Salmon Plumbing Guarantee to ARRIVE ON TIME to your scheduled appointment.
In the rare instance that your plumber has been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, we promise to give you a MINIMUM 30-minutes notice of ANY change in arrival time and will offer to reschedule, if that’s more convenient for you
If we don’t give you at least 30 minutes notice in advance, we will happily give you a FREE Hour of Service on your plumbing job.
This offer is not to be used with any other offer.
Does not apply to quoted jobs.
Discounts will not be applied to overdue amounts.
Deposits
Deposits are not refundable however partial or total refunds of deposits may be made at the sole discretion of Salmon Plumbing.
Cancellations
Salmon Plumbing reserve the right to charge for lost time as a result of cancellations and or postponement made less than 2 business days from the scheduled appointment time.
Warranties
Salmon Plumbing offers a 6 and half year warranty as per the Queensland Building & Construction Commission (QBCC).
A blocked drain has appeared at your home, and you think “how hard can DIY drain cleaning be?” Hours later you’re elbow deep in foul smelling gunk, and you are still no closer to diagnosing the issue let alone fixing the problem. Simply dropping a tub of Drano down a blocked drain or wiggling a coat hanger around until the blockage passes, may give you a quick fix but it is likely you have just pushed the blockage further down the pipe, potentially creating an even bigger issue! Cleaning a drain is no joke and here is why getting the help of a professional is worth your time and money.
DIY Drain Cleaning: The Risks
When a blockage occurs, there are many risks to you and your home if the issue is not handled professionally including:
Chemical damage: Many DIY drain cleaning solutions contain harsh chemicals that can damage pipes, especially if used incorrectly or in excessive amounts. These chemicals can corrode pipes, causing pipes to leak or even burst. Additionally, chemical drain cleaners can be hazardous if they come into contact with skin, eyes, or mucous membranes, leading to burns or other injuries.
Incomplete blockage removal: DIY methods such as using a plunger or a drain snake may not always completely remove blockages, especially if the blockage is extensive or located deep within the pipes. This can lead to recurring clogs and backups, requiring repeated attempts to clear the blockage or necessitating professional intervention.
Pipe and fixture damage: Improper use of tools or excessive force when attempting to clear a blockage can damage pipes, fittings, fixtures, or other plumbing components.
Worsening of the problem: In some cases, DIY drain cleaning attempts can actually worsen the problem rather than solve it. For example, using a drain snake or auger incorrectly can push the blockage further down the pipe or compact it, making it more difficult to remove. This can exacerbate the issue and result in more extensive repairs being needed.
Environmental impact: Improper disposal of chemical drain cleaners or other DIY drain cleaning products can harm the environment. These chemicals can contaminate groundwater or surface water, posing risks to aquatic life and ecosystems.
To prevent blockages, it is essential to avoid flushing non-biodegradable items down toilets, use drain covers to catch hair and debris, dispose of grease and fat properly, and periodically inspect and maintain your plumbing system. Regular maintenance can help identify and address potential issues before they escalate into major blockages or pipe failures.
PLUMBERS TIP:
Regularly running very hot water down the sink will help break down fat residues and assist in keeping the drains clear. An added benefit of frequent hot water flushing is a reduction in the likelihood of smelly drains stinking up your house.
How Does a Plumber Fix a Blocked Drain?
Once the blockage is located, a plumber will choose the appropriate method to clear it. Common techniques include:
Using a plumber’s snake or drain auger to physically break up and remove the blockage. This involves inserting a flexible cable into the pipe and rotating it to dislodge the obstruction.
Employing hydro-jetting, which uses high-pressure water to flush out clogs and debris from the inside of the pipes. Hydro-jetting is particularly effective for stubborn blockages and for cleaning the interior of the pipes.
Using specialised tools or equipment to remove specific types of blockages, such as root cutting tools for tree root intrusion or descaling equipment for mineral buildup.
Prevent a DIY Pipe Cleaning Disaster
To avoid DIY drain cleaning disasters, it is often best to leave the job to a professional plumber who has the expertise, experience, and proper tools to safely and effectively clear blockages without causing damage to your plumbing system or property. If you encounter a stubborn or recurring drain clog, it’s advisable to seek professional help rather than attempting DIY solutions that could potentially make the problem worse.
For the best advice on pipes and drainage, you can rely on the Salmon Plumbing team. From blocked drains and burst pipes to roof leaks and emergencies, we can meet your plumbing needs – day or night.
Is your bathroom still emitting pungent odours hours after your partner sat on the porcelain throne doing the daily Wordle puzzle? Have you tried multiple air fresheners only to return later to have the smell punch you in the face once again?
