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As a homeowner, it is in your best interest to safeguard your investment. This includes maintaining your plumbing system, on which you rely heavily every day to complete household chores and other tasks.

Most homes benefit from a professional once-a-year inspection. This inspection can reveal areas of need to keep your plumbing system in top shape, while keeping your family comfortable and preventing any serious and costly damage.

In between once a year professional maintenance visits: 

Maintaining your home plumbing can be a daunting task. Regular maintenance can save you water, money, property damage, and countless headaches in the long run.

It can be difficult to know what to do and when, so we’ve created this handy checklist to help you plan how to prevent plumbing disasters in your home.

Download your FREE home Plumbing checklist as a guide to help you maintain the plumbing in your home effectively.

In between professional servicing. Should any problems arise, call our On The Job Plumbing team PH: 1300 171 125

Rain is quite pleasant, especially when you’ve had long periods of drought.

Sometimes though,  the downpours like we have been experiencing across Sydney the past couple of weeks, can have the potential to cause serious damage to your pipes, sewers, yards and foundations.

When there is a lot of heavy rain, it’s important to keep an eye on the plumbing around your home or commercial property.

Due to record precipitation in the Sydney area, the ground will become softer and with the additional rain water flowing through the pipes, they will be under more pressure. As a result, leaks may start to appear!

Here are four crucial tips to help protect your home or commercial property:

1. Clear debris and leaves from surface water drains to prevent flooding.
2. Make sure your gutters are clear of leaves and other debris. If rain cannot pass through the downpipe, it will back up, become very heavy, and eventually collapse due to the weight of the water.
3. Look for any leaks in the pipes. Heavy rain may saturate the soil around a drain or pipe, putting enormous strain on it and potentially causing a break or crack. Dirt, leaves, and debris will enter your drain if it is compromised and develops a crack, clogging it and causing damage.
4. If the plumbing systems in your home or commercial property backs up at any time, it’s time to call a plumber. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at OTJ Plumbing, we’re just a phone call away to help you with any plumbing and leakage issues.

     PH: 1300 171 125

or

BOOK HERE: https://www.onthejobplumbing.com.au/book-now/ 

for an inspection with one of our friendly OTJ team members

Each day households use many different systems and appliances to make our lives more comfortable and convenient. Your hot water system is definitely up there as one of the most important household items. In fact, unlike your heating or air conditioning system, the water heater doesn’t get an off-season.

When looking at different types of hot water systems, it’s important to consider your home’s needs, along with the pros and cons of each.

Keep in mind though, no matter which hot water system you choose, you can rest assured that On The Job Plumbing will take care of all your system needs.

To help you get started, we’ve outlined a guide to help you determine which type of hot water system may be best for your home and family’s needs.

GAS HOT WATER SYSTEMS

Advantages

Instantaneous hot water

With the pilot light models, you will have the benefit of hot water if the power goes out in your home.

Gas hot water systems can be somewhat more cost effective than electric systems.

If your home already has a gas line, a gas water heater will likely be a far cheaper model to use and maintain.

Disadvantages

Typically the initial purchase of a gas hot water heater is slightly more expensive.

Life expectancy

Approx. 15 years

ELECTRIC HOT WATER SYSTEMS

Advantages

You can use your PV solar system to run your standard electric hot water system.

Initial purchasing costs are lower.

Disadvantages

Electric hot water systems have a far slower recovery rate. So if you have a big family this may not be the best choice for your home.

Electric hot water systems WON’T WORK in the event of a power outage, so if you live in an area prone to storms you may want to opt for a gas hot water unit instead.

The running costs of the electricity itself.

Life expectancy

Approx. 12 years

SOLAR HOT WATER SYSTEMS

Advantages

Installing a solar hot water system is a great way to start saving money on your electricity bills and reducing your carbon footprint.

Solar is more cost effective.

Solar thermal panels are efficient, with approx.. 80% turned into heat energy.

Installing solar hot water attracts great government rebates in most States around Australia.

Installing solar panels can increase the value of your home.

Disadvantages:

Initial outlay for the solar panels.

Even with the solar rebates available, what you’ll spend to buy and install a solar system can mean waiting a few years to recover your initial investment costs.

Life expectancy

Solar hot water systems are expected to last well over 10 years, depending on how often it’s serviced, where it’s installed and how it’s used.

NOTE: Solar thermal panels can only heat water.

