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).
Brisbane can be the city of plenty and not
enough water. But we aren’t doing it as bad as our regional towns and
communities, who have been experiencing severe drought and are in desperate
need for rain. Almost two-thirds
of Queensland is in drought, and the lack of water supplies affects
industries, agriculture and can impact personal lifestyles.
Water is a precious resource and we often
take it for granted. Being mindful of how much water we use each day is
something we don’t consider, until the water supplies start to dwindle. It’s
important to understand we all play a role in conserving water and ensuring we
only use what we need.
Unfortunately, it can take a drought to
prompt a change in the way we use water, but your plumber can help automate
water conservation through a few changes around the house.
Here are 5 ways your plumber can help drought-proof your home.
1. Install a rainwater tank
Rainwater is free and collecting it in a tank can help reduce your water bill and lower your reliance on town water supplies. Of course, it has to rain in order to fill your tanks. But having a tank readily installed for when the rains do come, is a way to drought-proof your home. Collecting this water and storing it for use to water gardens, clean cars, fill toilet cisterns and wash down the exterior of your home can ease consumption from drinkable water supplies used for personal use (ie drinking, cooking and personal hygiene)
2. Install water saving aerators
Using less water in the home makes sense, but it often requires a disciplined practice. Install water saving aerators to reduce the litres of water used through the spout. Your plumber can change the taps or add aerators to reduce the water through each spout.
3. Install dual flush toilet cisterns
Most homes should have dual flush toilet cisterns, but if you have an older, single flush toilet suite, consider changing it. Dual flush toilets are another automated way to use less water than needed when flushing a number 1 away.
4. Change over to a water-saving shower rose
There are often grumbles about the pressure of water-saving shower roses, but you can shower for twice as long in a water-saving shower than a shower rose without a restrictor. It’s well worth the investment to install a water-saving shower rose on all the showers.
5. Grey water diversion
Grey water is the waste
water collected from washing machines, basins and sink wastes. This water can
be re-used to water the garden. We need to be mindful of the soaps and washing
powders used if the grey water is diverted. Some aren’t meant to be dispersed
on gardens. If you use eco-friendly products, the grey water can be diverted. Grey
water diversion may not be possible on some homes. Often a call out is needed
to advise on the best diversion for your laundry set up.
If you’re looking for ways
to reduce your water consumption in the home, give Salmon Plumbing a call. We
can help get your house better prepared for drought when water restrictions
come in place.
Rainwater tanks are a great way to save on your water bills, if you can keep the local mosquitoes out!
The collection of rainwater is a system that can be of great benefit to the environment. But any plumbing system that collects and stores water needs to be maintained, and the rainwater tank is one such system that is often out of sight, so out of mind.
But an alarming news story aired on Channel 9 last Friday stated new research has found the Aedes aegypti mosquito has been discovered in a number of towns in the Wide Bay region, and close to Brisbane.
This mosquito is the culprit for infectious
diseases including dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever.
With the cold and flu season upon us, the
last threat we need is that of dengue fever.
The most common areas for mosquitoes to breed are near water supplies and CSIRO are urging all rainwater tank owners within Brisbane to check their rainwater tank systems to prevent an outbreak of dengue fever.
Research has shown the last epidemic for dengue fever in Brisbane was when the use of unsealed water tanks was prevalent.
It’s important to check the current state of your rainwater tank and fix these issues if found during your inspection.
1. Check the mesh sieves into and from your rainwater tank
The mesh barrier at the top of your rainwater tank should be intact and have no penetrations. Any holes will attract mosquitoes. Replace the mesh to keep mozzies out of your tank.
2. Clean all gutters and downpipes
Leaf matter attracts mosquitoes as this is their food source. Remove the food and the mozzies won’t come looking for a home. Ensure your gutters and downpipes are free from all leaf debris. It’s important to clean your gutters twice a year.
3. Inspect the tank and check for holes or penetrations
Any penetrations or open holes into the rainwater tank are basically inviting the mosquitoes in. Replace or fix broken rainwater tanks. Your plumber can give you a quote on the cost to replace and install a split rainwater tank.
4. Check your first flush device
Your first flush device, connected to the outlet of the water tank should be flushed every 3 months. A biannual inspection can check for malfunctions and the possibility of mosquito presence.
5. Treat the water
To prevent mosquitoes from breeding in your rainwater tank, the water can be treated. This will stop mosquitoes laying eggs and kill any larvae already present in the tank.
Rainwater tank maintenance is a Salmon Plumbing speciality. The next time you book a call out, why not get our plumber to check the state of your rainwater tank system? It could be vital for your health and those living in the wider Brisbane community.
When winter rolls around, bring on the hot chips and gravy. In fact bring on all the carb-rich comfort foods like roasts, soups and casseroles. Anything to keep your belly full and hands warm while embracing all the comforts winter draws us to. Unfortunately, these foods can also cause a common kitchen sink blockage that has plumbers called every winter to fix. Here is the most common kitchen sink blockage you want to avoid this winter.
