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Expensive Kitchen Sink Repairs
During an Advanced Business Mastery session I had the pleasure to meet Peter August from Australian Bullion Company, www.austbullionco.com.au.
Peter’s knowledge of Gold and other precious metals, his wealth of experience, and his stories about the mystical and precious metals he deals in, had us all amazed.
In the early 1980s, when the price of gold was around $400 per ounce, I was called to an elderly lady’s home to assist with a blocked sink. I removed all the usual cleaning products from the blocked drain; detergent, sponges and a nest of plastic bags.
Two of the plastic bags were surprisingly heavy to lift. I needed both hands and all my strength to lift these two bags onto the kitchen bench. Inside each of the bags was a gold bar roughly the size of a house brick. I felt like I was in Aladdin’s cave! The elderly lady was standing over my shoulder. She didn’t offer any explanation…. and I didn’t ask.
I went out to the truck to get some more tools to finish the plumbing repairs and when I came back in, the bags and their precious contents were gone.
Based on the standard mass of a gold bar and the price at the time, I estimate that one of those bars would have been worth about $160,000.
Meeting Peter reminded me of this incident. After retelling it to him, he pointed out that earlier this month (September 09) gold had reached a price of US$1000 per ounce, and then estimated that one of those bars would have been worth at least US$400,000.
Not a bad mornings work.
Peter J August, Managing Director of Australian Bullion Company:
Holy S_ _t! A Gondoliers impressions
Today’s post comes courtesy of the World Famous Venetian Gondolier, my mate Giovanni Giudice.
I met Gio in the summer of 07 -08. He was visiting Australia, learning to surf and was escaping the Venetian winter because “business is slow”. Gio was staying in Coogee at the home of a client who funnily enough had a blocked drain. We hit it off straight away; I told him about places to visit along our beautiful coast and Gio in return told stories of the romantic city of Venice, Italy.
Invariably the conversation got back to blocked sewers and blocked drains and how different it would be to deal with a blocked drain in Venice, compared to being a Sydney plumber. Upon his return to Venice, Gio answered my question with a series of photos he took on the way to his gondola one morning.
Below are the photos he sent of a septic boat, pumping the waste from the Palace of the Bishop of Venice.
If any of our readers are lucky enough to be travelling to Venice, ask for Gio’s contact for the best gondola tour of that beautiful city.
A Sign of the Times?
A Picture paints a thousand words. We really enjoyed these photos, and hope you will as well….
https://www.thelonedrainerandpronto.com.au
Overlooked Grand Final Heroes – Plumbers!
With a crowd of nearly 100,000 spectators expected to cram the Melbourne Cricket Ground this Saturday for what is obviously one of the biggest annual sporting events in Australia, it puts a large burden on the grounds personnel and infrastructure.
The challenge includes the upkeep of the ground’s 546 urinal stalls, 166 individual urinals and 345 toilets. Whilst this may seem daunting, the 3.5 million people who annually pass through the MCG gates during the course of the season provide great training and testing for these bathroom facilities, and give plumbers and curators a great idea of whether or not the lavatories will be able to cope on the last weekend in September.
During the large scale redevelopment and rebuilding of stands at MCG earlier this decade, plumbing was also improved.
In recent years, improved crowd control and regulation has ended the outlandishly large crowds on Grand Final Day, such as the enormous 121,696 people who packed the MCG in the 1970 Collingwood v Carlton match. Although people may not drink as much at the football game as back then, facilities and maintenance practices today are still light-years ahead of what they were. This includes a team of plumbers outsourced by the grounds manager who must go to great lengths in preparation for a big event to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Whilst crowd satisfaction is the foremost goal at a large event, in the 21st century the sustainability of a venue must also be taken into account. One of the ways the MCG attempts to be more eco-friendly is by catching rainwater from the gigantic Northern Stand roof and storing it in a 1.5 million litre tank below gate one.
