There are plenty of plumbers in Dublin area these days. In fact, Dublin based residents are somewhat spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing a plumber to carry out works in their home or business. With so many to choose from, how should one decide on one Dublin based plumbing service over another?
Plumbers in Dublin
Just like any other home based service (such as roofing, air-con, electrical services etc.), there are certain standards and practices which should be closely adhered to when it comes to plumbers. Listed below are some of the most important things that you should expect from your plumber. If they do not meet all of these criteria then you should probably take your business elsewhere. After all, it’s not like there is a shortage of plumbers in Dublin.
What Makes A Good Plumber?
Plumbers Must be Qualified
While there are lots of fully qualified and reputable plumbers based in Dublin, there are also plenty of unsuitable ‘cowboys’ and chancers doing the rounds – often offering their services on the cheap at the expense of good and honest labour. Don’t be tempted to go for whoever is offering the lowest priced plumber service without first checking that they are legitimate plumbers – this could lead to problems (eg: shoddy craftsmanship or a lack of redress) further on down the road.
Be sure to check that your chosen plumber’s credentials are up to scratch. For example, did you know that it is illegal in Ireland for anyone to work on gas based equipment such as your central heating system’s gas boiler without being registered with the RGI (Registered Gas Installers of Ireland)?
If your plumber is not fully qualified you run the risk of receiving poor and possibly even dangerous workmanship.
Plumbers Must be Fully Insured
Just because the person you have carrying out your plumbing works is a qualified and registered plumber, that does not necessarily mean that they have all of the required paperwork needed to be a good option. Insurance is every bit as important as qualifications when it comes to plumbing.
Always make sure that your chosen plumber is fully insured. Otherwise, you will be liable to pay for damages should something go wrong (and, let’s be honest here, if your plumber is careless enough to not have insurance then they will most likely extend said carelessness to other aspects of their work)! Always check to see if your plumber has public liability insurance.
There are plenty of plumbers in Dublin who are both fully qualified and insured for the work that they carry out, so don’t settle for anything less.
Plumbers in Dublin Should be Available 24/7
It makes sense for plumbers in Dublin to be available anywhere in Dublin any time as plumbing problems such as burst pipes or broken radiators are not polite enough to occur only at times that suit you. Indeed, Murphy’s Law would dictate that they can and do happen at the most inopportune times. There’s not much point in calling a plumber on a Saturday night during a Bank Holiday weekend if they don’t open again until Tuesday morning. The longer it takes for your plumbing problems to be seen to, the more damage they will cause.
Even if your plumbing problems occur during normal working hours, you should still avail of an emergency plumbing service which operates 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Although plumber services which close will be able to come out and fix your problems at these times, you are left vulnerable should something go wrong later. You could end up stuck waiting until the next day to have follow on problems rectified al because your plumber has turned off their phone for the night.
In plumbing it is best advised to expect the unexpected and has a contingency plan should the worst case scenario happen.
Plumbers Shouldn’t Have Hidden Charges
Despicably, some plumbing companies still charge their customers for petrol which they used driving their van to your property. Some even start charging an hourly rate which starts from the moment they start up the van and begin their journey toward the job. This is a totally underhanded and unfair practice. Plumbing companies which do this are best avoided like the plague as they are rip-off merchants. A plumber should only start charging once they have arrived on site and have begun working. Fortunately, most plumbing companies in Dublin operate in this fair manner, but you must keep your eyes peeled for the dodgy ones.
When arranging for a plumber to do works for you, be sure to make sure that they outline what they intend to do and how much this will cost. Prices should be clearly spelled out by your plumber so you will know how much you will have to pay for their services. Beware of rogue plumbers, which are becoming increasingly common in Dublin these days, who will try spring additional charges and expenses on you once they are on site.
It helps to get your list of works required and their relevant prices quoted in writing before any works are carried out so you are not tricked into paying extra money for plumbing services which you hadn’t agreed to have carried out beforehand.