Common kitchen sink blockage
Oils and fats rinsed down the kitchen sink
drain will do more harm than good to your pipes.
In winter, when fats and oils sit in cold pipes, they congeal and form solid clumps, or as Queensland Urban Utilities likes to call them ‘Fatbergs’. These solid masses of fat will block your drains if they are not disposed of accordingly.
If the evening meal has resulted in leftover fats and oils, or gravy that no one has licked off the plate, there are a few ways to dispose of these to prevent blockage.
Allow the fats to cool and solidify then scrape them into the bin.
When rinsing roasting trays or plates with oil slicks or excess sauces and gravy, immediately turn the hot water tap on to ‘flush’ away the oils from the trap.
For extra measure, boil the kettle and pour boiling hot water down the kitchen sink to ensure the breakdown of the fats and oils.
A small squirt of dishwashing liquid down the drain and a full bowl of water drained down the sink will disperse the oils in the pipes, which will prevent blockage.
DIY tricks on clearing your blocked sink
There are a few DIY tricks that can break
up a blocked kitchen sink.
Sprinkle bi-carb soda and pour hot vinegar (microwave for 1 minute) down the drain.
Use a household plunger to loosen the blockage
Undo the sink trap and pour the water into the sink with the plugin. Ensure the trap is free of food blockages.
Pour a household drain cleaner down the sink. These are readily available from your local hardware or grocery store. Do try the natural remedies before going down the chemical aisle.
If none of these remedies removes the blockage, it’s time to call your plumber. A drain cleaning machine or an electric eel may need to be used to blast away the blockage. Salmon Plumbing is experienced in types of blockages. Contact the team to get your kitchen sink unblocked today.
If you’ve purchased an older house and the bathroom is in need of an update, you may assume calling a plumber will cost you a bit to renovate. But simple, cosmetic updates can be affordable if you’re smart about it. A good plumber will usually be able to install them during one call out and will install them in a fraction of the time it would take you.
Now not everyone can afford to renovate
their bathroom after the initial outlay to purchase the property. But there are
some ways to make the bathroom look aesthetically pleasing until you do have
the finances available to do a complete overhaul.
Here are some budget plumbing tips which can update an old bathroom for minimal cost.
Replace Your Toilet Seat
It can be the luck of the draw on what type of toilet you have installed in your bathroom. You may have a dual flush toilet suite or you could have a toilet with the cistern high up the wall that has seen better days, connecting to a white toilet pan with an old dingy black plastic toilet seat. You could get your plumber to replace the whole toilet suite. But if this is out of your budget, simply replace the toilet seat. You’d be surprised how refreshed the toilet will look with this simple install.
Replace Taps With Like For Like
Replacing old or damaged tapware can also update your bathroom. There can be an outlay of cost in purchasing the new tapware, but providing you replace an existing mixer with a new mixer or hob mounted with the like, you can instantly update the bathroom. Why not replace the chrome taps with matte black? This can cost more than chrome, but is not as expensive as the brushed metallic tapware available. But it can instantly modernize the bathroom if that is the look you’re after.
Replace The Plug and Waste
You may not be a fan of the basin or the vanity cupboard for that matter, but if replacing these won’t fit in with your budget, get your plumber to replace the plug and waste. Often a basin will show its age by the grime in the silicone sealing the basin waste. Your plumber will be able to find the correct plug and waste needed and re-silicone this in for you. Leave this job with your plumber to source as the plug and waste diameters can vary from 32mm to 40mm and some require an overflow.
Add a Hand Shower
If your shower has an all directional
shower rose, this can be replaced with a hand shower. A plumber does not
necessarily have to install this, however, you have to be mindful of where your
cold and hot water pipes are when drilling into the tiled wall to affix the
shower rail. Your plumber’s expertise will ensure the rail is installed where
it needs to be and even if they get it wrong, they’re the best person to fix the leak.
A good clean, a fresh lick of paint and
even some new accessories in the like of a plant or new window furnishing may be
all that’s needed so your bathroom looks less drab and more fab.
Salmon Plumbing can do all these budget bathroom plumbing tips in one call out, saving you money and time trying to do it yourself. Call the team now so we can organise a call out to help.
Lead is something all of us encounter daily. From our air and soil to household dust and paint, however, not many of us are aware that this potentially dangerous metal is also often found lurking in our tap water.
A study from 2016 found that low-level lead water contamination was frighteningly widespread in Australian homes.
The culprit, in this case, was mostly brass tapware fittings, though there are other reasons why there may be lead in your home’s tap water including:
Your home has been fitted with lead pipes (these are mostly older homes built prior to the 1930s).
Your home or community pipes or fixtures are decaying (you’ll notice leaking, rusty-coloured water and stained dishes if this is the case)
Cheap tapware brought from overseas that does not comply with Australian standards. There have also been instances where an Aldi tap was found to have high levels of lead.
The most accurate way to check for lead in your water is to have it tested by a professional. This is because lead cannot be tasted, seen, or smelled.