Before completely overhauling your partner’s diet or investing in expensive gut cleansing powders, consider whether the bathroom smells are coming from your pipes, rather than your partner. Chances are they are also getting a nose full of the smelly drains, and maybe even thinking it’s you!
DIY Fixes for Bathroom Smells and Smelly Drains
Sometimes stinky plumbing smells need to be dealt with by a plumbing professional. But the good news is there are a few things you can try first.
Fill the P-Trap
The first place to start is with the p-trap – this is a U-shaped pipe found underneath the basins, baths and showers (not the fluffy rug your nan used to put around the base of the toilet!) When it is filled with water, as it should be, the p-trap acts as a barrier that prevents gases from your sewer system rising up through the pipes into your home. If you have a bathroom where fixtures haven’t been used for some time, the water may have evaporated. In this case, simply running the tap to refill the p-trap may be all you need to do.
Check for Leaks in the P-trap
If you still have smelly drains even after running water down them, checking your p-trap for leaks is the next step in getting to the bottom of the issue. Even a small leak in the U-shaped pipe can be enough to let the potent gases sneak up through your system. This is something you may be able to replace and fit yourself. However, if you have any concerns, or lack the necessary tools for the job, calling a plumber is the best course of action.
Check the Sink for Blockages
It’s gross to think about, but all the things that go down your sink drain other than water (such as hair, toothpaste, soap, or food remnants) can cause a blockage in the pipes that takes on a life of its own and begins to stink!
In cases where the build-up is mild, pouring a cup of baking powder followed by a cup of white vinegar into your sink or shower drain and leaving for 10-15 minutes before running the hot water may be enough to clear the clog in the pipes and deodorise drains. You can also try unclogging the drain yourself with a plunger.
However, in more extreme circumstances, a plumber may use a drain snake or high-pressure hydro-jet to unblock the pipes.
Ignoring a blocked drain and hoping it’ll just go away can quickly turn into a costly mistake. So if these DIY methods don’t work, get your plumber on the phone!
Is the Smell Coming from the Toilet Rather than the Drains?
Are you struggling to keep a lid on the smell coming from your toilet? Smelly bathrooms aren’t always down to smelly drains or your honey spending too long on the dunny.
There are several reasons why your toilet might be the source of the foul smell.
Just like with the p-trap under your sink, the water in the toilet acts as a barrier to stop sewage gases from entering your home. If your toilet bowl isn’t filling up as it should, this could indicate a broken seal.
If there is no caulk around the base of your toilet, water and urine can gather in the crevices, grow bacteria and smell very unpleasant if left unchecked.
A loose or wobbly toilet may indicate a broken pan collar seal or wax ring which can result in toilet water leaking out and puddling on the floor and sewer gas escaping into the room.
Don’t let the stench of smelly drains or other unpleasant bathroom smells overtake your home! Contact Salmon Plumbing today.
Signs of a Brisbane blocked sewer pipe typically arise out of nowhere. You might notice slow drainage, gurgling sounds from drains or toilets, foul smells, or worse still, water pooling around the sewer point. Not only can a blocked sewer cause wastewater to back up into your home posing health hazards and property damage risks, it can also result in expensive repairs if left too late.
If you have a blocked drain or sewer it is a high priority. A damaged, broken or blocked sewerage system is a health and safety issue for your family, neighbours and the environment and needs to be attended to immediately. That is why at Salmon Plumbing we provide a prompt response and an effective solution for clogged drains.
Listen, we know that a clogged drain isn’t fun or friendly. If you’ve got blocked drains, leaving them can turn to disaster.
Whether it’s a monster hairball, uneaten veggies, a failed bread-making project, coffee grounds or something else entirely, we know you just want to get rid of it ASAP.
But the truth is, those fast-acting, grease-battling, life-changing drain cleaners are actually doing more damage to your home or business’ plumbing system than good – and here’s how.
At Salmon Plumbing, we’re familiar with the stress of a clogged drain during a nice, hot shower.
We also know the frustration that can follow when wrestling with the mass of hair, soap scum and other gunk that’s blocking your water flow just isn’t working!
This is a pretty common problem, so we’ve decided to put together three proFISHional tips from the team at Salmon Plumbing to help you clear blocked drains and avoid any upset.
Alternate baking soda, vinegar and plunging
It’s often a surprise when our customers haven’t heard of this one – it’s in every mother’s homecare cookbook! Please note that baking soda may be helpful to unblock a shower drain but can cause build up – so, as always, if it doesn’t work the first time, call in your favourite Brisbane plumbers!
