Boiler Repair, Boiler Breakdown Cover, Boiler Service, London, UK

Cowboy Plumbing

Administrator

We recently attended a warehouse Plumstead where our engineers saw 12 inches of a waste pipe sticking out of a ceiling in a pair of toilets in a warehouse. The waste pipes emptied directly into a roof space with no purpose built ventilation to remove the sewer gas from the building.

Our plumbers discovered this problem when we were on site to replace the appliances in a male/female office bathroom. Our plumbers went up to check out a trumpeting noise emanating from the storage tank and discovered the waste pipe with a ill-fitting cap which should have terminated outside.

We immediately informed the current tenant that the problem requires sorting out. A build-up of sewer gas is the last thing you want in your place or work and of course the health risks from the poisonous concoction. He informed us the cowboy had also done work at his home in Brentford, so we took a look at that too, there were many errors that could have caused our customer thousands of pounds in the long-term, but we corrected them with no problem.

It’s good to say the job was solved by our expert plumbers based in Ruislip, and the current tenants have no problems regarding their toilet system. Our Plumbers are dedicated to serving the whole of London including East Ham, Brentford, Plumstead, Ruislip, Hackney, Chelsea, Battersea, Clapham, Isleworth and Finsbury Park.

Toilet Noise During Filling?

Administrator

This is a complaint that comes up regularly and our plumbers in Sidcup and Watford have fixed many of them. A toilet makes a loud noise during the fill cycle after flushing. Sometimes the noise is only a few seconds and sometimes like a toilet.

This is sometimes known as trumpeting. The name comes from that inside the valve is a small piece of nylon that the water flows through that is shapes exactly like the working end of a trumpet. And not coincidentally it acts the same way and magnifies noise.

Under normal circumstances there will be no noise as the valve is designed to allow water to flow through the valve quickly and smoothly in order to fill the cistern. After years however several things can cause the valve to fail in various ways. The buildup of hard water scale or the rubber washers, ‘o’ rings and nylon parts that rub together start to get scratched and also harden over time causing slightly loose fitting parts which then cause several problems. We recently spotted this problem at a customer’s address in Orpington whilst attending a routine central heating checkup, one of our plumbers went to the toilet and spotted it, he was more than happy to advise our customers on how to prevent this.

The final result could be the valve gets stuck closed and the tank doesn’t fill or fills slow, noises during tank filling from minor to major and leaks causing a constant dripping in the tank which then causes leaks through the overflow.

If your toilet has begun making these types of noises, then we can help. If we catch the problem early it can prevent leaks or having to fork out for a whole new toilet system. Contact us for more information.

Combination Boilers and Pressure Relief Valves

Administrator

The Pressure Relief Valve is meant to act as a safety in case the boiler builds up too much pressure and needs to vent. You’ll find this type of system in Combination Boilers. As your boiler heats hot water in the Central Heating Loop the water expands. As it expands the pressure increases. That extra volume of water has to go somewhere or it will try to escape at the weakest point in the heating systems which could be a radiator valve, solder joint or the Pressure Relief Valve.

As the water expands the extra volume is taken up in the expansion vessel which contains a rubber bladder and as the water pressure increases the rubber bladder fills with the extra water. Recently our plumbers managed to get to a boiler just in time; we spotted the problem whilst completing a routine boiler check up in Wembley.

However, if for example the pressure vessel fails and the pressure cannot escape as I mentioned earlier it will force its way out in the form of a leak. You’ll also notice that the pressure gauge will start displaying a lower and lower pressure when the heating is turned off. Over a period of time you will have to keep filling the system by way of the filling loop.

We see this type of issue all the time and recently did repairs and maintenance checkups on different combi-boilers in Surbiton. If you have noticed anything different about your boilers performance, contact us today! We have heating and boiler engineers based all over London including in areas such as Uxbridge and Brixton.

Save Money and Emissions with a Greener Central Heating System

Administrator

As more and more people become determined to lead a greener lifestyle as the threat of global warming increases, one of the first places that you can make changes is within your own home.

