Facebook-square
We are the trusted name in the plumbing industry
header-contact

Blog

Help! My ORG (Overflow Relief Gully) Is Full Of Sand!

ORG-photoIt’s one of the most common occurrences in Australian residential homes – the blocked ORG! With the primary culprit being children and their tendency to lift the easily removable plastic grate and fill the long drop hole with sand, rocks, garden waste or even small toys, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas have seen their fair share of plumbing problems stemming from this issue.

All properties in Australia require an Overflow Relief Gully (ORG); a grated drain that acts like a relief valve, located outside (usually on the ‘wet’ side of the house) that prevents a blocked sewer emptying its contents into your home. An ORG has a grate that pops out and allows the sewerage to overflow freely outside if you have a blockage in your plumbing, which is also a popular outside play thing for small children and some dogs to remove and take off with.

Some points to remember with ORG’s include:

  • Regular Inspections
  • Check Your ORG’s Height
  • Older Home? Check You’ve Got One.

Regular Inspections

Overflow Relief Gully’s have a major function in your home so it’s imperative to keep them well maintained. Inspect your ORG every so often to make sure that it’s not full of water (which means a blockage) and that it hasn’t been covered up with sand or other ‘matter’ and just check your downpipes and storm water are not connected into the ORG, as it can back up the sewer system (which is not designed to carry storm water).

Check Your ORG’s Height

Usually the ORG is at least 100mm lower than the lowest waste outlet (basin, toilet, shower drain) in your home and at least 150mm above the surrounding ground to prevent storm water flowing into it.

Older Home? Check You’ve Got One.

If your home was built prior to 1976, it won’t have an ORG, but if it has been renovated or you’re looking to renovate the house, you will need to ensure an ORG is installed. No house is ever immune to a plumbing blockage so to not have an ORG on your property means you could find yourself with a nasty mess, an emergency plumbing callout, or worse, an insurance claim.

Who Can Help Me With My Blocked ORG?

If the fixtures in your house don’t drain properly, a quick inspection of your ORG will tell you if the blockage is on the main sewer line or just the pipework from that particular fixture. If the ORG is clear, this indicates the blockage is in the pipework to the fixture itself. If the ORG is full of water, you may find you have a blockage down the line or it’s been filled with foreign matter that shouldn’t be there.

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your local plumbing experts and can assist you with all plumbing, hot water and gas problems, repairs and maintenance.

Call today on 9791 1608 in Bunbury or 9759 1317 in Dunsborough.

Photo credits to Power Water.

Looking For A Plumbing Expert in Dunsborough

Plumbing by Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas BunburyFrom Busselton to Margaret River, everyone requires experts in plumbing, hot water and gas from time to time. Home owners, renters, builders, business owners and commercial property developers all need the safe, reliable and professional service provided by a local, reputable company. Recognising the need for expansion and the frequent use of our services as far as Dunsborough and Margaret River, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are excited to announce that we are expanding into Dunsborough, offering the residents of the greater South West the advantages of our award-winning services.

Servicing the South West for over 40 years, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your trusted name in the plumbing industry and offer fast, effective and high-quality workmanship to both residential and commercial properties. Whether it be a large plumbing emergency or a leaking tap, a broken hot water unit or issues with your water pressure, maintaining gas lines or solving gas blockages, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas have the cost-effective solution for you.

What you can still expect from Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas, at both locations, is:

  • Same Local, Customer Focused Service
  • Professional Trades and Quality Workmanship
  • Fast, Friendly Service and No Call Out Fees

Same Local, Customer Focused Service

Mainline Plumbing in actionHaving serviced the South West for many years, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are a reputable figure in our community and have a strong reputation for reliability and excellent work standards. Expanding into Dunsborough will ensure we service all areas efficiently and create local employment opportunities. Our solid work ethic has seen our business last in a booming industry as suppliers of superior products and excellent customer service all over the South West.

Professional Trades and Quality Workmanship

It is not only an insurance requirement that you employ a licensed professional to repair plumbing, hot water and gas emergencies, but it also gives you peace of mind that you have secured someone that knows what they are doing when it comes to safety and all areas of plumbing, hot water and gas. Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas employ only the most skilled of tradesman to ensure your repair, installation or maintenance is carried out quickly and to the highest professional standard.

Hot water installerFast, Friendly Service and No Call Out Fees

Why should you be penalised or inconvenienced for longer due to a fault in your plumbing, hot water unit or gas line? The Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas point of difference is our 24/7 availability and no call-out or penalty fee for emergencies, which will extend to Busselton, Dunsborough, Margaret River and these local areas.

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas is now in Dunsborough!!