For this, you’ll need one cup of baking soda, one cup of vinegar, plenty of boiling water and a cup plunger.
Then you simply follow these steps:
Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain.
After that, pour a cup of vinegar down the drain (this should create a chemical reaction that will cause fizzing in your drain).
Once the fizzing has died down, wait five minutes and boil some water.
Next, pour the boiling water slowly down the drain.
Finally, run some water down the drain and start plunging.
The baking soda and vinegar will break up any hair and gunk, and the boiling water helps to pass this waste through the drain, removing the blockage. The plunging ensures that the blockage is completely dislodged and out of your system. If the shower drain keeps getting blocked, then step back and call the plumber, there’s a bigger problem down there!
Remove the drain stopper and use pliers to extract the hair and gunk
This is certainly the hands-on approach most want to avoid, unfortunately, sometimes it’s necessary if your shower drain is very clogged. There’s nothing worse than dealing with a chunk of hair and soap scum, we feel you. But if you’re facing a “no showers” situation, get out the gloves!
For this, you’ll need a screwdriver, rubber gloves, a torch and needle-nose pliers.
Then, you simply follow these steps:
Remove the shower grate from your drain, this is where you may need your screwdriver.
Once you’ve got a clear opening to the drain below, shine your torch in it.
You should see the hairy culprit sitting in the drain.
Put the gloves on and use the needle-nose pliers to pull out the mass in your drain.
After removing the gunk, run some hot water down the drain.
Finally, reinstall the grate and ensure everything’s working properly.
Drain Cleaners – The Last Gasp
We know that a lot of people don’t like the supermarket drain cleaner option because of the chemicals that are often found in drain cleaners. We don’t really like them either as a lot of them can hurt our fishy brothers and sisters in the ocean!
Luckily, we’ve found a plumbing pipe cleaning product that contains no harsh chemicals. It’s called the CLR Power Plumber.
It essentially works the same way as a plunger, except without the mess!
To use it, run the water in your shower and allow some water to pool. Then, submerge the cap of the CLR Power Plumber can and place it over the drain opening. Then, press firmly down. This should expand the gas in the can and push the blockage down and out. Then Hey Presto – No more clogged shower drain!
Red flags your DIY shower drain cleaning isn’t working!
The problem with cleaning a shower drain pipe yourself is that a hair-clogged drain could be a bigger problem than first meets the eye. Hair tends to grab passing particles and can form large blockages in a relatively short time. If you try to clear your shower drain but the problem keeps coming back, you could be forcing hairballs deeper and deeper into your shower drainage pipe. If you clear the blockage you can see, get all the hair out of the drain and then it blocks again, do not keep attempting to unblock it yourself.
The team at Salmon Plumbing are available at our North Brisbane site around the clock to support the Brisbane region with their plumbing problems and enquiries.
If you need help, simply dial 07 3862 2600 at any hour of the day and our team will pick up the phone and organise the assistance you need.
For more at-home plumbing tips, or to learn about Australia’s plumbing history, click here to read the Salmon Plumbing blog.
Summer is our wet season in Queensland and spring is the ideal time to check the external plumbing around your home. No one wants a moat around their house when the storms and rains inevitably hit.
Here are some checks and maintenance tips you can do around your house to ensure the water flows where it needs to go.
1. Clean your roof and remove debris
The roof is the largest surface area of your home, and it’s the first surface to be hit by rain. Ensure your roof is clean and debris-free so that when the rain does hit, it doesn’t wash accumulated debris through your gutters or downpipes, causing a blockage.
2. Empty gutters of leaf debris
Cleaning your gutters is an important job every spring to ensure there is no leaf litter preventing the water from flowing through each channel to the storm water drains. Leaf matter can break down and congeal in downpipes. This can cause a back-up of water when it storms or rains, and this water has nowhere to go except overflow the edges of the gutters, falling around the house often causing an external flood.
3. Inspect rusty gutters and down pipes and ensure correct fall
Every spring, your gutters and down pipes should be inspected for rust and openings which can cause a water to fall through, instead of being directed away from the home through the existing storm water drainage. Have rusty gutters and down pipes replaced as soon as possible to avoid the drama of an external flood during storm season.
Also check for backfall of gutters. The correct fall ensures the water flows towards the downpipes, not away from them.
4. Inspect storm water grates
Often significant rain events can wash sand and dirt down storm water grates. This needs to be emptied to ensure a free channel of water to flow through when the next rain event hits. Click here to read more about storm water.
