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Why are plumbers called Plumbers ?

The word “plumber” originates from the Latin term “plumbum,” which translates to “lead.” This connection between the occupation and the Latin word can be traced

Why choose vaporooter in Australia

Choosing Vaporooter as a solution to stop sewer blockages can be beneficial for several reasons. Here are ten reasons why Vaporooter may be a suitable

Vaporooter, a cost efficent solution.

Maintaining a efficient sewer system is crucial for the smooth operation of any residential or commercial property. When faced with stubborn blockages, property owners often

How tree roots enter Sewers

Tree roots can enter sewer pipes in a number of ways, and it’s important to understand these entry points in order to prevent root blockages.

Vaporooter Gurantee

If you’re a homeowner in Bayside Melbourne, you know how important it is to keep your sewer system in good working order. Blockages due to

Sanafoam vaporooter 11fromTrenchless Australasia — June 2005

Sewer root control with Sanafoam Vaporooter II

 

Trenchless Australasia — June 2005

Treating sewer lines with Sanafoam Vaporooter foaming sewer root inhibitor to control tree root penetration reduces customer inconvenience, decreases maintenance costs and extends the life of the collection asset. Marshall Horne from RSP Environmental Services provided this account of his experience with Sanafoam Vaporooter.
Currently in use by over 80 authorities in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia is the application of Sanafoam Vaporooter II, the original and most successful sewer root herbicide. It is designed to kill existing roots and retard regrowth for up to three years.
Vaporooter is the most cost-effective technology for maintaining sewer systems against tree root intrusion without harming trees, plant life or pipes. When used according to recommended operation guidelines it will not harm waste water treatment plants. Vaporooter is a combination of herbicides, placed in sewer lines as foam for the purpose of eliminating roots and preventing further destruction of sewer pipes caused by live tree root infestation. Only roots within the pipe, in the pipe wall and a short distance outside the pipe are affected. Trees and shrubs immediately above the pipe are not harmed.
Foam is used to carry the main ingredients, Metham Sodium (herbicide), and Dichlobenil (growth inhibiting agent) to the root mass because a root mass usually enters at the top and sides of a pipe, forming a vale or tale type structure. This application process ensures the pipe is full of foam so the roots will come into good contact with the Vaporooter ingredients.
A jetting truck is used to clean the roots to achieve the best root surface contact with Vaporooter. The foam generating equipment is crucial for achieving the best results from the herbicidal foam. Applying Vaporooter through certified foam maker and jetting equipment allows for total control of the quality of the foam.
This proven application method eliminates the need to cut roots before the application of Vaporooter and during the guarantee period. The very act of cutting roots, while necessary to clear blockages, promotes thicker and more vigorous root regrowth. For this reason root cutting should be a last resort.
If root growth in the pipe is very high, constricting the flow of the foam, root cutting should be undertaken a minimum of six weeks prior to foam treatment to allow the roots to start to grow. The fine white root regrowth is highly susceptible to the Vaporooter ingredients.
After a Vaporooter treatment, the roots die, become septic and soft, and then drop off into the flow. This allows ground pressure to close the cracks created by expanded roots and help reduce infiltration and exfiltration. The end result is a healthier environment, a longer lasting sewer asset, reduced maintenance and operating costs and a more efficient treatment operation.
Years of field-testing has shown the manufacturers of Sanafoam Vaporooter the combination of the three ingredients, Metham Sodium, Dichlobenil and Sanafoam are the formula for success in root control. Substitution of any one of the ingredients greatly reduces the overall efficiency of the product. With over 30 years of rigorous testing and engineering, Sanafoam Vaporooter has become recognised as the most effective form of root control available today.
Once lines are treated with Vaporooter they should left undisturbed for a period of not less than six months, so that the biological disintegration of the root masses can take place. This process will kill roots immediately but they rot and drop off over a period of time. You will not get a gun barrel clean pipe immediately after foaming. This result will come over a period of time. Pipes should be retreated prior to the expiry of the three year guarantee. Retreatment has a cumulative effect on retarding root growth.
Vaporooter is a pro-active tool used in conjunction with other tools and methods to reduce blockages and damage to your sewer asset caused by live tree roots. An ongoing treatment program will significantly reduce blockage rates. A number of current users of the product are prepared to share their experiences of an ongoing Vaporooter program
Sanafoam Vaporooter is registered with the Australian Pesticides & Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) for the application of root control in sewers. It is non-systemic and will not harm trees, is biodegradable and is slowly volatilised in the sewer and is low in toxicity and non-acidic. The main ingredients of Sanafoam Vaporooter are used on cereal and fruit crops for the control of weeds.
Branch Line applications
Branch lines are one of the main points of entry for roots into mainline sewers. Now authorities can apply Vaporooter to branch lines and small sections of mains with the Drainchem Minifoamer. Using a hose with an inflatable bladder inserted into the boundary shaft, the foam is pumped to the reticulation line. The minifoamer generates the foam and pumps it into the sewer and up to 25 branch lines can be treated per day by one employee. Targeting branch lines can reduce mainline sewer blockages.
Sanafoam Vaporooter is guaranteed to kill all roots in every sewer treated and to eliminate main line stoppages caused by live tree roots. If a treated sewer blocks due to live tree roots during the guarantee period, the applicator will retreat that section at their own expense. This guarantee applies to sewer stoppages caused by live tree roots. It does not apply to stoppages caused by grease or other foreign matter, flat, collapsed or deformed pipe, or flooding caused by surcharged or plugged sewer section downstream from a guaranteed sewer section. This guarantee applies to main line sewer section only. The cause of the blockage is at the sole discretion of the asset manager and RSP Environmental Services will agree as to the cause of the blockage with the asset engineer.