Whether it’s a problem with your hot water, plumbing or gas, call Mainline Plumbing & Cheap Hot Water & Gas. We operate 24 hours of the day and 7 days a week. We have the experience and believe in respect, integrity and customer focus. Give us a call today for all of your plumbing, gas and hot water needs at in Dunsborough, Busselton, Margaret River and surrounding areas on 9759 1317.

Stop Flushing Money Away – What Not To Flush Down Your Toilet

ToiletA plumbing disaster can cost you thousands of dollars and nobody wants to spend their money on a bathroom flooding or a pipe bursting because someone flushed the wrong thing down the toilet. Plumbers are called out to thousands of emergency jobs per year to repair plumbing damage due to large blockages and faults, resulting in costly bills to the homeowner. Knowing what not to flush down the loo can keep your pipes clear and working efficiently, resulting in less chance of a blocked drain or worse.

Whilst many of these items may come as common sense to most, some are wrongly considered entirely safe to flush down the toilet and into the wastewater system. They include:

  • Pets
  • Wet Wipes
  • Cooking Oils and Fats
  • Cigarette Butts
  • Sanitary Items and Dental Floss

Pets

Whilst it may seem like common sense not to attempt to flush your family pet down the toilet, a staggering amount of people still flush pet fish and mice down the toilet when they ‘pass on’. That’s a very nasty site for your plumber when they fish around in your pipes to find a dead/decaying body as the source of the blockage. Just like humans and bigger pets, deceased small pets need to be buried or disposed of responsibly – not flushed away.

Wet Wipes

Despite the packaging on so many of these products claiming them to be flushable, wet wipes and many moist toilet paper wipes are not biodegradable. The thicker, stronger fibres of these products mean they do not break down nearly as fast as normal toilet paper and contribute to blockages in both residential pipes and the wastewater sewage system.

Cooking Oils and Fats

Drains are drains, no matter where they run from. You don’t pour cooking oils and fats down the kitchen sink drain, so don’t tip them down the toilet. These mixtures act as the very best agents for small particles to stick too inside your pipes and create slimy walls along the way, not to mention pollute the water supply as it washes into the sewage system.

Cigarette Butts

cigarette buttThey may seem small enough, but ciggie butts are worse flushed than they are butted out and tossed in the bin. Butts just do not break down (have you not seen those stubborn butts still sitting on street verges after being rained on all winter?) and lead to big problems with blockages and pollution.

Sanitary Items and Dental Floss

Pads and tampons are made from cotton but tend to swell when exposed to large amounts of water. A large swollen clump of tight cotton is a recipe for disaster when flushed down a sewerage pipe. Condoms do not break down for years and dental floss gets wrapped around everything inside the pipes and creates a framework for blockages. Popping these items in a plastic bag and disposing of them in the bin is not only environmentally friendly, it’ll ensure your chances of a blocked or damaged pipe is significantly reduced.

Who Can Help Me with A Blocked Drain Or Toilet?

The team at Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas have seen it all when it comes to blockages and damages in pipes, both residential and commercial. For more advice on plumbing precautions, or to book a quote for some plumbing maintenance, call 9791 1608 (Bunbury) or 9759 1317 (Dunsborough) today.

Don’t Flush Your Baby Wipes

Baby wipesAs any parent will tell you, antibacterial wipes (or baby/wet wipes as they are known in Australia) are a godsend for parents of babies and toddlers. These small sheets of moist fibres are not exclusive to parents of young children; teenagers use them frequently for various purposes and there are now sanitary wipes available for all ages as an alternative for dry toilet paper. Whilst some of these products are actually marketed as flushable, recent research has revealed that these wet wipes are causing major issues in our wastewater systems.

According to the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission), wet wipes, even though claiming to be flushable, are simply not suitable to be disposed of in our plumbing systems. An astonishing one in four people in metropolitan areas are flushing wet/baby wipes down the loo and roughly 75% of reported sewer blockages in major cities are the result of wet wipe accumulation. (www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/beauty-and-personal-care/skin-care-and-cosmetics/articles/flushable-wipes)

The main reasons to not flush your baby/wet wipes down the toilet include:

  • Environmental Hazard
  • Pipe Blockages = Big Problems = Big Costs
  • Wipes are Now #1 for Blockages

Environmental Hazard

Wet/baby wipes do not break down like toilet paper does. They are designed to be much stronger and therefore take significantly longer in the biodegradation process. The chemicals used in the manufacture of these wipes contributes to water pollution and the fibrous paper itself simply adds to waste product in our wastewater system. If these wipes aren’t removed in treatment facilities, they are flushed out to oceans and creeks, causing major environmental hazards.

