Are plumbers working during Covid lockdown ? 25 May 2020 5:33 AM (4 years ago)
On the 23rd March 2020 Boris Johnson announced the UK’s lockdown in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The message was clear that the government told the nation to stay at home to help stop the spread of the virus. Johnson stated that there are only 4 reasons that permitted people to leave the house.
Theses were.
- Shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible
- One form of exercise a day – for example, a run, walk or cycle – alone or with members of their household
- Any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
- Travelling to and from work, but only where they cannot work from home.
There has been a large number of people, Indeed at LGS we have received a large number of emails and telephone calls, asking if were are still working and if they are able to call us out. If you have a gas boiler breakdown, water leak or your toilet does not flush are you permitted to call a plumber or gas engineer to your property.
From a plumbers work point of view the guidelines would mean that a plumber is unable to work from home and therefore is free to go to work as needed.
There has been a further little guidance on this point, as obviously, allowing plumbers to work in customers houses increases the chance of spread of the disease.
Guidance, as found on the Gas Safe and other industry body websites states that, if visiting someone’s house the following distancing measures needs to be adhered to .
Keeping 2 meters apart at all time.
Washing hands frequently
Wiping down all surfaces before and after use.
Somewhat obviously, it also states that visits should not be made to properties if only of the residence show any signs or have tested positive for Covid 19. This would also apply to the engineer.
So in the interest of helping keep the economy moving, plumbing and heating businesses afloat and ensuring customers properly maintain their boiler and plumbing systems it certainly is OK to call on your local plumber to do work for you over the lockdown period.
At LGS plumbing and heating we are continuing to help customers with the gas and plumbing issues, we are being as strict as possible with our social distancing measures and we are also attending properties wearing PPE equipment of a mask and surgical gloves.
As we all know, the situation is changing daily, there is hope that the lockdown restrictions with at at least partially lifted in the coming weeks, though a second wave of infections could well lead to a tightening of restrictions and make harder for people like plumbers and gas engineers to work.
Useful information with regarding having tradesmen working in your house and indeed guidelines for the trade’s person themselves can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance#work-carried-out-in-peoples-homes And: www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings
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Where Can I Get Underfloor Heating? 16 Mar 2018 2:37 AM (7 years ago)
Having been used on the continent for decades now, underfloor heating has, in the last 10 years or so, reached the shores of Blighty. In fact, it seems like under floor heating is everywhere now!
And so, here at LGS Plumbing, we are now getting ever more enquires and requests for underfloor heating quotes and – more importantly – are completing more underfloor heating installations than ever before!
What Is Underfloor Heating?
I would like to start by clarifying what we mean by underfloor heating, or UFH, as we call it in the business.
There are in fact 2 types of underfloor heating, the first is what is known as electric underfloor heating and the second is called wet underfloor heating.
First up, electric underfloor heating purely consists of electrical matting through which an electric current runs; when this is plugged in, the floor then heats up. This type of UFH is especially useful in small applications, such as wet rooms and bathrooms, or where the property does not have a conventional wet radiator system.
However, this type of electrical underfloor heating is normally installed by an electrician or tiler and, as such, is not really the remit of a plumbing and heating firm like LGS Plumbing. Therefore, when we talk about underfloor heating (and what we are concerned with in this blog), we’re talking about wet underfloor heating.
With this type of UFH, the basic set up consists of a number of pipes that are connected to a pumped manifold and then laid under the floor covering within your property. Hot water is then circulated through the pipes, thus heating up the floor and subsequently the room as a whole. This is then controlled by a programmable thermostat within your room.
What Are The Advantages Of Underfloor Heating?
We often get asked this question by our clients, so here are our 8 top reasons why underfloor heating is good value;
1.I believe the main advantage of UF heating is comfort. The warm pipes underneath your tiles, wood, laminate or carpet heat the floor and whatever covers it, and this then feels lovely to walk on, especially when just in your socks or bare feet; it provides a lovely warming sensation that is far better than standing on cold tiles or bare laminate.