Even though it is very easy to forget about plumbing when at the footy, it is still amazing how much time, effort and planning must go into managing something as simple as bathrooms, in order for fans to have an enjoyable, comfortable and trouble free day.
The Lone Drainer And Pronto!
At The Lone Drainer and Pronto we’re not like other cowboy plumbers…
We fix your blocked drains, leaking taps and toilets with Silver bullet speed and without making a mess. And before we start, we provide you with our legendary no-surprise fixed quote that blends over 40 years of plumbing experience, technology and training so good…. even other plumbers seek our advice!
(02) 9664 4990 http://www.TheLoneDrainerAndPronto.com.au
Thanks to Dr Marc Dussault for helping us “hit our targets”.
Check him out at http://www.antimimeticisomorphism.com/
Why you should ‘Dial Before You Dig’
Before carrying out any excavation for plumbing repairs, your licensed plumber should do a “Dial before you Dig” check on your property and surrounds.
This process shows where gas, water, sewer, stormwater, telecom and electric services owned by all utilities are located.
Although this is an extreme case, check out what could happen if you don’t know what lies beneath:
This massive explosion occurred in the USA during September 2008. Although it was caused by pipe corrosion, and not by a farmer digging as several emails have suggested, the extreme destruction seen in the photographs above shows the extensive damage that can be caused by an exploding gas pipe, and how obvious it is that this should be avoided at all costs.
If you’re not sure about the condition of your gas pipes, call a licensed plumber, and remember to always dial before you dig!
Plumbing Fixtures or Art?
Artist Clark Sorensen, the man who created the urinal/sculpture of former U.S. President George W Bush, has many other wonderful plumbing creations which can be used as functioning wash basins and urinals.
For examples of creative plumbing products and further information check out: http://www.clarkmade.com/
Aussie Bidet Toilet Seat
Recently The Lone Drainer and Pronto were called to repair a leaking toilet cistern in Bondi Junction. I was surprised to see this toilet not only had a flush button but came with a remote control as well. The client informed me that the toilet actually contained a bidet built into the toilet seat, complete with retracting heated water spout, air dryer, and instant seat heater, all of which are adjustable to suit individual comforts and anatomy. Whilst the bidet is a very popular plumbing fixture in Europe, by comparison, I have come across few during my many years of plumbing in Australia.
The bidet toilet seat is a compromise.
Whilst this can be deemed as a “luxury” item for most, our client revealed that a relative of theirs who has suffered a stroke also had a bidet toilet seat installed and with the loss of mobility in extremities after the stroke, this has proved to be of great assistance to them and their family when using the bathroom.
What a great idea! A bidet toilet seat could be of great assistance for the elderly, disabled, infirmed or even people with sports injuries.
http://www.TheLoneDrainerAndPronto.com.au/unmasked.php
Plumbing Emergency – Now, that is Pronto!
The fastest dispatch and delivery of service for a plumbing emergency was…yesterday morning!
The previous plumbing emergency that we attended to had a setback because another sustained downpour had flooded the local streets making visibility very poor as well as comfort levels.
We had stopped for some morning tea, a hot coffee and some sustenance along a well known fast food strip and as we were finishing our break the mobile phone rang….
A local Medical Centre called, asking for fast plumbing service to repair their one and only badly leaking toilet. There was water all over the floor and the waiting room was full of patients. The very polite receptionist was screaming for HELP!
Little did she know we were parked 30 metres from her front door and were ready to take action.
3 minutes after the phone call for emergency plumbing was received, our heroes walked through the front door of the Medical Centre, ready for action.
25 minutes later, the leaking toilet was fixed. The faulty water inlet valve was replaced. The leaking waste pipe was sealed.
The receptionist was overwhelmed. “Lone Drainer, you really fixed our plumbing Pronto” she said.
When the Lone Drainer says Pronto, He means it!
That’s great service from an eastern suburbs emergency plumber!
George Bush Toilets
The reign of US President George W Bush has come to an end, but as this piece of urinal art proves, when it comes to “Dubya”, many people will never grow tired of taking the piss….