Blocked DrainPipe Blockages = Big Problems = Big Costs

The removal of large clumps of accumulated baby/wet wipes in plumbing pipes is labour intensive and very unpleasant. The wipes not only build up quickly to form a mass that is very difficult to break down, but other waste products get catch up in this blockage. As such, plumbers are well within their rights to charge accordingly and when you are frequently flushing baby/wet wipes down the loo, these blockages can occur way too often, resulting in plumbers being called and big bills being accumulated. Avoid large, costly plumbing bills by placing wipes in the rubbish bin, not the toilet.

Wipes Are Now #1 For Blockages

According to the ACCC and numerous residential plumbers, wipes are now the biggest cause of household plumbing blockages in Australia. Although so many are labelled as flushable, the truth is that they do not break down adequately and are causing detrimental blockages and damage to residential plumbing. In some reported cases, pipes have even burst, resulting in costly repair bills for not just the pipe repair, but the water damage to the home.

Mainline Plumbing & Cheap Hot Water & Gas Fully Equiped UteI Think I Might Need To Check For Baby Wipe Blockage! Who Can Help Me?

The team at Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas have seen it all when it comes to plumbing blockages. They are your local, reliable professionals, servicing the South West for over 35 years. Call the team on 9791 1608 (Bunbury) or 9759 1317 (Dunsborough) today to arrange a free quote to inspect your pipes if you think you may have flushed too many baby/wet wipes down your plumbing pipes.

Source: www.choice.com.au

Why Has My Hot Water Gone Cold?

ShowerThere are very few things in life more uncomfortable than a cold shower or more unsanitary than a sink full of icy dish washing water. Some swear by the awakening properties of freezing cold streams of water or argue that it simply takes just a little more elbow grease to wash dishes in cold water, however most people enjoy the luxury of hot water, especially when they have paid good money for a functioning hot water system.

So why is your hot water system not working? There could be many reasons why your lovely warm water is not flowing through to the sink, shower or drain that you wish it to. Here are some of the main culprits you need to hunt down once you’ve warmed up and are on the hunt!

  • Someone’s Using the Water
  • Individual Fixture Malfunction
  • In Need of Repair

Someone’s Using the Water

A serious crime in any household, the use of the hot water tap, when someone else is in the shower is tantamount to a week of dishwashing duties. If your hot water flow significantly decreases whilst you are in the shower, your most likely culprit is that someone is using the water elsewhere in the house.

Similarly, the increasing number of showers, loads of washing, dishwasher or sink fills can tax your hot water system’s maximum capacity. It can take over 30 mins for some water heaters to re-heat a full tank of water. Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas carry a range of larger hot water systems and instantaneous solutions that simply heat the required amount of water as it moves through a heated coil, that may be able to assist with your growing families water requirements.

Water pipe repair

Individual Fixture Malfunction

If the water is running at your desired heated temperature from all the other taps and shower heads in your home except one, then you will most likely find it is something simple that is faulty with that particular plumbing fixture. Broken showerhead mixing valves, which regulate the mix of hot and cold water, are a common issue, however your problem may extend into the pipes in the walls so be sure to call a plumber for any repairs and replacements.

In Need of Repair

Have you checked the water temperature settings haven’t been fiddled with? Is the electricity supply turned on or pilot light still lit? If all the basic checks come back with no reason why your system shouldn’t be functioning properly, it’s time to call in the experts. Heating elements can be burnt out or become encrusted with sediment, temperature control valves can be faulty, or you may have a blockage in the pipes, all jobs for a licensed plumber and gas fitter.

Who Do I Call to Fix My Hot Water Problems?

Mainline Plumbing & Cheap Hot Water & Gas Fully Equiped UteMainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your experts in hot water. Whether it be to repair a leaking valve or a full replacement of your hot water heating system, you can be assured that Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas carry the skills and experience to ensure the job is done professionally and on budget.

Call the team at Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas
on 9791 1608 (Bunbury) or 9759 1317 (Dunsborough) today and organise your free, no-obligation quote, or call-out fee-free inspection today.

Everything You Need To Know About Instantaneous Gas

Hot water installerInstantaneous, or continual flow, gas refers to a hot water system that only heats up as much water as you require. The gas starts to heat the water when the hot water tap is turned on by initiating the gas burner and heating the water as it runs through a coiled pipe. Rather than heating a full tank of still water, the unit only heats the water that is needed, shutting off the heating process when the hot water tap is turned off.