Plumbers Should Offer Fair Advice
As most people know precious little about plumbing and the various processes involved in it, your plumber has you at something of a disadvantage as regards knowledge on the subject. With this in mind, plumbers have a certain amount of responsibility on their shoulders as to not take advantage of this situation for profit.
A sign of an honest plumber is one who is willing to make a recommendation that may not be as lucrative for them as some other options may be. Plumbers should also be upfront about the advantages and disadvantages of the various services which they offer. If they only ever bring up the positives, while ignoring the negatives, then there is a possibility that they are dishonestly hiding something and more interested in making a sale than giving you the most appropriate plumbing services for your needs.
Plumbers in Dublin should be Tidy
One of the main things that put many home owners off having important plumbing works carried out for them is a fear that their plumber will make a mess of their house. It is a plumber’s responsibility to leave your home in every bit as good condition as they found it in. They should put in proper precautions to avoid creating a mess, clean up as they go and give the area they were working in a thorough clean once they have completed all of their plumbing works.
A plumber who is messy should be avoided. Check the cleanliness of their van, office and/or work station if possible. If these are messy then it is likely that they are a messy person by way of disposition and might be sloppy when it comes to doing their actual plumbing jobs.
A plumber should also be well kept in terms of personal appearance. Although, some leeway should be afforded in this regard. Bear in mind that your plumber has more than likely performed numerous plumbing tasks before arriving at your site and will not be in a perfect condition of cleanliness. That said, they should not be filthy and/or smelly upon arriving at your home.
At DeWAR Emergency Plumbers we take great pride in our work. All of our plumbers will strive to meet all of the aforementioned criteria, giving you, the customer, the best plumbing service possible.
DeWAR Plumbers operate all day, every day (24/7), offering a wide variety of plumbing services all over Dublin as well as the rest of Ireland. You can contact us on 01 514 3300 or send us an email to get a quote for any plumbing service.
A Guide to Water Pressure / Water Flow
Water Pressure / Water Flow
What is the difference between Water Flow and Water Pressure?
Water Flow:
The term ‘water flow’ is simply a means of measuring the amount of water which is expelled from a source (eg: a tap) over a pre-determined period of time. Exactly which period of time is used to measure flow depends on how much water is flowing, but for households, it is usually measured in the form of litres per second for the sake of simplicity and easy calculation.
Water Pressure:
The term is a means of measuring the amount of force with which water is expelled from a source (eg: a shower) as opposed to the volume of water (ie: the water flow). There is often an inverse relationship between water pressure and water flow. For example, if a tap’s faucet is only partially open, the water will come out at a higher pressure (with less overall water flow) as it is being condensed. Opening the faucet more will cause the water pressure to lessen, but increase the overall water flow by a significant margin.
Water pressure is considerably more difficult to measure than water flow in all but the vaguest of measurements. While you can usually tell if water is coming out at low or high pressure simply by looking at it but getting an accurate reading of the exact water pressure levels virtually impossible to do without specialist tools. These are particularly useful when having new water based appliances installed, repaired and replaced.
Here the main ways DeWAR Plumbers use to measure water flow and water pressure:
Measuring Water Flow:
Anyone can measure water flow in a rough fashion. To do this, all one needs is a ten-litre bucket and a watch:
open the water source
count how many seconds it takes to fill the bucket
divide the time taken in seconds by ten
now you have the water flow measured in litres per second
For a more accurate reading, you will need to use a device such as a water flow weir cup. This takes very accurate water flow measurements in both litres per second and also gallons per minute, allowing a plumber much more specific readings which are vital when installing appliances which use a particularly large flow of water such as combi boilers or high efficiency condensing boilers. If the water flow is deemed to be insufficient, then the water flow weir cup can be used to adjust it so that it can be used for the required task at hand based on the appliance’s manufacturer’s specifications.
Measuring Water Pressure:
This is the most commonly used means of gauging water pressure by a plumber. When the mains water gauge is attached to a water outlet it is then possible to read the levels of water pressure coming from the same outlet. This is usually measured by means of a series of bars which the plumber can then check in accordance with your appliances’ manufacturer’s specifications in order to ensure that they are operating at the correct level of water pressure.
