. It was no surprise, then, that the diagram led us nowhere useful. Darren then resorted to playing detective and brought out his pipe locator kit, which led us to… a garage. Being a J Van I love a garage but they are not a good place for a boundary trap. Boundary traps need access to the outside world.
Concrete wrong: the unfortunate hits
But it was even worse than Darren imagined. The boundary trap was not in the garage, it was under the concrete slab AND with a garage wall positioned directly above. Oh dear. The relatively simple procedure of clearing out the drain through the boundary trap was not an option. Brute force was necessary. Enter the jackhammer. Darren used the jackhammer to get access underneath the external wall and then cut the concrete to expose the boundary trap. At that point it was a relatively easy job to clear the drain.
How do you feel about renovating again?
Sadly, for the Earlwoods, they need to renovate that part of the house again and redesign their garage to go around the boundary trap. Darren says many other trades don’t know what boundary traps are used for and often chop the pipe down and cover over it as in this story. To also build a garage on top of it is a ‘bonus’ that we (and the owners) could have done without! So next time you’re doing renovations, find out where your boundary trap is and don’t build your extension or deck or garage over it. Boundary traps: you hardly ever have to open them but when you do, your plumber needs access.
Do you know where your boundary trap is?
The secret cleaning cheats that plumbers know (for lazybones and busy people)
Do you have a lazybones in your household? (I won’t tell anyone: is it you?)
If your resident lazybones finds it hard to work up the motivation to clean the house, or you simply don’t have time, our plumbers have been on the inside of hundreds of houses and picked up a few tips along the way.
Here are some tips to prevent bust-ups between flatmates or other halves.
There are three sure-fire ways to reduce the amount of cleaning you need to do.
- Reduce the amount of mess you make.
- Take cleaning shortcuts.
- Get someone else to do it.
Keep floors cleaner by leaving shoes at the doorLess mess, less cleaning
Why is it that the messiest people always seem to be the ones too lazy to clean up? Fortunately, some good habits can help you reduce the amount of mess you make.
- No shoes in the house means you don’t need to clean the floors as often.
- Tidying as you go by putting things away as soon as you’ve finished with them means you don’t need to outlay a chunk of time to do it later.
- Cooking in one pot and/or serving food you can eat with your hands means there’s less washing up.
- Covering food in the microwave means fewer splatters—and less wiping up to do.
- Using shower gel instead of soap means no soap scum in the bathroom.
- Covering your fridge shelves in cling wrap means all you need to do is unwrap and replace the plastic instead of clean the fridge.
Want a cleaning cheat sheet?
If your messy habits are too ingrained, there are a few shortcuts you can use to reduce the time it takes to clean.
- Every time you take a shower or bath, spray no-wipe cleaner on the walls. This prevents soap scum build-up and discourages mould and mildew from settling in. You may never need to scrub again.
- Almost anything plastic can be washed in the dishwasher. That includes toys.
- Get the kids to play on an old sheet. Tidying up involves bundling up the corners and putting it away with no fuss. No stepping on Lego in the middle of the night!
- Wear chenille socks and walk on dirty floors, it’s amazing what they pick up. You can even get special socks for your dog! When you’re done, throw the socks in the washing machine. It beats sweeping with a broom.
- Crusty microwave? Fill a microwave-safe bowl with two cups of water and a ½ cup of white vinegar and microwave on high for three minutes. The magic water will loosen the encrusted food so you can wipe it clean.
- Dissolve a ½ cup of baking soda in your toilet and leave it overnight. When you flush it, the mixture will take the stains and odour with it. And don’t forget our other baking soda tricks.
For some more handy cleaning cheats (besides these great tips from our Sydney plumbers!), check out Shannon Lush’s cleaning remedies.
Somebody to clean
Toys in the dishwasher makes an easy cleanOne sure-fire way lazy people can avoid cleaning (without ending up on House Hoarders, that is) is to convince someone else to do it.
- Pay for a cleaner. If you can afford it, it’s worth it. Less stress, less mess and a professional clean.
- Persuade your flatmate/partner. You’re clearly hopeless at cleaning, so let’s hope you’re good at something else. Are you, for example, an excellent cook? Can you persuade your flatmate/partner to do a permanent roster swap?
- Persuade your friends/family. Is there something you can barter? Can you fix things or babysit in exchange for cleaning services? Can you convince your cousin to clean the house for movie tickets?
Maybe after this process you’ve convinced yourself that you would rather save the money you would have spent on a cleaner to go on holiday at the end of the year.
If you’re a busy person in a dirty house, you can follow these tips… or use the personals to advertise for an energetic partner with a clean streak.
What’s the laziest thing you’ve ever done in the name of cleaning?
+ Like these tips? Enjoy free delivery of gems like these and more to your inbox monthly: Happy Home Tips
How plumbing changed the world
Today is World Plumbing Day and if you think that’s a funny thing to celebrate, imagine what the world would be like without it.
Go on, which would you rather: a year without running water and flushing toilets or a year without access to the internet? Or a year with blocked drains and leaking roofs, or a year with no chocolate? 
Actually, you don’t have to imagine. Even if you are privy to a privy, according to the United Nations, about 40% of the world’s population does not have access to adequate plumbing. This means they lack running water—which means a great deal of their day is spent fetching water from questionable sources—and flushing toilets are a distant dream, which leads to poor sanitation and a higher risk of catching water borne diseases. Not-for-profit organisations like Plumbers Without Borders and Engineers Without Borders help disaster-struck and underdeveloped areas with plumbing systems to help prevent disease from spreading when doctors are busy treating the wounded. So yes, while our customers in the inner west and eastern suburbs of Sydney all agree that plumbing is vital, on a global scale plumbing actually plays an important role in humanitarian efforts!