Why lead needs to be removed from water and tapware
Long term exposure to lead can cause a number of significant health issues, especially if you have infants, young children, or pregnant women in the home.
Lead exposure has been known to cause damage to the brain
The kidneys
Red blood cells
The stakes are even higher for young children. Babies and children exposed to lead can suffer from hearing problems as well as mental and physical impairments.
How much lead is too much in our drinking water
According to Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, 0.01mg per litre of lead in our drinking water is “safe” (previously the number was 0.05mg per litre). Despite the acknowledgement of lead being unsafe in our water, there is no enforced monitoring of lead contamination in public water supplies on both a local and national level. This makes it all the more important that we are personally diligent in having our water tested for the safety of our families and our communities.
Tips for treating lead in water and tapware
The first and most important step is requesting that your local water be tested for the presence of lead. Anything above 0.01mg per litre is unsafe and unacceptable.
You can also reduce your exposure to lead on a daily basis by:
1. Running your cold water tap for up to 30 seconds
If the cold water tap hasn’t been used for over six hours, allow it to run for up to 30 seconds before using that water for cooking or drinking.
2. Avoid using water from the hot water tap
Lead is more apparent in hot water, so try to avoid drinking or cooking using water from your hot water tap.
3. Don’t “over boil” your water
The longer you allow a pot of water to boil, the more lead you’ll find in your water due to evaporation.
4. Stop using lead-based cookware
Australian-made cookware likely doesn’t contain lead. But cookware from other countries could very easily contain this dangerous neurotoxin.
5. Replace your old pipes and taps
We recommend buying taps that have the Watermark logo on it as these have the highest quality standards. If you have old taps or corroding pipes, contact one of the friendly plumbing experts here at Salmon Plumbing. We’ll take a look at your plumbing system and provide you with helpful recommendations on how we can increase the safety of your drinking water in an easy and affordable way.
Our team at Salmon Plumbing invite you to contact us online or give us a call now to chat about your plumbing concerns at (07) 3862 2600.
We understand: calling a plumber can be an expensive exercise, and no one wants to spend more money than they have to. But a timely appointment with a plumber can not only fix your immediate problem, but it can also save you thousands of dollars in the future. That’s because the plumber is already at your home or business, so by planning ahead you can get them to look at other things that might not be causing concern now, but may need some minor maintenance to help prevent major problems in the future.
It’s a little like going to the doctor for a bad cold, but also asking a few questions about your diet or back pain: you’re already there, so why not make the most of it and get value for your money! Getting the most out of your plumber’s call out fee is pretty much the same concept, at the very least you will have peace of mind that things are all under control
Here are some things to make sure you get checked out next time you have your plumber on site.
Water Leaks and Tap Washers
Changing washers is a pretty simple business with most tapware, but if there’s a professional in the house, it’s worth getting them to have a look at what might need replacing and getting it done. Not only will it be faster, but you’ll likely also be able to get a quote to repair any slightly more expensive parts like ceramic discs inside the tapware.
Gutter and Downpipes
Gutters and downpipes can back up with debris, and then all it takes is a heavier than normal rain event for water to end up in all sorts of places you don’t want. While your plumber is there, ask them to do a visual inspection of the property to check the gutters and downpipes. They’ll know the places that are likely to be “choke points” for problems, and are also experienced at spotting where signs of damage have already occurred.
Hot Water System
The hot water system is one of the most heavily used and most important parts of many household plumbing systems, so it pays to have it checked regularly. An experienced eye checking over the system can spot plenty of problems like hidden rust, and your plumber can also do a quick test to make sure the system is heating water to the required temperatures.
Water that is not heated to the correct temperature in the tank can quickly become an attractive place for bacteria to grow, and a Legionella problem is the last thing you want in your hot water system.
Your plumber can also double check the operation of all valves and ensure there is no unexpected surprises waiting for you in the immediate future. Some minor maintenance can also help extend the life of your Hot Water Service.
Water Tanks
Droughts over the last few decades in all parts of Australia have meant that water tanks have become as common in Australian backyards as BBQs. But these are often out of sight and out of mind. Having your plumber inspect the mesh at the opening of the tank as well as the pump connections is always a good idea to make sure that wildlife isn’t getting in. Stopping water pooling from leaks or mosquitoes from getting into your tank is also the best way to continue enjoying your outdoor area by denying the mozzies a space to breed.
Flexible Hoses
The flexible hoses around all manner of plumbing equipment are made of a large number of metal threads which means that with age they might fray, rust, or leak. Getting these checked and replaced can go a long way towards preventing any future flooding emergencies!
Like most things nowadays, there are also some cheaper, imported, flexible hoses available on the market today – your plumber can identify these and replace with high quality alternatives that also come with a manufacturers warranty for piece of mind.
So, take the chance to make the most of your plumber’s call out fee next time you have them visit your premises. Have them check over one or more of the areas we’ve mentioned in this article. A friendly, professional plumber like the ones at Salmon Plumbing will be happy to take a look for you and advise what needs to be done to keep your home or office in top shape.