2. FH gets rid of the need for unsightly radiators. Whilst these days attractive designer radiators are available, these can be quite expensive and, what’s more, they often take up a lot of wall space. For those of you looking to create a more modern, minimalist room design – or those of you who are just plain short of space – UF heating provides an excellent alternative to space-greedy, cumbersome and often unattractive radiators.
3. UF heating provides a lovely even heat, as the entire floor space is being heated rather than just one corner of your room. Particularly in large rooms, the desirable result is no more cold spots, so gone are the days of your friends and family being forced to stand around the radiator to get warm because the other side of the room is freezing cold.
4. UFH provides more even heat throughout the day, thanks to the clever way it is programmed. Instead of just coming on for a few hours a day, the system is left on for 24 hours and small heat peaks and troughs are built into the programming, so that there is a “setback” ambient temperature of around 15 degrees at all times. Then, when your room is in use, this can be boosted quickly and easily to achieve your desired temperature (normally between 19 and 21 degrees).
5. UF heating is great value for money, as it can be much more efficient and cost effective than your old heating system. Particularly, if your home is well-insulated, a good UFH system could reduce your household heating bills by a considerable amount! This is because of the way UFH uses and distributes heat; the water circulates around the piping at only around 45- 50 degrees – compared to old fashioned radiators, which often require the water to be heated up to 70 degrees – hence the lower water temperate means less gas or oil is needed to heat the water and thus the entire system is more fuel efficient.
UFH keeps your room warmer more effectively and for longer than old radiators. Because UF heating heats up materials rather than air (like a traditional radiator), that heat is ultimately kept within the room, rather than being instantly lost the minute a door or window is opened. It’s a double bonus!
7. Similarly, because UFH heating heats itself rather than the air around it, it is often far less stuffy that the heat from old-fashioned radiators and always less stuffy than smaller, mobile heaters. Plus, again, you’re much less likely to have part of your room hot and stuffy whilst the other part is freezing cold and blue, thanks to the even temperature distribution.
8. UF heating needs little to no maintenance and so is much cheaper to run in the long term. Radiators tend to corrode and rust on the inside over time, causing your heating system and boiler to become full of sludge. In turn, this periodically needs to be flushed out and sometimes may even cause your radiators to need replacing. In addition, radiator valves can become old and stick, causing the radiator to break down and meaning you have to call us out more often. With UF heating, however, these recurring issues simply do not happen, and so you may not have to see us from one year to the next!
What Are The Disadvantages of Underfloor Heating?
In the interests or fairness, and of painting a reliable and informed picture for you, however, we must also consider and potential disadvantages of UFH over conventional radiators. Yes, although we are massive fans of underfloor heating ourselves, there are one or two downsides that you must consider;
1.First and foremost is the cost of installation. Whilst it will be a good investment and will save you money in the long run, there is no doubt that having a good UF heating system installed will cost you more than having conventional radiators installed. This is because both the equipment itself is more expensive, plus there are many additional labour costs to take into account.
2. Secondly, it is essential that your new UFH heating system must be installed by an experienced and competent professional plumber. Whilst many budding DIYers might be capable of installing a radiator or two by themselves, a UFH system is a different kettle of fish. Unlike the more traditional heating systems, failing to install and set up an underfloor heating system properly could cause you a wealth of expensive problems further down the line, hence it’s essential it is fitted by an expert from the get-go.
3. Similarly, thanks to the complexity of underfloor heating systems, you will have additional technology to deal with. These systems will have additional controls and equipment that traditional heating systems simply don’t have, such as special pumps, actuators, room thermostats and a host of other electrical components or moving parts. As a result, whilst it possible to choose and install good quality components made by reputable suppliers, more complex parts always means an increased risk that something will go wrong, and thus additional or secondary costs may be incurred.
