i-Tec Plumbing

Replace your sink with a new sink fitted with removable sink wastes that collect solids such as food matter that can be emptied into the dustbin. 

Do not pour oil or fatty liquids down your drains as they solidify in the pipes. Rather pour this waste into your dustbin bag and wipe your pots down with paper toweling before washing in the sink.

Blocked drains / pipes

Pipes and drains become blocked from foreign matter becoming lodged in the pipe, roots obscuring the lines, fats, greases, sludge, soaps and detergents building up and solidifying in the lines etc. restricting the flow of water.  It is not advisable to use excessive drain cleaning chemicals but to flush the lines with water regularly and free them from debris and sediment.  Hi-Tec Plumbing uses high pressure water jetting which is efficient, effective, and economical and an environmentally friendly way of cleaning drain and sewer pipes.  It is recommended that restaurants, industrial sites and other commercial establishments flush their lines frequently to reduce down time and save money in the long run.  The frequency is dependent on how often the lines become clogged but we recommend bi-annual, quarterly or monthly cleaning depending on the type of industry.

Burst Geyser
Immediately shut off the geyser isolator on your main board. Close your control valve on your geyser (it should be next to your geyser). Open the hot water tap on the bath or basin, which takes the pressure off the geyser. Phone your plumber immediately.

Blocked Shower Waste
You need to plunge the waste with a plumber’s plunger which can be purchased at your nearest hardware store.

Blocked Basin/Sink  
Try squeezing the rubber trap below the sink to dislodge the problem.

Clogged shower head

If you have a clogged shower head, there is therefore limited water passing through the holes resulting in a ‘low pressure’ ineffective shower! To remove mineral deposits on your shower head, put one cup of vinegar in a plastic bag and place it over the shower head and secure it with an elastic band or piece of string, leave it to stand for some hours before removing the bag and wiping with a damp cloth and / or lightly scrubbing with a soft brush. 

You can also use a pin to pierce the holes in the showerhead to unclog the deposits by unscrewing the swivel ball nut using a pair of plyers or wrench (use something to wrap the teeth of the tools like tape to prevent scratching of the rose) should you not be able to unscrew by hand, then unscrew the collar nut from the showerhead and gently clean with a pin or thin piece of wire.  Rinse under water and replace. You can also soak or clean the rose with vinegar to remove further mineral deposits.

Burst Pipe
If a plumber cannot get to you immediately, try and locate the leak yourself and place a jubilee clip, which can be purchased at your local hardware, with a piece of rubber over the leak.

Should you need to shut off the water for a serious burst pipe, do this at the water meter.  The shutoff valve is usually found very close to the water meter.  You must ensure that you shut off using the valve on your side of the water meter only.

Leaking Gutters

Make sure your gutters are free of all obstructions e.g. debris such as leaves, birds nests etc. Gutters should be cleaned out periodically.

Check Your Water Meter
It’s important to check your water meter every so often. Turn off all taps and make sure that your washing machine, and dishwasher are off and your toilet isn’t filling up. Locate your water meter, which can normally be found outside your boundary, and make sure that the meter is not running. If it is, it’s an indication that you have a water leak somewhere. Call your plumber to locate it for you and sort out the problem.

ENERGY SAVING TIPS
Water heating accounts for 30-50% of the electricity consumed by the average household. In order to assist in reducing the draw on electricity, we suggest the following:
1. Insulate your geyser(s) with a geyser blanket
    - the loss of heat can be reduced by 50% without reducing the thermostat temperature
2. Turn down your thermostat to 60°C
    - this will reduce the draw on electricity but your water temperature is still hot
    - this is recommended only if you install a geyser blanket
3. Insulate your hot water outlet pipes in the ceiling area with pipe insulation
    - This reduces the loss of heat whilst water is traveling through the pipes
4. If you are going away on holiday and nobody is going to be home for a period of time
    - Turn your geyser off on the DB Board
    - Turn off your washing machine taps as this saves on hoses bursting from constant water pressure
    - Turn your water off at the masterbox which is usually located outside your house
5. If you have more than one geyser and it isn’t needed
    - Turn the 2nd geyser off at the DB board until you next need have visitors and need more hot water
6. Substantial savings can be made by installing a solar water heating system.
7. New geysers are designed to be more energy efficient.  If your geyser is an old one, consider replacing it with a new geyser.
8.    Replace your thermostat every 12 months
    - Thermostats lose their efficiency after about a year and do not regulate the water temperature efficiently, resulting in 
       increased draw on electricity as your geyser heats up more than necessary. Replace your thermostat annually.