5. Ask your plumber to calculate the right number of downpipes for your roof surface area
Some houses just don’t have enough down pipes to meet the capacity of water fall from the surface area of their roof. If you think this is a problem at your property, call Salmon Plumbing out to investigate and offer a solution. This could be an opportunity to add a rainwater tank or two to be prepared for drought.
6. Have the correct sized storm water pipes underground
Most storm water pipes
underground around houses are 90mm PVC. Often this pipe is not big enough for
the amount of water that flows through the down pipes. Upgrading these pipes
can help prevent a moat situation around your house during a heavy rain event.
Keeping gardens maintained and away from
storm water grates ensures water can flow to where it needs to go when it
matters most.
The external plumbing to your home is
vitally important to prevent floods around your house. External floods can
cause damage inside your house, by seeping through window and door openings. It’s
an inconvenience that can be avoided with the right storm water drainage around
your home.
Another health concern to be aware of is
any type of pooling of water in gutters and around the home can also attract mosquitoes.
The pools of water offer mozzies the the perfect spot to breed. This is a
health concern as mosquitoes can spread the Zika Virus and Ross River Fever.
Ensuring adequate storm water drainage can prevent mozzies making a home at
your home.
If you have a storm water blockage or have
concerns about how rain water is channeled away from your home, give Salmon Plumbing a call. Our plumbers
can offer solutions so you’re better prepared when the wet weather hits this
summer.
Kids are curious creatures. The simplest of
activities like throwing a rock or filling a bucket with sand is a natural part
of their play and necessary for their growth and development.
They love to explore and experiment, test boundaries and push all the buttons, eager to see what happens next.
So it’s vitally important we teach our kids
about plumbing. There are buttons and pipes and grates and spouts around the
home (and even in the extended community like parks) that need to be used with
care. Your child may be curious to play with these or use them as part of their
play. But it often ends in disaster resulting in an unexpected call out to a
plumber, which wasn’t part of the family’s budget for the week.
Here are some things kids need to know about plumbing to prevent an unexpected call out. Most plumbing issues caused by kids can be preventable. These tips as are also important in keeping your child safe.
Teach kids about grates and open pipes outside
The external area around your home will
have storm water grates, rain water tanks, downpipes, hose taps and overflow
relief gullies.
Down pipes and rainwater tanks are not
playground equipment to be climbed on. Any weight on downpipes can disconnect
them from gutters.
Grated drains outside like storm water pits
or over flow relief gullies (ORG) should not have their grates removed and
filled with rocks or garden debris.
Overflow relief gullies are a sewer trap
which ensures any blockages on the main sewer line, don’t back up into your
house. It’s important these stay clear so they can do as their name suggests,
overflow. Any blockages
in an ORG, can cause a backup of waste water to the fixtures in your home, like
the sink and basins.
Salmon Plumbing has tools to retrieve rocks
or foreign matter thrown down the ORG. Sometimes, the rocks can flush down the
line requiring high-pressure
drain cleaning equipment to blast the blockage away. Teach kids not to lift
grates and throw anything down an open pipe. It will cause a blockage and you
will need to call a plumber to remove it.
In the local community, there are often
creeks or waterways with open storm water pipes. It’s important to teach kids not to swim or
wade in these waters – especially in summer during heavy rainfall. Water can
travel fast down these pipes, sucking any solid matter or objects with it.
Teach kids to keep away from flooded drains at all times to prevent a fatal
accident.
Teach kids what should and shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet
Only the three P’s should be flushed down
the toilet. Poo, pee and toilet paper. No toys, no wipes, no playdough, kinetic
sand or slime. And only a few pieces of toilet paper at a time – not the whole
roll!
Sometimes the toilet can be seen as an
automatic rubbish bin, flushing away whatever you don’t want. But our sewer system
network is not designed for these items. Any plastics or broken toys should be
recycled, donated or put in the bin, not flushed down the toilet.
Teach kids to turn the tap off after every use
Overflowing taps can happen. Even adults
can be notorious for multitasking and forgetting to turn a tap off, resulting
in an unexpected flood. Teach kids to focus on the job at hand and turn the tap
off after use. This can ensure no drips, which can be a drain on your water
bill.
Tap spouts aren’t monkey bars
A tap spout is not a monkey bar. It’s
self-explanatory, but anything that juts out from the wall can often be viewed
as something to climb on or swing from to a child.
Keep fingers away from a draining bath
It’s not common, but it does happen when
little fingers get caught down the bath drain. To prevent kids getting their
fingers stuck, take them out of the bath BEFORE you pull the plug. Also, place
little kids away from the plug end of the bath, to prevent the plug being
pulled during wash time.
We love kids, and they truly make the world
a better place, but their curiosity can cause unexpected plumbing problems.