Benefits to installing an instantaneous gas hot water system include:

  • Save money
  • Less Water Wastage
  • Better For The Environment
  • Safe For Your Family

Save money

The average person uses up to 50L of hot water per day. With the cost of water use and consumption rising dramatically, the restricted heating of only the water that you require will save you money. Rennai instantaneous gas hot water systems also come with a 6 star efficiency rating, so you are assured you are getting exceptional quality and saving money.

Less Water Wastage

The ‘instant’ effect of an instantaneous gas hot water system also ensures you wait less time for your water to get hot, so less water wasted. The instantaneous gas hot water system can also be connected to bottled or underground gas lines.

Hot water installedBetter for the Environment

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are proud suppliers and installers of Rennai hot water system, which are proven to release less greenhouse gas emissions and are highly aware of the need to conserve our precious natural resources. They are also compatible with slow flow shower heads. Less water usage means less cost to you and less strain on our environment.

Safe for Your Family

The thermostat on an instantaneous hot water system can be set to a maximum temperature, meaning little hands and bodies cannot be burnt if the hot water tap is turned on too high.

Who Can Help Me with Instantaneous Gas Hot Water System Supply and Install?

For the most up to date products, reliability and performance, you cannot go past Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas. Your local choice for experience, professionalism and cost-effective plumbing, hot water and gas solutions, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas will find the perfect system for your home. Call the team on 9791 1608 (Bunbury) or 9759 1317 (Dunsborough) today for a free quote.  Remember Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are available 24 / 7 for all your emergency hot water and plumbing needs.

I Can Smell Gas? What Do I Do?

Gas leakYou may have a gas leak. Leaking gas is a serious hazard and should be dealt with only by a licensed gas fitter or professional that is highly trained in assessing and repairing a damaged gas unit.

If you think you have a gas leak call Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas NOW

on 9791 1608 (Bunbury) or 9759 1317 (Dunsborough), we are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including Christmas Day.

For most people, the smell of gas is distinctive. The odour added to an otherwise unscented gas that we use in our homes is very unpleasant, and for a good reason. The smell is there to indicate that gas is present, and when you can detect this odour in a place you shouldn’t be able to, it signifies that either someone has left the gas on, or you have a leak.

Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas are your licensed and highly trained professionals when it comes to gas fitting and repairs in the South West. They can assist you with all of your commercial and household gas needs including:

  • Hot Water Systems
  • Gas Cooking Appliances
  • Gas Repairs and Maintenance

Hot Water Systems

Hot water installedInstalling, replacing and repairing your hot water system is simple with Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas. Our licensed tradesmen are fully qualified plumbers and gas fitters who take pride in their work and strive to bring you a quality product with superior after sales service. Whether your unit is older and needs upgrading, your elements need replacing, or you need a brand new system installed in your new home, the premium products and service provided by Mainline  Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas is second to none.

Gas Cooking Appliances

Everybody knows that cooking with gas results in more control over the heat you use when cooking and can be significantly more economical than electric elements. Stove top cooking with gas is a traditional method that has maintained its’ popularity due to the more efficient cooking times and higher-grade quality of heat production. Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas can install and service all of your gas cooking appliances to the highest industry standard for both town gas supply and bottled gas supplied services.

Gas Repairs and Maintenance

If you find your gas appliances or hot water unit needing attention, Mainline Plumbing are your first point of call. Maintenance of your gas appliances is essential to ensure they run smoothly and that a small problem doesn’t turn into a disastrous emergency. For yearly service and maintenance, your Mainline plumber and gas fitter can assess your unit or appliance and address any issues that may be evident. Should your unit or appliance need repairing, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas can assist you with fast and cost effective service.

Who Can Help Me With My Gas Leak?

Servicing the South West for over 35 years, Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas offer years of knowledge and experience in all areas of gas fitting as well as a 24/7 availability and no call out or extra fees for after-hours emergencies. Call the team at Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas on 9791 1608 (Bunbury) or 9759 1317 (Dunsborough) for more information, or for a free quote today.

Why Choose Natural Gas?

Natural gasGas Stove is fast becoming the energy source of choice for residential homes and it’s easy to see why. With numerous benefits and plentiful resources, gas combines convenience and comfort as well as being an efficient and environmentally friendly choice for your home.

The top 5 reasons to choose natural gas for your home are:

  1. Savings and Value
  2. Environmentally Friendly
  3. Convenience
  4. Versatility and Comfort
  5. Safety

1. Savings and Value

Natural gas costs considerably less to run than electricity, especially when it comes to heating. When you consider that gas can replace electricity for home heating, cooking and warming your water, that’s a significant amount of savings. Due to the safety considerations surrounding gas, you are far less likely to leave your stove top or gas heater on, whereas electric systems are often left on for hours unnecessarily, resulting in higher energy costs.