Use a timer on your pool pump
- It will activate and deactivate itself and no need to remember to turn the pool pump off resulting in use of electricity if left to run unnecessarily

CONSERVATION & WATER SAVING TIPS

1. We all need to play our part in conserving our previous resources like water and by conserving water, it will also save us money by reducing water bills!
2. Natural bacteria in your septic system breaks down waste – do not destroy the bacteria by using excessive amounts of detergents and chemicals. 
3. Use biodegradable soaps and detergents where possible. 
4. Use a timer on your garden tap to manage your sprinkler system in your garden.  This will prevent you forgetting to turn off the sprinkler resulting in unnecessary loss of water.
5. Excessive water pressure will cause excessive water usage – ensure you have a pressure reducing valve that will limit the water pressure within your home.
6. +/-40% of your total water is used by your toilet. Ensure you don’t have an outdated toilet that utilises more water than necessary and replace with a new toilet which use less water.
7. Do you have an old shower head?  Do you have a modern shower head designed to utilise more water than absolutely necessary?  Replace your showerhead with a water saving shower head – it will save you water.
8. A dripping tap wastes a considerable amount of water – get your leaking taps repaired and save water .
9. We have all heard or read it before – “do not place any foreign matter, sanitary products or diapers down the toilet” – this is a very serious point and a very messy one should the sewer lines become clogged! Foreign matter does not dissolve and will clog the lines. Rather keep a dustbin in the bathroom for such matter.
10. Make sure all the toilets in the house flush properly.  If you need to hold down the handle for a thorough flush or move the handle up to stop the water from running, you may need to replace worn parts.
11. If you hear water running into the toilet pan long after you have flushed, then your toilet is leaking and wasting water.  Get it repaired as soon as possible and start saving water and avoid high water bills!
12. Check your washing machine, dishwasher, icemaker supply hoses, exposed pipes under sinks etc.  for leaks or indications of perishing / thinning / weakening.  Replace hoses if necessary.  Even a slow drip will increase your water consumption considerably over time!
13. If you notice a patch of ground that is constantly damp or is particularly lush, it may be a result of a broken or damaged water or sewer pipe.  This is unhealthy and a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
14. Empty your septic tanks every 3-4 years to prevent unnecessary blockages and unpleasantaries with toilet bowls filling up, sewer seeping and unpleasant odors. 
15. Galvanized steel pipes are the ‘old’ type pipes that were used before alternative piping such as copper was introduced.  Unfortunately these old pipes do eventually need to be replaced as scale builds up in the pipes from the minerals in the water reacting with the galvanizing material, restricting the flow of water i.e. reduced water pressure because of the build up.
16. Keep your septic tank for life – keep trees and bushes well away from your septic tank and from the pipes feeding the tank to ensure that your lines don’t get clogged up with roots causing obstructions.  Empty/desludge your tank every couple of years to ensure it is draining well by removing build up of dense matter.

Domestic, Industrial, Commercial plumbing / New Installations, maintenance, renovations / Pipework / Drains / Watermains / Geysers / Sewer lines / Septic Tanks / Soakaways / Stormwater Lines / Fire Mains / Fire Hydrants / Water Meters / Solar Installations / High Pressure Water Drain Cleaning