4. And finally, for some “retro fit” installations, it will be necessary to raise the floor level of your property to install the system, which can have a knock-on effect on the height of your room or cause issues with your existing skirting or doors etc. Obviously, we try our best to reduce this as much as possible and there are things we can do to minimise the impact of any changes, but if you’re having underfloor heating fitted in a period house, for e.g., it may be worth considering just how best to go about it with an expert before you dive in.
Get In Touch
So, there we have it, those are the key points in favour and against, which we at LGS believe you should consider before installing your new UF heating system!
Personally, I think UFH is a fantastic way of heating your house and I expect it will become the first choice for many houses in the future. Unfortunately, whilst I would absolutely love to have it fitted in my own home, the house we’re currently in does not lend itself to having UFH fitted. You can guarantee though that the next house we’ll be buying with either have it in already or will be having it fitted very soon! I just need to break it to the Mrs…
If you’d like to find out more about underfloor heating, or if you’d like us to pop round for a free, no obligation consultation on whether or not you could get it fitted into your home, please do just get in touch with LGS plumbing today.
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How To Prevent Frozen Or Burst Pipes While You’re Away This Christmas 20 Dec 2017 10:00 AM (7 years ago)
Going away this Christmas? We don’t blame you, get away from the turkey and tinsel overkill! Double points if you are going somewhere sunny! If you are planning on travelling further afield this Christmas, you may be end up toasty and warm on a beach somewhere, but spare a thought for your poor cold house and potentially frozen pipes. We don’t want to put you off going away (like we could stop you!), but the last thing you need is to come back to a water damaged property or frozen pipes.
Prepare yourself, and save having to call the emergency plumber with our advice and tips on frozen and burst pipes.
What Causes Pipes to Freeze and Burst?
Pipes freeze for obvious reasons – when the temperature drops outside, it’s not just your garden pond that will freeze over! Poorly insulated pipes, in homes that aren’t heated sufficiently will also freeze. You may remember from your school days science lessons that when water freezes, it expands. This expanding ice will cause a blockage in your pipework, but the blockage and ice isn’t actually the reason why the pipe bursts. It’s the build-up of water pressure between the ice blockage and the closed tap that causes the pipe to burst.
Protect Your Home From Flooding and Frozen or Burst Pipes
Before leaving the house on your jolly holidays, there are a few things you can do to ensure you don’t come back to a damaged or flooded property. Some are last minute checks, but some of these tips apply throughout the winter and are best to be checked as soon as the colder weather sets in.
Double Check That All Taps Are Turned Off
Sounds obvious right? But it will take you two minutes to quickly check that all taps are turned off properly before you leave your home. If you have younger children, check the bathroom taps after they have used them. A tap left running could wreak havoc while you are away.
Protect Outdoor Taps
This is one that people often forget about! If you have a garden tap which is connected to your water mains, then a quick and simple way to protect them from frost is to add a layer of insulation. Insulated tap covers are cheap to buy and take minutes to fit.
Fix Leaky Taps Before You Go Away
Prior to this, if you have any taps that have severe drips, it’s a good idea to get them fixed before you go away. Dripping taps can actually encourage pipes to freeze. Even if you aren’t going away – its still an idea to get those leaky faucets fixed so that you aren’t wasting water unnecessarily.
Check your Washing Machine Pipes
Washing machines hoses are a major cause of leaks of origins unknown! Make sure that the hoses at the back of the appliance are still secure and in good condition. They are relatively cheap and easy to replace, so it’s worth a quick check.
Set a Timer for the Heating While You Are Away
If you are leaving the house for a couple of weeks, it’s a good idea to set the timer on your heating, to keep pipes from bursting and prevent damp or mould issues. If you are going away for a longer period, or are worried about wasting energy, ask a friend or relative to pop round occasionally to put the heating on for a couple of hours.
Make Sure Pipes Are Properly Lagged
Poorly or non-lagged pipes could freeze in cold weather. When the ice melts and expands, pipes can burst and cause flooding and damage. Make sure you pipes have sufficient lagging around them before you go away.