Appeared in issue: Trenchless Australasia — June 2005

Protecting the Yarra must be a priority …

Protecting the Yarra must be a priority

The Age Editorial

Date
November 5, 2014
On visiting Melbourne in 1893, James Goudie wrote that, even after all he had seen in Europe, this was “one of the finest cities”. The Scottish traveller was much taken by the beauty and sophistication of the Botanic Gardens, by the fine civic buildings and ornate mansions of Melbourne, but he held grave reservations about the river that ran through it. The Yarra, he said, was “the filthiest piece of water I ever had the misfortune to be afloat on”.
Were he to return to this city now, Mr Goudie would scarcely know his way around. Certainly some of the most glorious boom-era buildings still line the streets, and treasures such as the Botanic Gardens have been lovingly curated through generations. The city’s skyline, though, has soared, its suburbs stretch forever and, importantly, the river has changed – so much for the better.
The Yarra today is healthier than it was 120 years ago, when bureaucracy, corruption and apathy left it a cesspool choked with sewage, weeds, animal carcasses, chemicals and heavy metals. It is still not “clean”; its waters should not be drunk, and swimmers risk contracting infections. But Melbourne has turned its face to the river. Its banks are now lined with parks and bicycle paths, and Melburnians are more aware of the need to care for this vital artery.
At The Age, we like to take some credit for this. Back in the 1860s, The Age issued a feisty call for “a pure Yarra in the interests of the Collingwood and Richmond working classes, and not from the viewpoint of the southside elite who live on the opposite bank”. And in 1980, we launched the Give the Yarra a Go campaign to restore the river to the people of Melbourne. We urged government and municipal authorities to recognise their responsibilities to clean the river and preserve it as a recreational gem for all citizens.
Today, the Yarra’s city banks are lined with arts venues and cafes, it is a place of walking, cycling, sitting, watching and being seen. The south bank is a great promenade. Barely 100 metres upstream, and the river becomes a haven for quiet contemplation. Venture further, and it becomes a thread of natural wonders, of small silences, with the scent of eucalyptus around every bend.
For all that, the river is at risk of being loved to death. Multistorey apartment blocks are being built close to the water’s edge in the inner eastern suburbs, and landowners on both riverbanks are grasping every possible metre for their own. The danger with such intense development is that hard surfaces, such as concrete and stone, plus access roads for cars, lead to increased stormwater run-off. Unless it is properly managed, there is an increased risk of pollutants, such as oil, zinc and copper, flowing into the river.
The not-for-profit Yarra Riverkeeper Association warns this is already happening. It wants proper environmental management of the areas around riverside apartment and housing complexes to ensure there is optimal filtration of stormwater before it flows into the river. Water quality is also jeopardised by faecal contamination from leaking septic systems upriver, and from premises in inner suburbs that have illegally connected sewerage systems to stormwater drains.
The Yarra Riverkeeper Association is urging political parties in this election to consider regulations for all new developments to recycle or infiltrate stormwater and reduce the risk of pollutants. It wants planning controls tightened to stop degradation of the river environment, and it wants parties to consider water management policies aimed at restoring the river’s natural flows. These proposals are worthy of consideration, especially mandatory stormwater filtration systems. While it is quaint that Melbourne has a riverkeeper, who patrols the Yarra by boat, the entire community must do much more to improve the Yarra. We owe it to future generations to be the best keepers of the river.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-editorial/protecting-the-yarra-must-be-a-priority-20141105-3jm6r.html#ixzz3I9kvmSQP

