Your Plumber Brisbane Guide
Learn About Plumbing Services, Advantages and Prices
In this plumber Brisbane guide we will break down the plumber terms, services and prices. Plumbers are in high demand in both domestic and commercial industries throughout Brisbane in South East Queensland. If you are building a new home or renovating an existing one, chances are you’ll need a good plumber by your side to get the plumbing connections done correctly and within legal requirements. This plumber Brisbane guide will educate readers about the trade itself, the licensing and other important factors so you have a good understanding of the plumbing industry.
What Is A Plumber?
A plumber is a trained and licensed tradesman who can repair and install pipes, fittings and other equipment related to the supply of water, sanitation and heating.
Every property has fittings that require an experienced tradesman to fix them when they do not function as normal. Even the smallest properties have taps, pipes and drains that can only be repaired by a qualified plumber who has been trained to service them correctly. Plumbers are tradesman who specialize in understanding the workings of various equipment and products related to water and heat. They are well equipped to identify issues and fix them to ensure all such apparatus function smoothly. Knowing about the different kinds of plumbers, qualifications to look for, and knowing how to choose the right professional can go a long way in solving such issues without hassle.
Whenever there are any issues related to water supply such as leakages, broken pipes or blocked drains, it becomes essential to hire a plumber so the issue can be permanently fixed. Any carelessness in dealing with such improper fittings can lead to voiding warranties and other damage that can prove costly. Inexperienced (Do-It-Yourself) attempts at fixing problems by oneself can also cause injuries. Hiring the services of an experienced plumber Brisbane is advisable for health and safety and piece of mind.
Why does a plumber have to be licensed?
Repairing the issues with the water supplying system of the house is not an activity to be taken lightly. If not done right, it can pose serious health risks to the inmates of the house. Any mistake in repairing the water system of one house can also lead to water supply issues in all other connecting houses. Keeping the safety of people on priority, Queensland Government issues plumbing licenses to the adequately qualified and experienced plumbers. Hiring a licensed plumber ensures that the plumbing done complies with the Government regulations and minimises any risk to the health and safety of the house inmates.
Qualifications/Licenses required:
The Queensland Government’s Department of Housing and Public Works advises that all licenses must be obtained via the QBCC. Issuance of plumbing licenses and monitoring compliance with the plumbing regulations is governed by Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). There are essentially three broad classes of plumber and drainage licenses.
- Plumber
- Drainer
- Restricted
QBCC has further disintegrated the classes to individual licenses for different categories of plumbers. The licenses for occupational and provisional plumbing and drainage services are –
- Plumber – occupational
- Plumber – Provisional
- Drainer – occupational
- Drainer – Provisional
- Plumber and drainer – occupational
- Plumber, drainer and gasfitter – occupational
There are also restricted licenses for plumbing and draining that are issued with certain conditions. More details about the restricted, occupational and provisional plumbing licenses can be obtained from the QBCC website.
To qualify for a license from the QBCC, one must complete Certificate III in plumbing. This enables the applicant to be eligible for a provisional license where he can work under the supervision of a plumber. To be able to practice alone, an occupational plumber license is required. For this the applicant must have the qualifications of a provisional plumber along with 5 competencies from CPC40912 Certificate IV in plumbing and services. These certificates are offered by many educational institutions in Queensland such as TAFE.
To know whether a plumber is genuinely licensed or does not hold a license that has expired or is invalid, the license number of the plumber can be checked on the QBCC website.
Categories & Services
There are different categories of plumbers who specialize in different functionalities of plumbing. Some of these include the following.
- Residential plumber
- Commercial plumber
- Emergency plumber
- Toilet plumber
- Hot water plumber
Residential Plumbing
Anyone who owns a home has probably hired domestic plumbers. These tradesman are qualified and understand the water system, irrigation and various fittings in residential houses when they are under construction. As well as being able to repair and fix any problems in existing homes. Since residential plumbers are well versed with general house layout, they have a good understanding of where to expect the water pipelines are based and how to access them safely.