One area in particular where your carbon footprint can be reduced is the central heating system. Changing an old boiler for a more energy-efficient solution is being billed as one of the best ways for people to reduce their carbon footprints. By choosing to replace your old boiler with a new condensing boiler you can really help to save on carbon dioxide emissions, as well as helping to save up to 40% on your energy bills.

But it’s not just the central heating systems where savings in energy and bills can be made. Radiators are another key area where many people use more energy than they need to. Residents of London in areas like Ealing and Hammersmith can take advantage of new radiators with TRVs (Thermostatic Radiator Valves). These are designed to prevent overheating and can therefore help you to cut back on all the heating that you are currently wasting.

Other ways to save energy include using room thermostats and water thermostats, and households should also seriously consider investing in insulation for their homes including cavity wall insulation.

The Energy Saving Trust says that the government is committed to greater energy efficiency, and as a result large energy suppliers have been set efficiency targets that they must achieve. The great news for customers is that there are lots of offers currently available for energy saving installations, making it easier than ever to save energy and enjoy lower bills.

Landlords Advised to Check the Safety of Boilers Following Incident

Administrator

The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) is reminding landlords across the UK about their responsibilities when it comes to gas installations in properties which are occupied by tenants. The reminder comes after a landlord from Doncaster was fined �16,000 and �7,500 in costs for failing to ensure the correct installation of the boiler in one of her buildings occupied by tenants.

Nobody was hurt in the incident, but the landlord pleaded guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act because the boiler was not installed properly.

Landlords across the UK and London including areas such as Clapham and Fulham are being reminded of the importance of having boilers in their properties checked on an annual basis by plumbers or heating engineers registered with Corgi. Landlords who fail to get gas certificates issued could also find themselves being fined.

The biggest danger posed by boilers is poisoning from carbon monoxide, which leads to about 30 deaths across the UK every year. Correct installation of the central heating system and annual checks by heating engineers and plumbers registered with Corgi can prevent this by spotting any risks and making sure that everything is working properly.

As well as making central heating systems safer, an extra benefit is that they can help to reduce costs, making the boilers more efficient to run. At the same time, carbon monoxide is a greenhouse gas, so helping to reduce emissions can help to reduce the household’s impact on global warming.

Woman Dies and Man Left in Critical Condition Following Carbon Monoxide Leak

Administrator

Woman Dies and Man Left in Critical Condition Following Carbon Monoxide Leak

A woman has died and a man has been left in a critical condition after a carbon monoxide leak in a London block of flats.

Fire fighters were called to the property where they discovered the 26-year-old female and 32-year-old man. The woman was already dead by the time they arrived, and the man, who was unconscious, was taken to hospital.

The fire fighters were called to the property in Hounslow, West London, at 8 p.m. after they were alerted to the leak. The whole block of flats was evacuated, and the residents were moved to community centres in the area where they had to stay until 1 a.m when the property was deemed safe for their return.

Despite a detailed search, the fire fighters were unable to detect the source of the leak.

Between 20 and 30 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning every year across the UK. Carbon monoxide is odourless and colourless, making it incredibly dangerous, and it can quickly lead to asphyxiation.

The best way to reduce the chances of becoming a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning is to have the boiler and gas appliances checked once a year by a trained plumber or engineer registered with Corgi. Residents of London in areas such as Walthamstow and Kilburn can then quickly find out if there is a problem and can significantly reduce the chances of a leak occurring.

New Research Suggests Carpets and Underfloor Heating can Work Together

Administrator

It looks like one of the biggest issues regarding underfloor heating can finally be put to rest following the results of new research. Whereas those in the industry have long known that underfloor heating can work perfectly well with carpets, a number of organisations have got together to prove it once and for all.

Plastics specialists have joined forces with the Building Services Research & Information Association (BSRIA), the Carpet Foundation and the Underfloor Heating Manufacturers’ Association (UHMA) to carry out the research. Whilst it’s true that the majority of underfloor heating is installed with either wooden or tiled floors, the research shows that carpets are equally viable alternatives.