If your child has been a bit over-eager
with the plumbing in your home, and you need some items retrieved or fixed,
give Salmon Plumbing a call.
One of the most common – and most unpleasant – home repairs everyone will endure at one time or another is a clogged drain. When left unattended, a clogged drain can cause nasty odours and even flood your home. The good news is that in many instances you can unblock the drain yourself and at little to no expense. One of the first and easiest solutions is to use hot water.
1. The Boiling Water Method
One of the simplest methods of unblocking drains, this method works best for light or small blocks, and it should only be used on metal pipes (if you have PVC pipes, the hot water may melt or soften the joints in your pipes, resulting in unwanted leaks).
The best way to do this is to take a kettle of boiling water and pour it down the sink. Give it a moment or two and then run water from the tap to see if the clog has been removed.
2. The Vinegar and Bicarb Soda Method
The next easiest method of unblocking drains is using something to dissolve the clog. Before buying a commercial drain cleaning product, try making your own with vinegar and bicarb soda.
Take half a cup of bicarb soda and dump it directly into the drain and as far down as you can. Then add half a cup of vinegar to the mix. This will result in a fizzing effect which will help eradicate any grease that may be blocking your drain.
3. The Plunging Method
For this solution, you’ll need a cup plunger and, depending on where the clog is, some duct tape.
If the clog is in the sink or bathtub, take a strip of duct tape and stick it over top of the overflow drain (this prevents the air or water from escaping and sends it instead towards the unwanted clog). Fill the sink with a bit of water and then use the cup plunger to apply steady pulses until you think the clog is removed or when you feel the pressure changing inside of the pipe.
When To Call a Plumber
There is a wide selection of chemical products on the market which are supposed to help unblock drains. But they may be unfriendly to the environment, and can be hazardous to use. They can even make your clogged drain issue even worse.
If none of the above methods helps you remove the clog, it’s a good idea to call the Salmon Plumbing team in Brisbane. Our team of fully qualified and insured plumbers have the equipment necessary to assess the issue and to take care of the clog for you as quickly as possible.
As a homeowner or tenant, there are few sights more terrifying than a sink or toilet beginning to back up as the water level inside it rises. But while water rising and overflowing into the room is the common result, the causes of the problem are more varied. Let’s look at some common causes of blocked drains and pipes, and some of the warning signs to look out for.
Warning Signs
By knowing the early warning signs that a drain or waste pipe is on its way to becoming blocked, you should be able to get on top of the problem early and call a plumber before it gets worse. As always, a little prevention is better than a lot of cure!
A sink that drains a lot slower than usual is usually a sign that something might be amiss further down the line. Similarly, gurgling noises that weren’t there before, or knocks and thuds after a lot of water is drained after washing dishes or when the dishwasher or washing machine is draining, are also early warnings to listen out for. An abnormally draining toilet where the water rises first (where it didn’t do this before) or any “washing back” of flushed material is also a warning sign.
Causes of Blocked Drains and Pipes
The two most common causes of blocked drains in Brisbane are tree roots and collapsed drains. In many of the older areas of Brisbane a lot of the drain lines are old earthenware, or clay pipes. Some of these pipes can be up to 80 years old.
Foreign objects flushed down the toilet can also be the cause of blockages. While toilet paper is obviously dissolvable and fine to go down toilets, there is a far wider range of things being flushed than that. The most common foreign object to cause blockages is the wet wipes, that are growing in popularity as an alternative or as a supplement to toilet paper in residential and office bathrooms.
Because of their high durability and materials used in them, wet wipes do not dissolve or disintegrate over time, even when wet. That means that when flushed, they clump together at bends and joints in the drain and slowly build up into a dam-like blockage. Other things like sanitary items can also cause problems if they are used and flushed in conjunction with wet-wipes.
In Queensland, an estimated 120 tonnes of wet wipes and debris are removed from sewage systems each year. In Sydney, local councils have been forced to spend over $8 million fixing blockages of this nature.
In the kitchen, food scraps and other solids mixed with grease and oil (which solidify at lower temperatures or when mixed with other substances) are a main culprits of blockages. Kitchen pipes are often much smaller in diameter than other pipes, which means that much smaller amounts of material are needed to cause problems.
Preventing Rather than Fixing A Blockage
If you have seen a slow draining sink or toilet, or have been hearing noises in the pipes, like gurgling or knocking, then you would be well served by calling a plumber to check things out and take a look before a minor cost becomes a major bill. Our friendly, experienced team of professionals at Salmon Plumbing in Brisbane are on hand to inspect your pipes to ensure that they have a clean bill of health!