Apart from knowledge and training, any good residential plumbing contractors also carries a range of necessary equipment to enable them to locate, identify and solve issues promptly. They can easily reach problem areas and cause minimal disturbance or damage to the home. A residential plumber can be called if there is for leaking taps, water seeping into walls, toilet flush problems, blocked drains and also various heating related problems. So whenever there is a need to repair water, sanitation or heating problems, call your local tradesman for immediate assistance.
Commercial Plumbing
An experienced commercial plumber will be trained to work on large water supply systems. These include facilities such as schools, offices, hospitals and other public places. Commercial plumbers are involved in laying the pipelines and creating the water system for public buildings and real estate development when they are under construction. Most tradesman who specialise as a commercial or industrial plumbers are extremely knowledgeable in the layout and the operations of a large irrigation systems.
Unlike residential plumbers who mostly operate alone, commercial tradesman generally operate in teams due to the bigger size of the water system that needs to be fixed. The equipment is substantially more advanced, capable of dismantling, repairing and re-installation of different parts of piping and drainage. Commercial plumbing contractors are generally contacted for regular maintenance work of buildings, clearing up blockages in long pipelines and fixing any leaks or broken valves.
Emergency Plumber
Some issues require an emergency plumbing if they pose a health hazard or impair the normal operation of pipes and drains. A broken tap that is spraying water could be an example of this. Such a tap can even lead to emptying of the water storage tanks which can lead to bigger water crisis. Not every plumber will work on a 24 hour schedule. Emergency plumbers can work after-work hours to assist in such emergencies. A plumber who handles emergencies a just a phone call away and can normally be at a designated location within 1-2 hours. They can provide a temporary solution so that the problem can be permanently fixed later on. In many cases they will solve the issue during their visit, depending on the severity of the issue. For residents of public housing or tenants renting from an agent there are certain guidelines that relate to emergency situations and after hours assistance which can be found at the property maintenance section of the Government website.
Apart from their equipment, a reputable emergency plumbers will also keep spare parts and products that can be used to fix plumbing issues. Since stores might not be open during such times, the spare part back up is of great value.
Toilet Plumbing
Leaking and broken toilets are also categorized under plumbing requirements. But the knowledge and skills required to fix a toilet is very different from the knowledge and skills possessed by a general plumber. Sometimes blocked toilets require high pressure water jets to remove the blockage. But maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in the process is crucial. Toilet plumbers have a good understanding of the working mechanism of the cistern, flushes and toilets and can repair issues without damaging the toilet.
Thi sservice includes leakages in the toilet pipes, flushes not working or running toilets that won’t stop. A specialist can repair such issues within the same day. If required they can also replace and install a new the toilet or other parts to ensure that your toilet is back to normal working condition.
Hot Water Plumbing
Tradesman who install and repair hot water heater and pipelines are referred to as a hot water plumber. They assess the dimensions of the house and advise on the right size of heating equipment required for the household. They will also make recommendations regarding the most suitable kind of heating system for the premises – electric, gas or solar. Based on the capacity of hot water system and the source of energy utilised, they can provide an estimate on running costs. It is popular nowadays to install solar systems due to their energy efficiency.
Hot water plumbers provide advice on energy efficiency methods to get the best hot water system installed. Along with installation, they can also be approached for regular maintenance and repairs to the unit. If there are issues with water not getting heated, leaking pipes etc. they can be fixed by either replacing elements or repairing smaller common faults.
Difference between a gas fitter and plumber
A gasfitter should not be confused with a plumber. Plumbers are different from gasfitters in the following ways –
- A plumber is licensed for both plumbing and gas fitting but a gasfitter is not licensed for plumbing.
- Gas fitters are not necessarily licensed while a plumber is required to hold licenses.
- While plumbers can work on various issues, gas fitters work majorly on fixing stoves, cooktops, BBQ etc.
How Can A Plumber Help Me?
Plumbers help in laying of the pipes and other apparatus of the water system of a building and install most of the fittings such as taps, geysers, toilets, wash basins, kitchen sinks and showers. They also install the drainage systems in a way that keeps the building hygienic. For residential of South East Queensland having qualified plumbers Brisbane can save time and money.