SOLAR PV PANELS however, generate electricity and some of this electricity can be used to heat water. So there is more flexibility with solar PV panels

If you need help making the right choice, we’re happy to help! You can contact us here: https://www.onthejobplumbing.com.au/book-now/

FURTHER READING:

https://www.winningappliances.com.au/c/heating-and-cooling/hot-water-systems

https://www.reece.com.au/search/hot-water-systems-c199

https://www.rheem.com.au/rheem/products/Residential/Solar/c/solar

https://www.originenergy.com.au/for-home/electricity-and-gas/hot-water/hot-water-for-apartments/centralised-hot-water-application.html

You know the warning signs; the sink takes a little longer to drain. You begin to notice water pooling around your feet in the shower. Then you have the unpleasant smell that just keeps getting stronger.

These are signs that you may soon be faced with a blocked drain. It’s something you really need to deal with quickly, or you may have an unusable bathroom which is particularly annoying if you only have one bathroom in your house.

We’ve put together a few quick tips to help homeowners clear their drains first before calling us.

THE NATURAL WAY

Baking Soda and Vinegar 

Baking Soda and Vinegar are two of the most effective natural, home-remedy cleaners that you can use.

We suggest that you mix 1/3 of a cup of baking soda with 1/3^rd of a cup of vinegar. When mixing the two ingredients, they should start fizzing straight away. Once you see the fizz, pour the solution straight down your sink.

Let it sit for an hour or even over-night, for best results. Then flush it through with some hot water.

Boiling Water 

One of the oldest tricks is using boiling water. This is pretty self-explanatory but we’ll explain it anyway.

Boil your kettle with as much water as it will hold. Then pour it slowly down the drain in a couple of stages, waiting a couple of seconds between each pour.

THE CHEMICAL WAY

If you’ve tried the natural methods without success, your drain may require something a little stronger such as a chemical cleaner.

You can purchase chemical drain cleaners from most supermarkets. Follow the manufactures instructions. Remember not to overdose it as this could cause more problems.

THE PLUNGER WAY

Plungers can be an effective way to clear a drain or toilet if used correctly. The key is to make sure a tight seal is formed around the drain and plunge slowly.

Plunging too quickly or with too much force can prevent a tight seal from forming, making your efforts ineffective. It’s also important to note that different types of plungers are designed for clearing different types of drains. Plungers with a funnel cup at the bottom are best for clearing toilet clogs, while flat cupped plungers work well for baths and sinks.

Just remember that plunging can sometimes only be a short term solution. As it will push the soft blockage through, but you may still have an obstruction in the pipe that may cause frequent blockages. 

THE TECHNICAL WAY

Plumbing mishaps can become worse, pose safety risks or create structural problems if not addressed by an experienced plumber. If you have tried all of the above and your drain is still not clearing properly, then it’s best you leave the technical side to the professionals.

Get in touch with us today https://www.onthejobplumbing.com.au/get-in-touch/ or call us on 1300 171 125 to book in a time for one of our friendly team members to unblock your drain effectively without any added stress.

Moving into a new decade sees many industries evolving to make things more efficient and plumbing is no exception.

New plumbing trends are gearing toward better water management and smarter fixtures.

Smarter fixtures, combined with sensible water use not only helps you save money but also helps keep our water reserves at sustainable levels.

Read More

LEVEL 2 water restrictions are coming into effect on December 10.

To help reduce your household’s water consumption, you may want to think about installing a Rainwater Tank.

According to Sydney Water: “Rainwater tanks are an exemption to water restrictions as long as the tank isn’t topped up from, or switched to the drinking supply”. Read More

For many years there has been a lot of plumbing myths thrown around that claim to help you save money, work or time.

Plumbing is not only a vital part of healthy homes and buildings but also one of the trickiest areas when it comes to maintenance. A lot of the time, the cause of a problem isn’t visible, so you can only guess what it might be. Partly for this reason, there are many unfounded plumbing “remedies” or “myths” out there that could actually cost you more money long term. 

Read More

Outdoor showers are becoming more and more popular these days. They’re not only a luxurious addition to your home, but can be very practical too. Especially in the warmer summer months.

Read More

Tree roots are one of the most common causes for drain damage. Even if your trees appear to be at a safe distance from your home, the roots may have been growing for years and managed to reach your pipes. 

Tree roots can infiltrate the joints of even a healthy pipe, but if your sewer system is over 30 years old you are especially susceptible to damage. 

Read More

What are galvanized pipes?

Galvanized pipes are steel pipes that have been dipped in a protective zinc coating to prevent corrosion and rust. These types of piping were commonly installed in homes built before the 1960s.

The galvanized pipe was invented as an alternative to lead pipe for water supply lines. Today, however, we have learned that decades of exposure to water will cause galvanized pipes to corrode and rust on the inside.

Read More