Condensate Drainage Pipe – One of the more serious problems associated with central heating systems is that of blockages accumulating in a gas boiler or oil boiler’s condensate drainage pipes. Such blockages reduce your boiler’s efficiency levels and, in extreme cases, have been known to lead to the boiler breaking down completely. While such problems are a lot more common during the cold winter months, problems can occur all year ’round so looking after your central heating system’s condensate drainage pipes should not be limited to winter time. Listed below is advice on how best to take care of your condensate drainage pipes in terms of fixing problems and preventing them from happening again in the future:
Condensate: A Definition
When we refer to condensate in the context of central heating systems and their boilers we are talking about the moisture which is emitted from the boiler’s flue and gathered in a specially devised collection area (usually a discharge pipe or, in some cases, a ‘condensate trap’) after it has passed through your boiler. These collection points are designed to limit the chances of your central heating system’s pipes from clogging up as well as becoming frozen pipe during winter
Condensate Drainage Pipe Maintenance Tips:
It is extremely important that you keep your gas/oil boiler’s condensate drainage pipe in proper working order for both fuel efficiency and health and safety reasons. Depending on the amount of time and/or resources you have available to you, there are both short term and long term ways of looking after your condensate drainage pipe.
Long Term Solutions:
The best and most permanent boiler condensate drainage pipe maintenance solution is relocating said boiler and its related piping to as warm an area as possible. Keeping your drainage pipes from areas that or prone to freezing or just cold in general (such as basements, attics etc.) is always a good idea. This will ensure that the condensate found within your drainage pipe does not become frozen when the temperature drops during cold winter months.
Such work should ideally take place long before the temperature lowers late in the year in order to avoid cold wintertime drafts and interference from bad weather while the relocating is being carried out.
If relocating your oil boiler or gas boiler and all of its associated piping is not feasible due to financial or logistical reasons you can also install layers of high quality insulating materials around your boiler’s condensate drainage piping. This should prevent freezing in all but the most lengthy and extreme of cold weather conditions.
Short Term Solutions:
If you are unable to carry out long term fixes for your boiler’s condensate drainage pipe problems there are still some options available to you. While they will not be quite as effective or, indeed, as long term as those solutions mentioned above, they can provide a helpful fix for a while at least. Here are two of the better short term ideas:
Increasing the temperature of your gas/oil boiler’s thermostat to coincide with cold periods will improve the overall temperature found in the condensate drainage piping, reducing the chances of ice from setting in. It is worth monitoring air temperature as this is being done because once the temperature begins to increase again you should turn the thermostat back down to its regular levels so that you aren’t using up any additional fuel (and thereby wasting money) unnecessarily.
Switching your heating controls to a setting that leaves your central heating system on continuously for 24 hours is another means of keeping your oil / gas boiler’s condensate drainage pipe’s average temperature that little bit warmer, reducing the chances of the pipe freezing over. This method has an advantage over periodically increasing the temperature on your thermostat as it requires a less ‘hands on’ approach which does not need you to keep an eye on it and modify it in tune with the changing temperature. However, just like the previously mentioned solution, it does result in extra fuel being used up.
If your condensate drainage pipe is causing you problems and you don’t know what to do then you should contact DeWAR Plumbers. Our 24 hour phone line 01 514 3300 is free to call. We can also be contacted via email.
Preventing Plumbing Problems
While it is virtually impossible to prevent all plumbing problems that can possibly come about, a great many of them can be avoided by taking adequate care and precautions. By adhering to the following advice, you can make life much easier for yourself by negating the need for having unnecessary plumbing services while saving yourself quite a bit of money and inconvenience.
Preventing Plumbing Problems
Usually when confronted with a dripping or leaky tap, a person’s initial response is to attempt to close it as tightly as physically possible. Unfortunately, this rarely works and, in many cases, causes a lot more harm than good. Applying too much force when closing a tap’s valve can force it into a position that it was not designed for, which damages the tap itself, making the problem worse. If your taps are indeed dripping or leaking, it is recommended that you seek out assistance from a professional plumber instead of going down the ‘do it yourself’ route or simply ignoring the problem. When left unchecked, small leaks and drips can become progressively worse until you have a rather serious complication on your hands. It is best practice to fix problems when they are small and have inexpensive solutions instead of waiting until a bigger and more expensive problem emerges.