Blocked stormwater drain


The footage shows how a simple blocked storm water drain can undermine the surrounding assets with the stormwater discharging into the subsoil to cause major damage.
Longbeach Plumbing uses a drain camera to indentify the condition of the drains and located any potential blockages or fractures.We then can provide a quotation to repair the drain.

Prevention is best

Prevention is the best cure for inconvenient sewer overflows due to blocked drains.
The smell from the effluent from a blocked sewer is a magnet flies & bacteria which can also pose a health risk. Numerous of factors that contribute towards sewer blockages, and more often than not they are the result of months of build up.
There are however warning signals that a blocked drain is looming, which if indentified early prevent after hour call outs.

  1. Foul odours are potentially a sign of blockages.
  2. Traps syphoning out of fixtures.
  3. Sucking & gurgling are sounds associated with blockages
  4. Sanitary fixtures with water not draining clear.
  5. Overflowing of internal or exterior gully grates IS shafts and vents.
  6. Debris around gully grates.

It is often the most obvious things that are the biggest offenders;

  1. Excessive toilet paper is one of the most common causes of blockages on public or high use toilet facilities.
  2. The disposal of nappy liners and sanitary items down toilets.
  3. Fat, grease and oil, stick to the insides of drains and solidify to cause an obstruction in the sewer.
  4. Tree roots are common causes for sewer blockages which in turn damaged pipe work.
  5. Hair slipping down shower drains and basins creates drain blockages.

Longbeach plumbing has varity of solutions to the clear blockages using Air guns, Sewer machines, Hydro jetters , CCTV drain cameras, Bio clean , Vaporooter are just a few of the methods used to keep drains clear.
Call us on 0412 26 74

Vaporooter stops tree roots in drains

In Melbourne tree roots in sewer pipes are the most common reason why many sewers block up. Roots enter sewer pipes through cracks or loose joints. Over half of the tree roots in Melbourne’s sewer system enter through house connection drains which are the property owners reasonably.

Longbeach Plumbing maintains sewers in the Melbourne’s suburbs by using a three step process:

1. Routinely removing roots using of hydro jetting.

2. Systematically inspecting street sewers using drain camera to identify structural defects and rehabilitate or replace structurally deficient sewers.

3. Treating tree roots in sewers with Sanafoam Vaporooter

What Causes Roots to Grow in Pipes?

The soil around a sewer or drain is loose due to the excavation required to lay the drain this, enables the tree roots to grow towards the water vapour that escapes through cracks or loose joints in sewer pipes. Once the tap tree root has reached the drain, it will penetrate through cracks, loose joints or any openings in sewer pipes.

The tree roots will continue to grow and fill the pipe to create a root mass that can become matted with grease, paper and other solid matter. This is what eventually causes a blocked sewer.

As roots continue to grow within a pipe, they begin to expand and exert pressure at their point of entry. This can result in a collapsed sewer. Collapsed sewers can be expensive to fix or replace.

Signs that a sewer is blocked include slow flowing drains, gurgling sounds from a toilet bowl and wet areas around washing machine floor drains. A pipe that is not cleared will become completely blocked and may rupture.