Should I Turn My Water Off When Going On Holiday?
Turning your water off at the stopcock before you go away will give you the best peace of mind. Some may say that with modern systems, this isn’t necessary these days, but it’s a two minute job and will stop you worrying whilst away. You can read more here about the debate around switching water off when you go on holiday.
Turning the water off is easy, simply locate the mains water inlet pipe and turn the stopcock valve off. If you’re not sure on how to do this, we will be happy to help you. Give us a call on 01273 417 000.
What Should I Do If I My Pipes Freeze Or Burst?
if you reach worst case scenario and your pipes freeze, immediately turn the water off at the stopcock. The stopcock is usually located under kitchen sink in most properties, but if you are having trouble locating it, then contact a plumber to assist you. Once the water has been turned off, switch your heating on and wait for the pipes to thaw. If you can locate the affected area, you can try to heat up the pipe with a hot water bottle. Move furniture or clothing away from pipe work in case a pipe bursts anyway.
If a pipe bursts, you should also turn off the water at the stopcock. Switch off central heating and any other water heaters and switch on your taps to drain the system. It’s often best to call an emergency plumber in this situation as they will be able to sort the problem quickly, without causing further damage.
Get In Touch
We hope you found our advice useful, please get in touch if you have any questions about preventing frozen pipes.
LGS Plumbing & Heating are highly experienced engineers, specialising in a range of services. From boiler installation to an emergency plumber service, we are ready to help you with all your plumbing and heating needs. Give us a call on 01273 417 000 or get in touch via our contact form.
For an emergency plumber Brighton area: 07870 629180
The post How To Prevent Frozen Or Burst Pipes While You’re Away This Christmas appeared first on LGS Plumbing and Heating engineers in Brighton & Hove.
Winter Heating Myths Busted 5 Dec 2017 4:18 PM (7 years ago)
We are well into the cold weather now and you will be reaching for the thermostat in order to keep your home nice and toasty. There is nothing better than a nice cosy home, when the weather is terrible outside! However, we know that worries about cost are an issue for a lot of people, you may be wondering what exactly are the best, and most cost efficient ways to stay warm this winter. unfortunately though, that ‘great tip’ you once heard might not actually be all that helpful. Here are five very common home heating myths that you might believe to be true.
Is it Better To Leave My Heating On Low Constantly?
This is one of the most common heating myths, and one we get asked about a lot! Lots of people believe that leaving the heating on constantly, at a low temperature saves money. Following advice from both British Gas and the Energy Saving Trust, we say this is a myth. The theory is, that it’s cheaper to have the heating on low, rather than having the massive energy surges when switching the heating on, to warm up a house from cold.
In truth, you are just wasting energy, when you aren’t there to benefit from the heat, so it’s a false economy. Just switch the heating on when you need it, you may feel colder for a little longer if you own a particularly large property but it doesn’t take that long to warm most homes up.
Will Painting My Radiators Make Them More Efficient?
It’s easy to see the logic when people paint their radiators black, or any other dark colours. It’s true that dark colours are much more effective at absorbing and transmitting heat than white (the colour of most radiators) . Painting your radiators though, can actually have the opposite effect – the paint will act as an insulator, meaning that heat can’t be dispersed easily and thereby lowering the radiators efficiency.
Instead, try wall or cavity insulation behind radiators or even putting reflective panels them to help stop heat escaping.
Should I Turn the Thermostat up to Heat a Room Quicker?
You should never turn up the thermostat to heat a room quickly, it can feel tempting if you have just come in from a cold walk or work and want to get the temperature up quickly, but it’s a very inefficient method that will just end up being quite costly.
This mistake is common because of a misunderstanding of how thermostats work. If you come in and blast the heating up to full, your home will continue to get hotter until it reaches that temperature. If that temperature is say 30C, then the room will be uncomfortably warm. Set a lower temperature – your home will warm up just as quickly – but it will stop once it reaches the comfortable temperature.
