by BPD Team | Apr 28, 2022
Every time you press that button or pull that chain, you expect the magic to happen. But what if you finish your business, request that flush – and nothing happens? What if you only get a trickle? What if it’s constantly trickling? It’s never nice to be caught with your pants down, but there’s no need for panic. Why’s that? You just need to know how to change a toilet cistern. And the good news is that you can probably learn how to do it right here, right now.
But before we tell you how to change a toilet cistern in 7 of the simplest steps, it’s certainly possible that you might be able to troubleshoot your toilet issue without changing the entire cistern. For instance, are you dealing with:
A phantom flush?: You could swear you just heard the toilet re-fill itself … and no one even pressed that button. It’s probably a slow cistern leak, and the problem is traceable to the flapper component.
Nightly hissing?: If your toilet likes to hiss at you as you’re trying to get to sleep, you’re almost certainly just hearing what you can’t hear in the bustle of the day: a faulty float. That said, it could also be the inlet assembly or refill tube.
A toilet leak: Your cistern problem could actually be a failing seal – notably, the seal between the cistern unit and the bowl itself. But we’ll be honest: if you’re dealing with any of the above toilet problems, the easiest way to fix it may not be to fiddle around with seals and individual components – it won’t cost much more to simply replace the entire thing.
The 7 steps for changing a toilet cistern
First, a warning. In Queensland, there’s nothing stopping a homeowner from fiddling around with toilet cistern components including washers, floats and suction caps. But for the entire cistern itself, you may be falling foul of the authorities by getting too stuck into your household plumbing (check our “What Plumbing Works Can You Do Yourself?” to know the plumbing you can do) – so please do consider getting your friendly local plumber in Brisbane to do it for you!
With that said, learning how to replace a cistern that has seen better days really isn’t too difficult at all. In fact, there are 7 simple steps you can easily follow:
1. Flush
You’re going to be dealing with one heck of a mess if you don’t empty that old cistern first! Oh, and while you’re at it, turn off the water supply to your home, too.
2. Stop-tap
In short, turn it off! If you can’t find it, it’s probably the only tap that is part of your toilet setup.
3. Screwdriver
Use it to disconnect the water supply line from the cistern assembly. Then, use it again – or whatever other general tools are required – to disconnect the toilet bowl from the cistern, including the ones attaching the unit to your wall.
4. Remove
If you’ve undone everything correctly in step 3, removing the old cistern should be easy. Just be aware that any residual water could run out at this stage.
5. Check
With a bit of luck and wisdom, you’ve already bought your new cistern and checked that it’s exactly compatible with both the old one and the space it will need to occupy for the foreseeable future.
6. Attach
Return to step 4, and do it in reverse! Don’t forget any washers – especially the rubber ones which will make your new cistern’s installation water-tight.
7. Complete
Make sure all the nuts, bolts, washers and screws are all in place and tight, re-attach the water supply line, crank on the water mains, and stand back and check for leaks all the way through one or two ‘practice’ flushes.
You could always just call Brisbane’s best plumber?
How did you go? Was replacing a toilet cistern a breeze … or a great big mess? Luckily, it’s still no reason to panic – because Brisbane’s specialists in all household and commercial plumbing and drainage issues are only ever just around the corner.
At Brisbane Plumbing & Drainage, we’ve worked hard to build our reputation for quickly and affordably resolving every type of plumbing issue at your place – and toilet repairs and replacements are among our specialities! Give us a call today for a speedy response, guaranteed workmanship and fixed pricing. See you soon!
by BPD Team | Apr 8, 2022
Are you looking to sit on a new throne? Who could blame you? Perhaps your old toilet has seen better days, or you’ve been enticed by a model with all the modern bells and whistles. It might be cracked and leaking, or a new one is the perfect match for your bathroom renovations plans. Whatever the reason, if you’re even dreaming of installing it yourself, there’s something you need to know all about: measuring a toilet rough-in.
But first, a warning. Did you know that most plumbing work cannot be done by anyone except a licensed plumber? That goes for just about everything from the water main back to the sewer connection point, including all pipework and toilet, shower and sink installations.
That being said, there’s nothing stopping you from measuring and knowing the toilet rough in dimensions – because it’s crucial to match the new toilet you’ve got your eye on with the space it will be occupying under your roof. And it’s a completely separate issue than the other measurements you’ll be looking at as you browse those whizz-bang new toilets, including seat height, bowl shape and toilet width.
What is a toilet rough-in, anyway?
Briefly, the rough-in dimensions refer specifically to the space between the back of the toilet and the wall and the precise centre-point of the waste wipe. Across Australia, the accepted standard S-Trap distance is 140mm, but it’s not uncommon to find dimensions of up to 180mm – and even as much as 240mm in some cases.
As for how to measure a toilet rough in for your precise toilet and space, there are 4 things you need to know first:
1. The distance from the toilet flange (the fitting securing the toilet to the waste pipe) to the wall.
- Tip: Make sure you take the measurement from the finished wall, so if it’s just a stud at the moment, factor in the eventual wall thickness.