Vitrified Clay pipes in Melbourne are susceptible to tree roots

Certain pipe material is more resistant to root intrusion than others. Rubber ringed Vitrified clay pipes, for example, are more susceptible to root penetration and damage when compared with cast iron or DWV pipes that have fewer and more tightly fitted joints.

What can be done to combat the tree root problem in Melbourne

The most common method to remove roots from sewer pipes is to use sewer machine and or with commercial herbicides that kill roots. Do not, however, use copper sulphate and sodium hydroxide because although these chemicals kill roots, they do not prevent regrowth and will most like kill the tree. A more up-to-date method used to clear sewer blockages is to pump a sanafoam vaporooter, through the pipe to have a 364 day guarantee. Longbeach Plumbing is a licensed applicator of Sanafoam Vaporooter. It is a non systemic herbicide that will not kill the tree.


Firefighters pull ‘scared and hungry’ kitten from drainage pipe

By KATU.com StaffPublished: Sep 17, 2012 at 8:35 AM PDTLast Updated: Sep 17, 2012 at 1:09 PM PDT
PORTLAND, Ore. – Firefighters used shovels, a plumbing company’s tiny camera and other equipment in a delicate rescue that saved a furry victim from an uncertain fate Sunday evening.
Portland Fire and Rescue crews were called to a home near NE 118th and NE Sandy Boulevard at about 7:30 p.m. after they said a homeowner reported hearing a kitten calling for help in the walls of a basement.
Firefighters said Apollo Drain and Rooter Service workers joined in the rescue effort after firefighters determined the stranded feline was in one of four deep drainage pipes.
Using the plumbers “snake camera,” firefighters found which pipe the cat was in. They started digging but still could not reach the tiny cat.
Crews then began pumping air into the pipe from the opposite end and said the cat slowly worked it’s way back to the opening.
Six hours after the rescue effort began and with the enticement of a bit of sausage, firefighter Scott Pearson was able to free the kitten, which firefighters named “Champ.”
“It was scared and hungry”, Pearson said, “but I’m sure that it was glad to be out of that dark, damp hole.”
The Oregon Humane Society is now caring for Champ. Employees there estimate she’s about three weeks old.
David Lytle with the humane society said Champ is a Tabby/Tortoise Shell mix. She does not have any injuries from her six-hour ordeal.
She is very friendly and purring a lot, Lytle said.
Champ will be available for adoption in about a month after she gains enough weight to be spayed.

Angie's advice: Listen to your drains for sounds of sewer problems

Written by

Angie Hicks

The average homeowner likely knows that sewer lines help transport wastewater from the home to underground mains. Other than that, most homeowners probably don’t think about what goes on in their sewer lines.
When there’s a problem, though, homeowners must take notice. A sewer line clog could lead to raw sewage backing up out of the drains, which could lead to significant damage.
Homeowners who understand and respond to early warnings can stave off severe sewer issues. The most common red flags are water backing up out of a drain or toilet, or a gurgling sound coming from the drains.
“Your house is basically going to talk to you,” said Tammy Sims, senior technician with R&S Sewer Cleaning in Indianapolis. “If you notice that when you’re done with the washing machine, the toilets start percolating — it sounds like a coffee pot — or you’ll get water around the floor drain in the basement, that’s one of the first telltale signs.”
Clogs can occur in the main sewer line or a secondary line, Sims said.
“Your house is basically set up like a tree,” Sims said. “You have one main trunk line that runs out of the house and then you have all these small branches off of that.
“If the clog is in the main line, that means any water you run in the house will cause problems. If it’s a secondary line, it’s just going to be isolated to that secondary problem.”
Tree roots are the primary cause of sewer line clogs, especially in older homes, with feminine hygiene products, paper towels and even certain types of thicker toilet paper a common source of clogging in newer homes.
“A lot of people have broken-down drains in the ground that have tree roots in them,” said Jay Bedell, of Bedell Plumbing in Carmel. “That would be the number-one reason why people have drain problems.”
Sewer companies typically will run a cable through the clog in an effort to clear it. If they can’t find the problem, many companies will recommend a camera inspection.
“A lot of companies out there now do that as a way to find work,” Bedell said. “They’ll inspect your sewer to (seek out) problems, not to help you, but to help themselves. We’ll run a cable through it with a cutting device on it to try to open the drain first.”
If you get a clog in your home, Sims said, it’s important to shut the water off at the source or at the main if it’s a main line clog. Homeowners who have access to their sewer cleanout line, can remove the cleanout cap. The cleanout line is typically a short, round white pipe with a rubber cap in the yard near the house.”
“Taking that cap off will relieve the pressure in the house and you’ll have water come up outside instead of in the house,” Sims said.
Bedell has one easy recommendation.
“Fill sinks to the top and then drain them once or twice a month,” Bedell said. “That (water pressure) will help ensure you have proper flow through the pipes and move out any waste that’s sitting in the line.”