Common issues:
- Water leaks in taps
- Blocked drains
- Toilet flushing issues
- New installations
What causes water leaks in taps?
Some of the common causes of water leaks in taps are as follows.
- When the valve that controls the flow of water in a tap gets corroded, it does not hold its position well which can lead to tap leaks
- The handle of the tap is tightened using a screw system. This screw system has a ring called O’ ring. If the O ring wears out due to usage, it can lead to loosening up of the screw causing leakages.
- The washer present in tap rubs against the valve seat and can wear out easily leading to leaking.
What causes blocked drains?
Drains commonly get blocked when debris or any other objects get stuck in them. Some of the common objects that cause blockage in drains are –
- Hair
- Grease or oil
- Toiletries
- Debris
- Plant roots
- Other foreign objects like coins, jewellery, stones etc.
Some of the other reasons for which plumbers are called are as follows:
- Water Backflow
- Water hammer
- Soakwell
- Pipe relining
What is Water Backflow?
When the flow of water in a pipe is reversed in the undesirable direction, it is called water backflow. Water backflow can be very harmful especially because it can contaminate the clean drinking water supply of the building. Water backflow happens when there is a change in the pressure of the pipeline. Plumbers have backflow corrective and prevention devises that ensure the supply of water in the right direction is restored.
What is Water hammer?
Water hammer or hydraulic shock occurs when a tap is closed suddenly leading to a pressure wave being created in the pipeline. This leads to a noise in the pipeline. There are air chambers in the system that ensure that water hammering does not happen. But with time, the water absorbs this air. Water can be drained out the water from the pipeline and ensure the air cushion is recreated to stop water hammer noise.
What is Soakwell?
Water from excessive rains and storms can lead to erosions and dampness. Underground water pipes that let the water from storms flow to a collection unit referred to as soakwell. A soakwell gathers the water from rains and storms and disperses it to the underground in a manner that avoids any dampness or any water puddles getting created.
What is Pipe relining?
When there are any damages in a water pipeline, the conventional method used is to dig the pipe out and replace it with a new pipe. This procedure is followed even when a pipeline gets old and needs to be replaced. Pipe relining is a new method where old and damaged pipes do not have to be dug out and replaced. The existing pipes are relined with epoxy that makes a strong and long lasting frame within the existing pipeline. Plumbers are knowledgeable and trained in the process and are hired for this kind of work.
Plumber Brisbane Costs
The costs of hiring plumber will vary on the type of work to be done. Hourly rates can vary from $50-$100. In an emergency situation there is normally an additional call-out fee. As a general rule costs are dependent on time. Therefore an hourly rate is the most popular choice for these tradesman. These range from $45 – $125 per hour. Apart from the hourly costs, there can be additional costs of materials if any parts need to be replaced.
Popular Locations
Some of the most common services areas in South East Queensland include the following:
Brisbane City CBD – Brisbane CBD is the heart of South East Queensland with a population of approx. 8,000. With suburbs like Springhill and New Farm, it is the most preferred dwelling area of Brisbane.
Southside Brisbane – On the southern side are the suburbs of Southside Brisbane. With a population of 5500 it is home to many heritage monuments.
West end Brisbane – The west end of the city houses many suburbs including West end. With a population of 8000, this area is well-known for its culture and ethnicity.
East Brisbane – located towards the south east of Brisbane CBD is east Brisbane with a population of approx. 5600. It is also well known for its heritage sites.
Northside Brisbane – North Brisbane comprises of 48 suburbs of which Hamilton with a population of approx. 5000 generates one of the highest taxable incomes.
Conclusion
Plumbers have become an essential help for day-to-day living. Finding the right tradesman is essential to getting problems resolved quickly and efficiently. We hope our plumber Brisbane guide has helped you understand the various jobs and provides a solid background on the industry.
For further information or questions don’t hesitate to leave a comment or you may contact us directly or visit our home page.
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Published By Michael Phillips.