Hot gas2. Environmentally Friendly

Natural gas is the cleanest burning energy source for residential housing. It produces significantly less sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and airborne particles than other fuel sources and conserves natural resources.

3. Convenience

Natural gas runs straight from local lines to your home. You don’t have to worry about ordering replacement bottles or running out of gas in the middle of a hot shower and there is no need for chopping wood for the fire place either with a gas heater. Natural gas also cooks faster on a gas cook top or in a gas oven and your hot water system warms up faster and recovers quicker than an electric system.

4. Versatility and Comfort

Natural gas not only heats your home, but also provides heat for cooking, water heating and more advanced comfort appliances like outdoor kitchens and gas fireplaces. You can even hook up your natural gas to heat your swimming pool or spa, your outdoor lighting or your BBQ.

Natural gas can also produce heat quicker, making a room feel warmer, faster. Maximise the comfort of your home in the colder months with quick, reliable natural gas heating.

5. Safety

Gas work by Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas BunburyDue to its many applications, natural gas safety standards on appliances are strict and all precautions and training is undertaken by professionals to ensure maximum compliance. An odour is added to natural gas as a means to detect leaks and even though natural gas is dissipated into open air more quickly than other heavier fuels, a licensed gas fitter should always be called to address any safety or maintenance issues with natural gas appliances or pipes.

Why Choose Natural Gas?

Choose natural gas because it is economical, environmental, convenient; Mainline Plumbing & Cheap Hot Water & Gas are licensed gas fitters and experts in natural gas installation and maintenance. Call the team on 9791 1608 (Bunbury) or 9759 1317 (Dunsborough) for a free quote and get connected today.

Heating Your Home Safely with Gas

Coming home to a toasty warm house is one of the best parts about winter. When your gas heater is doing its job and heating your home, it’s easy to forget about its maintenance and safety.  The maintenance and safety side of things and just enjoy the warmth, but the condition of your heater is more important than you think.

Gas work by Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas Bunbury

Gas heating is widely used in Australia. We heat, cook and refrigerate with it. With gas we are enjoying the conveniences more and more with the supply of natural gas plus technological advances in gas products. However, it is essential to recognise the safety risks associated with not properly maintaining your gas appliances to prevent damage to the unit, explosion or fire in the home or even carbon monoxide poisoning.

Damage to The Unit

Reading and adhering to safety and operating instructions for all gas appliances is essential for efficient running of the unit and to prevent damage to the structure itself and surrounding areas. Incorrect use of the product will more than likely void a warranty and leave you with a costly repair bill (and a cold house!).

Hot Water by Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas Bunbury

Explosion or Fire

An obviously highly undesirable outcome from faulty use of gas appliances is the explosion of gas with heat and fire. A small incident can leave you without an appliance, a more significant one can leave you without your house, or with serious injury. Follow all operating and safety instructions on your gas heater to prevent disastrous consequences.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Faulty, un-serviced heaters are the main source of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in the home. An odourless gas that can be fatal if consumed for too long in a closed space, carbon monoxide can leak from gas heater units at any time, despite how old the system may be. All gas heating systems in your home should be serviced and tested for CO spillage at least every two years.

Call Mainline Plumbing & Cheap Hot Water & Gas your trusted professionals on 9791 1608 (Bunbury)
or 9759 1317 (Dunsborough) today to service your gas heating systems and ensure the safety of your home and family.

Please note, gas servicing must be performed by a licence gas fitter.

Regular pruning saves water

Regular pruning

Save water, regularly pruned your plants!

We can’t get enough of gardening especially when the weather is so mild. It’s a rewarding feeling to see your plants grow. As much as we would like to devote most of our time to gardening, we can’t. There’s just too many things that keep us busy.

Did you know that your plants need regular pruning? Regular pruning allows your plants to grow healthy. Healthy trees and plants can use their water intake better and that means less water is needed.

These days, it is important that you know how to save water. Water is life, therefore it is essential that we care for our water supply! With Australia’s climate getting drier and drier all the time water conversation is essential. Don’t waste water, start pruning your plants! Check on when is the best time of the year to prune individual plant types as some like Winter, Spring and others in Autumn .pruning Don’t forget to mulch!

Mainline Plumbing & Cheap Hot Water & Gas know how to save money, they can fix all your irrigation needs and install automatic timing systems too. Give them a call today on 9791 1608 (Bunbury) or 9759 1317 (Dunsborough) for all of your plumbing needs.

Free Quotes

Call Mainline Plumbing and Cheap Hot Water and Gas on 08 9791 1608 for a free quote
Recent Posts
Categories