The things people ask before they ring.
Eight questions that come up over and over. If yours is not here, the phone is faster than reading.
Do you answer the phone after hours?
Yes. Emergencies are answered any hour, seven days. Burst pipe, sewage backing up, no water, a gas smell: if it cannot wait until morning, it does not have to. If we are under a house and cannot pick up, leave your name, your suburb and what is going on, and we will ring back.
I can smell gas. What do I do?
Get everyone outside first. No flames, and do not touch light switches or anything electrical. If it is safe to reach, turn the gas off at the meter. Once you are outside, call 000 if there is any immediate danger, otherwise call 0451 229 027.
Where are you based and where do you work?
Free Flow is based in Somerville on the Mornington Peninsula, and the Peninsula is where most of the work is. We also cover South East Melbourne, Gippsland (booked in runs) and commercial work through metro Melbourne. Near one of those but not sure? Ring and ask.
Are you licensed?
Yes. Brandon Walsh holds Victorian BPC licence 112346, current on the Building and Plumbing Commission register with licence classes in water supply, sanitary, drainage, gasfitting, roofing (stormwater), backflow prevention, thermostatic mixing valves, irrigation and fire protection (hydrants and hose reels). He is also licensed in Queensland (QBCC 15552243). The numbers are in the footer of every page so you can check them yourself.
Do you issue compliance certificates?
Yes. A BPC licence holder can carry out the work, supervise it and issue the compliance certificate for it. Gas installation work is tested and certified where the Victorian rules require it, and backflow and TMV testing comes with the test record the water authority or the site needs. Keep whatever you are given with the house or building papers.
How often do backflow devices and TMVs need testing?
Testable backflow devices, meaning RPZs and double check valve assemblies, need retesting every twelve months with a test record for the water authority. Thermostatic mixing valves run to their own service interval and are tested against the required temperature range. When you call, the useful things are the device type, where it is on site, and the current due date if you have it.
My drain is blocked. What should I do before you get here?
If sewage is coming up through a drain or the overflow gully, stop running water anywhere in the house. That stops it getting worse while you are on the phone. The camera goes down the line first so you can see what is in there, because a drain cleared without anyone looking at why usually blocks again.
Are you insured?
Yes, insured to twenty million dollars for domestic and commercial work. Builders and facility managers who need the credentials before a site induction can have the licence and insurance details sent through before we get to site.
Call anyway. Two minutes on the phone with a plumber beats a wet ceiling. If it can wait, we'll tell you straight.