The creator of this fantastic piece is a subscriber to “toilet humour“. His bathroom creations are unbelievable; I will soon share with you some of his other works.
And for all you plumbers, imagine clearing a blocked drain in the outlet of this urinal; be careful now!
www.TheLoneDrainerAndPronto.com.au
Toilet Humour
A toilet is a plumbing fixture and disposal system primarily intended for the disposal of bodily wastes: urine and faecal matter. Additionally, vomit and menstrual waste is sometimes disposed in toilets in western societies.
The word “toilet” can be used to refer to the fixture itself or to the room containing the fixture, especially in British English. In Canadian English, the latter is euphemistically called a washroom, and in American English, a restroom or bathroom. The latter term usually refers to a room that also contains a bath tub. A room with only a toilet and a sink is sometimes called a half-bathroom or a powder room.
There are two basic types of toilets: the dry toilet, and the wet toilet – the latter being the most commonly known and producer of blackwater. The dry toilet needs no plumbing for water input or evacuation, but is often coupled with some ventilation system.
Humour
Humour or humor (see American and British English spelling differences) is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. Many theories exist about what humour is and what social function it serves. People of all ages and cultures respond to humour. The majority of people are able to be amused, to laugh or smile at something funny, and thus they are considered to have a “sense of humour.”
When attending to blocked drains we sometimes encounter “Toilet Humour”!
www.TheLoneDrainerAndPronto.com.au
PVC Pipes Blocked by Hills Weeping Fig
The Hills weeping fig (ficus microcarpar var.) is a beautiful tree which in some areas provides a shady archway for many streets in our Sydney Eastern suburbs.
But why are the residents of these streets pulling out their hair?
The Hills weeping fig is like Jekyll and Hyde.
Dr Jekyll brings shade in summer; tree lined streets become a breezeway, cooling our homes as their majestic branches cast shade and protect us from the searing summer heat, attracting birds to feed on their fruit twice a year.
But, Mr Hyde is lurking. Those same fruit bring flying foxes…and other mysteries.
My interest in this tree is the power of its root system. Their reach is widespread, sometimes 3 or 4 or more times wider than they are high. The root system will move stone walls, lift concrete footpaths and driveways and of course invade sewer and stormwater pipes. The roots from this tree just keep on coming after they are internally pruned with an electric eel or “Rattlesnake” high pressure water drain cleaner.
Last week we attended to 4 tree root sewer blockages directly caused by the Hills Weeping fig.
The 2 blocked sewer pipes that particularly interested me were PVC sewer pipes.
Why is that interesting, I hear you ask?
Well… tree roots don’t grow into PVC pipes! …..or do they?
The Kensington blocked drain was in an established housing estate about 10 – 15 years old. The townhouse in question had no previous blocked drain history. The Hills weeping fig was about 30 metres away. Its root system had grown up to this house and had actually grown into the PVC pipeline through a screw-on cap that we plumbers call a cleaning eye. The fine roots had grown into the cap thread and multiplied inside the pipe thus causing the sewer blockage.
The Bellevue Hill blocked sewer was similar.
This house was built during the year of Sydney’s 2000 Olympic games after the long term owners, were tired of having blocked sewer pipes every 3 months, and tree roots “growing up through the back of the toilet”, amongst other reasons.
During the rebuild all the pipelines were installed in PVC pipes and fittings. The house finish was state of the art plumbing fixtures, with beautiful sandstone tiles around the outside of the house. All the pipes were concealed! No cleaning eyes! Why would we need access to the pipes as they have all been installed in tree root proof PVC? The nearest fig tree was 30 odd metres away.