Should I Turn My Heating Up If Its Colder Outside?
We can confirm that this will make absolutely no difference. Apparently a huge 52% of the people responding to an Energy Saving Trust survey said that they turned the thermostat up when it’s cold outside (usually when it’s snowing!)
You shouldn’t need to do this and the problem is once again down to a misunderstanding of how thermostats work. A thermostat is there to maintain the internal temperature of your home, whatever the weather. If you set your thermostat at 25C for example, your home should maintain that temperature, even if a blizzard suddenly appears outside!
Should I Keep My Water Heater On All Day?
You might believe that keeping your water heater on all the time is better, as you will have constant hot water, but If your hot water tank is properly insulated in the first place, water heated for half an hour in the morning should actually stay warm until midday.
Set your water heater to come on before you wake up, so you have a supply for showers or getting a wash, then set the time to come on maybe late afternoon – ready for when you arrive home from work. Even if you are at home a lot, keeping the water on constantly is of no benefit….after all, how much hot water could you possibly get through?
Get in Touch
We hope you found our advice useful, please get in touch if you have any questions about your central heating and how to stay warm this winter.
We are experienced engineers, specialising in a range of services. From boiler installation to an emergency plumber service, we are ready to help you with all your plumbing and heating needs. Give us a call on 01273 417 000 or get in touch via our contact form.
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How to Avoid An Emergency Plumber This Winter 22 Nov 2017 11:46 AM (7 years ago)
Although it’s not officially winter, the past few weeks have certainly felt like it! With people loathe to put the heating on just yet (‘put a jumper on!’), you may not have checked your central heating is in good shape. However, with the truly cold weather on the way, you will soon be reaching for the thermostat.
As any emergency plumber will tell you, its around this type of year, or worse – at Christmas, that people find themselves in trouble when things start to go wrong with their central heating and boiler.
Don’t let the cold weather catch you out, we have put together some tips and advice to get you set for winter.
Boiler Service
If you haven’t had your boiler serviced just yet, make it a top priority. A boiler service can cost as little as £65, which is nothing compared to what emergency repairs may run up to. During a service the engineer will do a number of important safety checks, in addition to ensuring that the boiler is working to its full capacity. Any issues can be fixed before the cold weather hits. Remember, an annual boiler service is an important part of caring for your central heating, in many cases not having a service will invalidate your warranty.
Test Early and Plan Ahead
You may go the entire summer without switching your central heating on, meaning you don’t have a clue if its working or not. Boilers that are not in use, can and do seize up. Try to switch it on for fifteen minutes or so , every few weeks – just to make sure everything is in working order. Probably too late for this year, but keep in mind for next time. It pays to discover and fix faults early on.
Get a plan together now for what happens if the worst does happen. We’re thinking of the worst, but would you know what to do if, for instance, your heating packed up on Christmas Day? A bank holiday? Or at 2am? Keep the number for an emergency plumber, close by the boiler – ideally stuck on it, so you will have the details to hand immediately. You should also keep the emergency number for gas leaks in the same place. Remember, if you smell gas, it needs to be looked at ASAP.
Insurance and Maintenance
It’s never a bad idea to have specialist boiler cover insurance in place. If you are a tenant, there is no need as it falls under the landlords responsibility, but if you’re a homeowner it could be worth it. Remember to first check that your boiler and heating isn’t already covered under your home insurance. There are also many catches to look out for which could invalidate your claim, such as certain types of property or boilers. Read the small print first.
There are certain works you can carry out in advance to make sure your boiler is in full working order and ready for winter. Consider adding lagging or insulation to pipes, before the weather gets colder. Water expands when frozen and often breaks pipes, so insulation is a sound investment. Something else you may want to consider before winter is powerflushing – basically a big clean for your pipes! Your central heating system is drained and cleaned during the process, ensuring your central heating is in top condition and ready for heavier use.