Celebrating the long history of plumbing
It didn’t seem so long ago that we had outhouses and night soil men (for they were always men—not a job for a lady!) trundling down our back lanes picking up the waste we expelled from our back sides, after which came indoor toilets, but the art of plumbing is actually more than 4,000 years old. Archaeologists have found latrines dating back to 2,500 BC at Knossos in Crete that appear to consist of a ‘flushing’ mechanism that would remove waste from the indoor toilet to a gutter at the outside of the house. The population of the Indus Valley, an area better known as the region around the Indian and Pakistani border today, went one step further and had a system that would flush the waste into an underground septic tank. If you want to go even further back, the aqueduct—a channel that would allow water to flow from its source to crops or a town—has its roots in ancient Egypt, but because of the spread of the Roman Empire, it wound up all over Europe and the Middle East. There’s an amusing scene in Life of Brian, a movie produced by the Monty Python team, where John Cleese’s Reg is leading his rebel force against the Romans in Jerusalem. He concludes one meeting with a rhetorical, “what have they ever done for us?” To which one of his minions replies: “The aqueduct.” Others follow with suggestions such that Reg has to end on a less than rhetorical note: “Apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?” If you feel like a laugh, you can watch the clip here:http://youtu.be/9foi342LXQE
What has plumbing ever done for you?
A love letter for you from me (your hot water heater)
My Dearest,
The lads at Pipe Perfection Plumbers installed me (your hot water system) around 5 years ago. Since then, I’ve been happily providing hot water.
Lately, I’ve been feeling the pressure. I can handle pressure but only if certain needs of mine are attended to.
So this Valentine’s day – can we exchange gifts?
My pledge to you:
- Deliver plentiful hot water at your behest
- Run efficiently and not push your utility bill skywards
- Stay with you for many more years (up to double that of unmaintained units)
- To not rupture my tank and flood your home
- I will not explode. You read that right – explode. Into. The. Air. (This happened in real life AND on Mythbusters)
Sounds heavenly no? Now, I need your pledge of love in return:
- I need to be serviced. (Don’t we all?)
- I’m not fluffing around here either – I really need to have my major 5 year service.
It’s a condition of my warranty. If I am not maintained, my manufacturer could accuse you of neglect and refuse to repair me under warranty.
Neglect. That’s not something we do to those who love us, is it?
I have asked Felicity from Pipe Perfection Plumbers to call you to make a booking. Or reply to this email if you prefer. Their “Keep Your Love on the Ground” Hot Water Service special ends on Feb 28 so hurry!
Just because you love me – you’ll get:
- 10% off the hot water service
- 15% off any other plumbing jobs you have done at the same time
- a box of chocolate covered raspberries
Woo hoo!! How wonderfully fantastical is that? As an extra added bonus, the plumbers will arrive dressed in their cossie*.
You can call Pipe Perfection Plumbers on 1300 00 7473 or email ua.moc.noitcefrepepipnull@ecivres with any questions.
Lovingly,
Your Hot Water System
Our Sydney customers receive a V-day note from their hot water system
All over the inner west and eastern suburbs of Sydney, our customers are opening their Valentine’s day love letters.
And tucked carefully in their inbox is a very special letter from a significant other – their beloved hot water system.
Avoid hot water explosions with regular servicingYou read that right.
Pipe Perfection Plumbers have, on behalf of tank and tankless heaters everywhere, sent a little love note to homeowners. Why?
Hot water heaters are the unsung heroes of the home. The Rinnais, Rheems, Duxs, Everhots, Boschs and many more are tucked away in a dusty corner without a moment’s care or thought. Until something nasty happens that is.
A cold shower, I hear you say?
THAT, my friend, is the least of your worries. And here’s why:
Hot water tanks love to make you happy, but are always under pressure. There are special valves designed to relieve that pressure and they should be checked:
Hot water heater explosion.- at 6 monthly intervals for the super organised
- the annual plumber’s service for the diligent
- or the last frontier, the major 5 year service
Do I hear you say No, No and No in response to the to do’s on that list? Thought so.
(For the instantaneous / continuous flow owners out there, our recommendation is every two years).
If you don’t give your hot water heater the love it so desperately craves, here’s a smorgasbord of the nasty surprises that might come your way:
- voiding of the warranty – one of the conditions is to maintain according to manufacturer’s recommendations
- rusting of the tank and rupture with 50 – 400l of water flooding your home
- tanks exploding. Exploding. Into the air. Like a rocket. This happened in Ballarat. In fact, Mythbusters showed that when a hot water heater was disabled all of its safety features simulating poor installation or neglect, it would at best rupture and at worst, explode and fly into the air.
Click here to watch Mythbusters’ – Exploding HOT Water HeaterBack to the love letter.
All your hot water heater’s heart desires is to be regularly serviced. And in return, it will provide plentiful hot water, run efficiently keeping utility bills lower and prevent rusting and rupture. PLUS you can double its life span too.
To celebrate this month’s celebration of love, Pipe Perfection Plumbers have a “Keep Your Love on the Ground” Hot Water Service special that ends on Feb 28.
Just because you love your hot water system – you’ll get:
- 10% off the hot water service
- 15% off any other plumbing jobs you have done at the same time
- A box of chocolates (it’s all part of putting the love back in the relationship)
How wonderfully fantastical is that? As an extra added bonus, the plumbers will arrive dressed in their cossie*.
Call on 1300 007 473 or email ua.moc.noitcefrepepipnull@ecivres to show your hot water heater some love this Valentine’s day. We can guarantee it will love you back.