Water and sewer officials said cooking grease is behind overflow

Water and sewer officials said cooking grease is behind overflow
6,800+ gallons of water spilled into creek
Updated: Wednesday, 12 Sep 2012, 6:08 PM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 12 Sep 2012, 1:43 PM CDT

  • Steve Alexander

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – There was a nasty problem in west Mobile Tuesday some said could have been prevented.
Mobile Area Water and Sewer System, or MAWSS, officials are blaming another sewage overflow on a grease blockage.
Crews were working Wednesday afternoon in a neighborhood near Skyline Drive North and Theodore Dawes Road.
An estimated 6800 gallons of wastewater overflowed from a manhole because of a suspected grease blockage.
There were concerns the wastewater had flowed into nearby Rabbit Creek.
Barbara Shaw with MAWSS said, “Grease started building in the sewer line until a blockage formed.  The sewer water had no place to go, except through a manhole. And, once it left the manhole, it found its way into a storm drain.”
Fortunately, crews said the wastewater just collected, and didn’t make it into Rabbit Creek.
Water officials said that’s a good thing because, Shaw said, “We’re talking about untreated waste water.”
MAWSS administrators said all this might be unnecessary, if people recycled grease instead of pouring it down kitchen sinks.
They said the grease is supposed to go in containers, which can be left at their headquarters, or other locations around the Mobile area.
Shaw said, “Pick up a free container, put the grease in it, and return it.  When its full, get another.”
And, the water and sewer department said a lot more people are doing this, year after year.
According to Shaw, “When we first started this program in 2006, we had 51 overflows reaching water. This year, we have 14.”
MAWSS hopes the numbers will keep improving.
MAWSS gives out grease recycling containers at locations throughout the city as part of their “It’s Easy to be Ungreasy,” campaign. The containers are free, but a website for the program says you can use your own leak-proof container as well.

Don’t let this happen to you

Sewage forces couple from home.
Yahoo!7 July 24, 2012, 12:50 pm
A Tweed Heads couple say they have been forced to live in a motel and accuse their council of refusing to take responsibility for raw sewage flooding their home.
Neil Smith and Linda Clarke say they have been homeless for over four weeks after their entire dwelling was flooded with human faeces.
“I opened the door and the dogs were all jumping around and wet. It wasn’t until I stepped into the room that I comprehended what had happened,” Ms Clarke told News Limited.
“I was gobsmacked. I didn’t know what to do, it was surreal.
“When the water dissipated it left behind what was basically diarrhoea and toilet paper.”
The couple, who have lived in their house since purchasing it in 2006, say the state of their house resembled a crime scene while cleaners took a week to mop up the mess.
“It was like a CSI show. The cleaners were in one-piece suits and wearing protection masks,” Mr Smith said.
“All we’ve been left with is the ceilings, outer walls and the frame.”
“The only thing was on the day before we heard a glugging noise coming from the toilet, so we poured a bottle of disinfectant down it.
“It was obviously the start of something but otherwise we have had no problems in the six years we’ve lived here.
The couple will meet with Council geenral manager David Keenan next week, who says the matter is in the hands of insurers.
“Council is in the process of meeting with the family involved in order to sort out the issues involved with this incident,” Mr Keenan said.
“The matter is also being addressed by the insurance companies acting on behalf of both parties.”