Wednesday 24 July 2013

Preventing a winter plumbing emergency

Winter plumbing emergencies occur every year to Sydney homes that are unprepared. Not only is this an inconvenience to those living in your home, but the constant pressure of the frozen pipes could cause damage and require the attention of the plumber. Here are some simple ways to take care of your pipes as the temperature outside drops.


While not a common occurrence in central Sydney, pipes can freeze during the cold winter nights. This generally happens when sink pipes are installed on the outside wall of the home so that there is more room for people to move around the kitchen with ease. A simple way to counteract this problem is to open your cabinet doors. This will to allow the room temperature flow through the walls and will prevent the pipes from freezing up. If freezing pipes is a concern in your Sydney home then space heaters can also be placed next to the open cabinet doors. This way the kitchen will stay somewhat warm and the area under the sink will too.

Another method of preventing your pipes from freezing over is pipe insulation. Available at most property and hardware shops these pipe insulations are easily applied and wrap right onto the pipe. This causes the water inside to stay at an above freezing temperature. Washing your dishes late at night is another measure to make sure your pipes stay nice and cool. The logic behind this is that lakes freeze over but waterfalls never do.  

Making sure your pipes function properly is a great way to prevent an unexpected plumbing break down. Regular maintenance ensures that your pipes and appliances, such as your water heater and metre are all in working order and will work to the best of their abilities. Broken pipes can wreak havoc especially in winter when the air is not warm enough to evaporate moisture. Not only would this result in mold but unforeseen health issues from inhaling the mold.

If you’ve located your leak and have placed a temporary patch, or you have tried locating your leak but are unsuccessful, give GF James Plumbing a call on 02 96491099. We’ll be happy to walk you through this process over the phone or arrange for a professional to come repair your leaking pipe. .

To learn more about the Author : Geoff James

Wednesday 10 July 2013

How Commercial Plumbers Accomplish Vertical Pipe Relining

Relining a pipe laid under the ground or those found inside the home looks fairly simple. But have you ever wondered how commercial plumbers in Sydney reline the pipes of high rise buildings?


High rise buildings, naturally, have vertical plumbing systems. This makes it quite a challenge for commercial and industrial plumbers to fix a pipe in this set up. This is especially true for plumbers who don’t have the right set of tools and equipment to do the job.

But with the more experienced and more well-equipped plumbing contractors, such as G.F. James Plumbing, no task is too big or small. With G.F. James years of experience in the business, they’ve got it all figured out. They have the latest technologies and employ the latest techniques in getting the job done right, even under difficult circumstances.

Vertical relining, or relining a high rise building’s damaged pipe, requires no walls or floors to be torn down, not even to locate the damaged pipe. What it offers is convenience and peace of mind for everyone in the building.

Vertical pipe relining faster, costs far less and involves lesser demolition and destruction
In a nutshell, relining a pipe starts from the roof of the building. No wall needs to be excavated and no drywall needs to be replaced. The occupants don’t even need to move around their belongings, and in many cases, there isn’t even any need for the plumbers to enter any of the units.

Here’s how commercial plumbers do vertical relining:

After determining which pipe needs to be relined, it is thoroughly cleaned with water jetters. Flooding inside the building is prevented with the use of mechanical wire brushes.

Every bit of debris is removed and collected from the top to the bottom of the pipe. A plumbing CCTV camera is inserted into the pipe for measuring and to ensure accuracy when relining. A lining sock is cut according to the measurements taken by the camera.

An epoxy resin is applied on the lining sock. It is then inserted into the pipe. The sock is then inflated against the pipe’s inner walls where it is left to dry for about three hours. When dried, the sock is removed, leaving a brand new lining that is now much stronger and durable.

All this without tearing down walls.

For enquiries, visit G.F. James Plumbing at www.GFJamesPlumbing.com.au or call 02 9649 1099.


To learn more about the Author : Geoff James