Don’t Use Shower Head Racks
Much like taps, shower heads do not respond well to having excess pressure applied to them. That is why the use of shower head racks is not recommended. Their weight puts additional strain on the shower head and can, over time, cause it to begin to separate from the wall. This can result in leaks occurring. These leaks will need to be fixed, which is a lot more expensive (not to mention time-consuming) than simply fastening a form of storage rack to your shower wall.
How to Stop Your Shower’s Drains From Clogging
The purpose of a shower is to remove and dispose of dirt. As such, it is to be expected that this dirt can, over time, result in blockages in your shower’s drain. The most likely thing to block up your shower’s drain is, however, hair. People tend to shed hair while showering and this can then accumulate into clumps which will stop water from passing through the drain. It is fairly easy to tell when your drain is starting to clog as water will not drain away as quickly as it used to and will start to fill up your shower tray as you wash.
One simple method of preventing your shower’s drain from becoming blocked is to install a filter on top of your shower’s draining hole. You can purchase such a filter in just about any hardware store and they are fairly cheap to buy. Despite being fairly simple in design and execution, a shower drain filter is a very efficient installation. It will prevent hair and all but the finest dirt from making its way into your drainage system while allowing water to pass through unimpeded, preventing your shower tray from filling up with water.
Another worthwhile consideration to take on board in relation to all forms of drainage is that of drain cleaning products. While they most certainly can be useful when dealing with small blockages, you should bear in mind how they work. The corrosive elements found in drain cleaning unblocking eat away at the blockage until such time that it breaks apart and gets swept away. This is why you should be careful and only use such drain unblocking products and only use them sparingly. If you use them too often or in too large a quantity they may begin to around your actual piping, which is very bad news indeed. When you consider the inherent risks of piping damage associated with drain unblocking chemicals and take into account the fact that they are expensive to buy as well as environmental factors (they are extremely bad for the environment), they do not come across as being a particularly sound investment.
Don’t Use Your Toilet For Rubbish
A blocked up toilet is a serious pain that can cause untold amounts of disruption in any home. You should really be doing everything in your power to ensure that such blockages do not occur. The interesting thing about blocked toilets is that, in the vast majority of cases, the problem could have easily been avoided had people not attempted to flush non-flushable items down their toilet.
Far and away the most commonly encountered source of toilet blockages is kitchen roll and industrial strength blue roll being flushed. While these roll based sheets are very similar in terms of appearance to toilet roll and tissue paper (both of which are perfectly flushable), they are designed to be much stronger and a lot more difficult to break down. Where tissues and toilet paper dissolve in water for ease of flushing, blue roll and kitchen roll do not. Instead, they tend to ‘clump’ and accumulate, getting stuck in piping when flushed.
While blue roll and kitchen paper is the most common source of blocked toilets, they are far from the only thing people carelessly try to flush away. DeWAR Plumbers have encountered some very strange items in toilet piping down through the years.
Sinks Are Not For Waste Disposal
Much like the aforementioned toilet, sinks are also commonly mistaken for bins. The most common reason behind blocked sink piping is leftover foodstuffs from cooking and food preparation. While the sink based ‘garbage disposal system’ is commonplace in America, sinks in Ireland are not designed to dispose of solids and can become blocked quite easily, resulting in plumbing works needing to be done. Liquids should only ever be poured down the drain of a sink. Solid items should be appropriately disposed of by putting them in a bin or, if appropriate, used in a compost pile.
If you have taken heed of all the advice in this article, but are still experiencing problems with your plumbing then it may be time to call in a professional plumber to sort the issue out.
Call DeWAR Plumbers on our phone number 01 514 3344 or email us in order to have a plumber sent out to you at a time and date that suits you.
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