To come up with the findings, the research involved examining 19 different combinations of carpets and underlays with flow temperatures varying from 40c to 60c.

The results showed that underfloor heating is effective to use and safe to install with carpets up to 2.5 Tog. This compares to a maximum of 1.5 Tog which is recommended by BSEN 1264, the industry standard.

BSEN 1264 also states that any covering that is put down on top of a heated floor should have a thermal resistance of no more than 1.5 Tog. But the research disputes this, suggesting that comfort can still be achieved even when using higher Tog levels.

Although the research shows that carpets and underfloor heating can be used together, it should be remembered that each carpet and installation is different. Things like the wearing down of carpets and fibres can have an impact, so the circumstances should be evaluated on an individual basis.

This will be good news for residents of London in areas such as East Ham and Leytonstone where it may now be more tempting to install underfloor heating in their homes.

Even better, underfloor heating also has many other benefits compared to other types of heating. When it comes to heating rooms, there is a large difference between radiators and underfloor heating. Whereas radiators lead to hot air rising to the level of the ceiling, heat produced from underfloor heating. It also does not result in draughts and heat concentration, creating an altogether more pleasant atmosphere.

Plumbers Highlight Problems of Pouring Oil Down the Drain

Administrator

The amount of fat that people are throwing down the drain is becoming a serious problem, and plumbers across the country are now warning about the potential consequences it can have. Last year, plumbers dealt with 70,000 blockages in the sewer systems, most of which were created by fat that had been discarded down the sink.

Cooking oil and fat are especially problematic because once they have been tipped down the sink they cool and congeal. This then blocks the sewage from flowing freely, leading to serious problems.

The worst of the problems comes from the resultant flooding which can affect homes and gardens. The expense of having to call out an emergency plumbing service to sort out the blockage as well as dealing with the damage can lead to quite a large repair bill.

Professional plumbers are now warning people not to pour any fat or oil down the sink. Instead, they are advising people to let it cool in a container in the kitchen before discarding it with the rest of the rubbish where it will go to landfill instead of down the drain.

As well as fat and cooking oil, plumbers have also highlighted a few other items that are causing havoc in the sewage system. Sanitary products and nappies are both proving particularly problematic, and plumbers are again advising people to discard of these with their standard rubbish waste rather than flushing them down the toilet.

It’s not only blockages in the sewage system which are keeping plumbers busy right now: they are also having to deal with the serious problem of water leaking from mains pipes. Water companies are desperate to reduce these leakages to save the millions of litres of water that are going to waste, and plumbers are being hired to deal with the problem.

This is a serious issue in London in such areas as Wembley and Stratford, and plumbers are countering it by removing the oldest cast iron pipes, many of which are more than a century old, and replacing them with new plastic pipes to cut down significantly on leakages.

Insulate Before It\'s Too Late

Administrator

Millions of pensioners will struggle to pay their energy bills and be left at risk this winter. Two factors are set to leave the most vulnerable out in the cold, with the ConDems planning to decrease the winter fuel allowance and the soaring energy prices. Last winter almost 37,000 pensioners died of cold-related illnesses.

It is important to ensure your boiler is fully operational and testing it a couple of months early could save you hundreds of pounds in the long-term.

Help can be free to those eligible and there are also grants available. Installation work is carried out quickly, without having to turn your house upside down.

Ways to cut energy costs
1 Do not leave appliances on standby - they use around 75% of the energy they consume when fully switched on.
2 Turn your thermostat down. Just one degree centigrade could cut heating bills by up to 10%.
3 Boil only the amount of water you need in the kettle.
4 Fit draft excluders around doors and windows and you could save around �25 a year.
5 Set your heating and hot-water timer to come on only when needed - not all the time.

Reassurance
Be assured that Boiler Breakdowns will be there in your time of need and we are only a quick phone call away. Whether it’s to service your boiler before the Xmas period or to fix your boiler in the height of winter we will be there to assist. Boiler Breakdowns service covers the whole of the London area up to the M25 including areas such as Islington, Wimbledon, Ealing, Tottenham, Highbury, and Charlton.