2. The left-right clearance for the toilet.
- Tip: If you’re not sure, make it at least 380mm side-to-side to any adjacent fixture, feature or wall.
3. The necessary/desired space in front of the toilet.
- Tip: Aim for about 530mm at least, especially if that gap is to the door that needs to easily open and close. But basically, you just need to satisfy any guideline requirements and make it comfortable for the toilet user.
4. The location of the water supply line.
- Tip: In most cases, aim for 152mm from the very centre of the flange and 177mm above the finished floor. This will accommodate most toilets, but make sure you check with a plumber.
At this point, it’s crucial to stress that all of these measurements for your new toilet need to be taken precisely – or you risk setting the toilet just a millimetre or two too close to the wall, and it simply won’t fit.
How to measure a toilet rough-in
So to sum it all up, let’s get to a precise answer to that original question about measuring a toilet rough-in. How’s it done, in a nutshell?:
It’s just a matter of precisely measuring the distance from the wall behind the toilet to the very centre of the waste point. With that measurement, you’ll know exactly what clearance you need for the toilet you desire.
Get fast, local help for your toilet installation
How are you feeling about your toilet rough-in knowledge? Don’t forget, the installation itself will require a licensed local plumber – and there’s none better than the toilet repair and installation plumbers at Brisbane Plumbing & Drainage. We treat every toilet and bathroom like it’s our own – and we’ll never leave a job before we’re absolutely sure everything has been done exactly right.
For all of your household and bathroom plumbing, including fast & affordable toilet installations, get in touch with Brisbane’s best local team of fully-qualified plumbing experts at Brisbane Plumbing & Drainage today.
by BPD Team | Mar 24, 2022
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t know a lot about your hot water system beyond the brand, technology type and energy source – and many don’t even know that much! But that’s ok, because if you select a product with a good reputation and great warranty, and one that is perfectly matched with your home and lifestyle, it’s one of the more ‘install and forget’ appliances you’ll ever come across. But there is one component you really should know a little something about: the hot water system anode.
The what? The full description is sacrificial anode rod, and while simple, it’s one part that does a lot of heavy lifting. The number 1 reason storage tank hot water systems fail is because of tank corrosion – and the number 1 reason they terminally corrode is because the anode rod needed replacing.
What’s the anode rod for, anyway?
The hot water system anode itself is a very simple component – a steel rod encased in a material like aluminium, magnesium or zinc. It screws into the top of the tank, submerges in the water, and – through something known as electrolysis – attracts all the nasties in the water that otherwise would have corroded the tank.
So if your system’s rod is fully corroded, that’s because it did its job extremely well – and needs a hot water anode replacement in place quick-smart by a local plumber in Brisbane before those contaminants start eating away at your precious tank.
Why should you check your hot water system anode?
There are 3 main reasons why your hot water system anode may be ready for the rubbish bin.
1. Deterioration
As outlined above, this is what they’re supposed to do. If you inspect your rod and can see the steel wire core rather than the useful material that protected your system, the rod is junk. Bear in mind that the corrosion will normally start at an extreme end of the anode rod and work its way to the middle.
2. Soft water
Although Queensland’s water supply is normally rated ‘hard’ to ‘moderately hard’ – meaning quite high in dissolved minerals. Softening agents are typically added to hard water to soften it, but those agents can actually speed up the process of tank corrosion.
3. Calcium carbonate
One measure of the ‘hardness’ of water is the concentration of calcium carbonate. But unlike other contaminants, additives and minerals in your water supply, a high concentration of calcium carbonate can actually build up on the anode rod and have the opposite effect to corrosion. And that’s not a good thing, because the hot water system anode rod is supposed to corrode! If it can’t, the contaminants will simply move on to the tank itself.
Luckily, the white calcium build-up can normally be wiped away.
If you’re going to try to inspect your anode rod yourself, make sure your system is powered down, with the water and energy source off. You’ll need to drain the tank, use a wrench to unbolt and remove the rod, and – if sufficiently corroded – replace it with a compatible new one.
Let Brisbane’s best check your hot water anode
Alternatively, why not put it in the hands of Brisbane’s true hot water repair masters? At Brisbane Plumbing & Drainage, our experience in checking, servicing, repairing, replacing and installing hot water systems of every variety and brand is second to none. Give the friendly team a call today.
by BPD Team | Mar 22, 2022
How much plumbing maintenance do you do at your place? We all check the water and oil in our cars and put new batteries in the smoke detector, but forgetting about your plumbing can mean flooding, damage, and whopping bills. But apart from cleaning out the gutters, plunging the sink and keeping an eye out for leaks, what else do you need to look out for in order to protect your property’s crucial plumbing system?
One of the least talked about parts of your plumbing is the overflow relief gully – which is really no surprise given that so many people don’t even know what it is! So before we get any deeper into how to look after your all-important overflow gully, defining it is probably the best place to start:
What is an overflow relief plumbing gully?
In a nutshell, it’s just a little drain – almost always covered by a pop-off grate – with a simple purpose: allowing any overflow sewage system waste or pressure to flow outside of your home rather than inside it in the event of a blockage or other problem. You’ll find it at the very exit of your home’s sewage system, slightly below floor level, and particularly large properties may have more than one.