Well, what started as a simple blocked floorwaste, grew to removing that beautiful toilet suite to clear the blocked sewer pipe. We used the “Rattlesnake” high pressure water drain cleaner to remove tree roots from the blocked pipeline. When the blockage was cleared we carried out a camera survey of the pipeline. About 14 metres downstream the camera showed the remnants of the cut tree roots, but just as important, our drain camera survey showed the PVC pipe had been squashed. What was a round internal pipe, was now oval shaped with a crack in at least 1 of the fittings.
Who said tree roots don’t grow in PVC sewer pipes?
Beware Mr Hyde!
https://www.thelonedrainerandpronto.com.au/vaporooter.php
Hills Weeping Fig Tree
Danger of Gas Room Heaters
We opened the heater to have a good look inside and it appeared that the motor had overheated and had started to melt the casing. It was a disaster waiting to happen!
Fortunately there was a tradesman working next door who quickly came on the scene and disconnected the gas appliance from the gas supply, preventing a potential fire!
As the days get colder and we turn to our gas room heating appliances to keep us warm, please dust them and make sure you can disconnect them from your gas bayonet fittings with ease.
Dangerous gas room heater
What Happens When Tree Roots Grow In Sewer Pipes
The intrusion of tree roots in sewer pipes is probably the most destructive single element that faces those maintaining a sewer collection system today.
Sewers are ageing expensive assets that only attract public attention when they fail. There are more than 35,000 kms of water and sewer pipes in Sydney and 60% of all collection systems are made up of pipes with a diameter of 9 inches (225 mm) or smaller. The potential for tree root intrusion to inhibit flows, produce blocked drains and damage valuable pipes, is enormous.
Tree roots normally do not grow underwater and seldom cause problems where ground water covers the pipe. But in most areas, this is not the case.
Tree Roots Grow One Cell at a Time
When a seed germinates, it adds one cell at a time toward the best environment from which it might extract nutrients and moisture. The growing point of a tree moves best through loosely cultivated soil.
The most common practice used to lay sewer pipes is in an open trench. The back-filled soil offers a good growing medium for tree roots. Because the flow in sewer pipes is a higher temperature than the soil, this causes a condensation to appear on the crown of the pipe.
As the warm moisture from the sewer pipe evaporates up through the soil, the vapours offer an excellent trail for the tree roots to follow. If a vapour leak exists in the pipe, the roots concentrate its efforts at that point. Since some pipe joint compounds are of nutrient based material themselves (like rubber rings or sand cement mix), the root may entirely girdle before entering the pipe.
Roots Allow Accumulation of Debris
Once inside the sewer pipe, the root takes on the appearance of a “veil” or “horse tail” type structure. If flows in the pipes are fairly constant, the root mass hangs down like a veil to the normal flow level where they accumulate deposits of grease, slime and other debris.
Conventional methods of removing tree roots by cutting with an electric eel or a “Rattlesnake” high pressure water drain cleaner tend to increase regrowth; similar to pruning a tree. Removing tree roots inside the pipe solves the immediate problem of clearing the blocked drain, but does nothing to retard the tree root regrowth or destroy the tree roots outside the pipe.
This removal, regrowth and removal cycle of cutting and tearing roots can destroy the structural integrity of the pipe.
Herbicide Fumigants
Herbicide fumigants present the most effective method to destroy tree roots and inhibit their regrowth without affecting the above ground plant life. Vaporooter is a root control herbicide that enters the sewer as a foam. Only tree roots within the pipe and a short distance outside the pipe are affected. Trees and shrubs immediately above ground are not harmed in any way.
Welcome to Sydney’s Premier Plumbing Services Blog!
We have launched the Lone Drainer and Pronto’s NEW Blog!
We invite you to access our new blog regularly to see the modifications, changes and enhancements that have been made as well as the jokes, funny stories and videos that we’re going to be posting.
We are Sydney’s premier plumbing service and are ready to deal with all your plumbing emergencies and issues including blocked drains, emergency plumbing, drainoscopy as well as provide you with tips on how to take care of your pipes and drains.
We take what we do VERY SERIOUSLY, but we also like to take a light-hearted approach that will lighten the mood to make you relax.