But the real question is: How do you look after yours?
1. Don’t hide it
You’d be amazed how many times we’ve visited a property only to discover that the overflow drain fully has been covered with something to hide it – like a pot plant. But if it’s covered, meaning the grate is unable to pop off in moments of severe pressure, the plumbing gully won’t be able to function properly in terms of relieving that excess or accumulating waste when it’s needed most.
2. Keep it clear
After deliberately covering it, the next-worst thing you could do with your overflow relief gully is interfering with its functionality with other elements of your property’s plumbing or drainage systems – like downpipes and pool backwash. Landscaping and paving that drains towards the gully drain can have a similar disastrous effect of directing water and waste towards your crucial sewage system outlet.
3. Check the grate
As outlined earlier, your overflow gully will almost certainly feature a loose, ‘pop-off’ grate that is designed to come clear of the drain when a serious blocked stormwater drain or overflow situation occurs. If it’s stuck, or deliberately secured, it’s can’t do its thing.
4. Know your responsibilities
Don’t forget, while it’s easy to assume that your home’s original plumbing installations were all someone else’s responsibility, don’t forget that now that it’s there, the onus is on you. Throughout Queensland, councils require property owners to maintain a certified and fully-functioning overflow gully.
5. Situate it correctly
If you’re getting a new drain gully installed, make sure your plumber knows exactly what they’re doing – with arguably the most important thing being the required level. Remember, a sewer drain gully won’t work properly – or at all – unless it’s at least 150mm lower than the lowest-lying waste outlet inside the house. Not just that, the plumbing gully then needs to sit 75mm above ground level so that pooling stormwater cannot enter your sewer system. This is all in accordance with AS3500 Plumbing Regulation.
6. Check the drainage
Bear in mind, you can get everything else right with your overflow relief gully – only to discover that when it does need to operate to relieve pressure and waste, it simply drains back into the sewer and creates a whole host of new problems like a blocked sewer.
Ask Brisbane’s experts about your overflow gully
So never forget, even if you’re only now discovering just how important your overflow relief gully is, it really is a crucial part of your property’s plumbing and sewerage system that needs to be looked after. If yours is playing up, damaged or you have any questions about it, the only people you should ask are licensed, experienced plumbing & drainage solution experts.
At Brisbane Plumbing & Drainage, we have a local Brisbane plumber near you for all drainage and other plumbing issues all across Brisbane and beyond – so get in touch today for fast service, guaranteed workmanship, and a smile every time!
by BPD Team | Jan 17, 2022
When it comes to hot water in your home or workplace, you likely take it for a granted a little – we certainly do! Turning on the kitchen tap and having hot water flow out, or turning on your shower for a nice warm shower are all things that we do on a daily basis.
But have you ever wondered what temperature your hot water system should be set at? Our hot water plumbers can help – keep reading or give us a call on 1300 616 203 for further information and assistance.
What regulates water temperature in Queensland?
The Plumbing Code of Australia is the regulatory paperwork that regulates what temperature hot water should be.
What temperature should your hot water be stored at?
If you have a storage hot water system, your hot water should be kept to a minimum of 60°C, to avoid the growth of Legionella. Legionella is a bacterium that can make people very sick, causing Legionnaires disease. The bacterium thrives in wet and/or damp environments and is not transferred between people – it is transferred through the mist, such as aircon. Legionnaires disease is a type of severe pneumonia. People who smoke, who have a chronic illness or weakened immune systems and/or those over 50 can get particularly ill from Legionnaires disease.
What temperature should your water be delivered at?
Generally, your water should be delivered to your tap at around 50°C, as the storage temperature of 60 degrees would likely cause scalds. There are a few exceptions to this, however:
- Early childhood centres require a thermostatic mixing valve (a ‘TMV’) to ensure that water from the tap does not exceed 45°C.
- Schools are the same – they also require a TMV to ensure water from taps is not higher than 45 degrees.
- Nursing homes, as well as any facilities that care or cater for the disabled, aged, young or sick, all must have TMVs and for water to leave the tap at 45°C.
- Alternatively, certain sections of your home may need hotter water, such as for dishwashers or washing machines, to efficiently complete tasks. In this case, the water may be delivered at around 60°C.
A tempering valve can be fitted to control the temperature of the hot water delivered to certain areas of your home.
Do you need a TMV?
There are two different options that can be installed in your home to monitor hot water delivery – a TMV and a tempering valve. In accordance with the Australian Standards (AS3500), a tempering valve must be installed on pipe feeding areas in all homes across Brisbane, helping to regulate the temperature of hot water for personal hygiene, such as showers. Alternatively, a TMV can be fitted. It carries out the same job but is more accurate than a tempering valve, making them the device of choice for nursing homes, schools, and hospitals.
If you are in need of a local Brisbane plumber for your hot water needs, do not hesitate to give Brisbane Plumbing and Drainage a call. We provide high-quality services to Brisbane, Logan, Moreton Bay and Redlands. Contact us today!
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