Get in Touch
We hope you found our advice useful, please get in touch if you have any questions about winter boiler care and we will be very happy to help.
LGS Plumbing & Heating are highly experienced engineers, specialising in a range of services. From boiler installation to an emergency plumber service, we are ready to help you with all your plumbing and heating needs. Give us a call on 01273 417 000 or get in touch via our contact form.
For an emergency plumber Brighton area: 07870 629180
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Try These Easy To Follow Instructions For Plumbing Maintenance 7 May 2013 10:10 AM (11 years ago)
Have you had to hire a plumber in the past? It’s not cheap. There are many things you can do to help prevent those types of plumbing issues from occurring. Regular plumbing maintenance is the key, and you probably need more information. Keep reading to find out more, and try these easy-to-follow instructions for plumbing maintenance.
You definitely want to avoid clogging any pipes in your home. If you notice that certain drains are slow, then you need to do something. Letting clogs in drains build up is going to mean an expensive plumbing bill when you have to make the call. Instead of waiting to fix clogs, also think about preventative maintenance. Use screens and filters so that all kinds of gunk does not get in your drains. Pour a bottle of drano in the sinks every once in awhile for maintenance. These types of things will help keep your pipes clean.
What can clog your pipes? Just about anything can clog them. You can pretty much separate the matter into two categories. First, there are things that build up over time that you wouldn’t normally consider clogging material, such as soap scum. Then, there are hair balls that can clog your drain for instance right after you wash fluffy while he’s shedding.
On the broader scale, sometimes a plumber is needed for maintenance as well. But, this is something right here that can prevent enormous problems later. Call a plumber annually to have your pipes checked for leaks. If you have any leaks, get them fixed immediately. This will save you money, and it will keep catastrophic events from happening.
Do you need to do anything differently during any seasons of the year? The answer is yes. First of all, during warmer weather months, you are supposed to shut off all faucets completely in order to help protect your plumbing. However, during winter months, you’re actually supposed to leave a faucet dripping to prevent your pipes freezing up. Different temperatures call for different precautions, and there are especially many you should take as winter approaches.
For instance, you should have any exposed pipes insulated on the outside of your home during winter. You have to cover certain parts of your landscape right? It seems as though people remember to do this more than they remember to insulate their pipes. Perhaps it’s because pipes seem firm and strong while plants are fragile. However, you’re going to wish you had taken better care of your pipes.
These are just a few of the things you can do to help you take better care of your pipes and plumbing throughout the year. You need to continue to educate yourself about this matter. Many people forget about their pipes, assuming they’re either indestructible or left to the elements. Or, they think fix when broken. However, maintenance is key, and you need to remember the tips that have been discussed here so that you can treat your plumbing the right way.
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Make Sure Your Pipes Are Weatherproof 7 May 2013 10:06 AM (11 years ago)
Weather plays a huge role in pipe destruction! That is, if you let it, it plays that role. However, there are many steps you should take to make sure this doesn’t happen. Do you know what they are? If not, you should continue reading to learn more about how to make sure your pipes are weatherproof.
You always have to ensure that you insulate all of your pipes properly. Any pipes that are exposed to the elements, including those in a less climate-controlled garage, should be insulated with pipe coverings. This will include pipes that are out back or in front of your house, leading up to your home, as well as any faucets.
Also, another thing you can do is to have the pipes that are outside of your home buried. Sometimes, this is easier said than done, and other times, it’s an option. The ones you can’t bury should be fitted with pipe coverings as was mentioned in the previous paragraph. You might notice that certain pipes have been left exposed that are easy to bury.
During the winter, you’re going to have to take other steps to make sure your pipes don’t freeze and bust as well. On top of this, you should always be sure you keep your pipes from taking in unnecessary debris. For instance, use screens and drains that ensure that hair, food, and other debris stay out of your pipes.
Other winterizing options include servicing your water heater? Of course this is important, but do you know why? If your water heater is let to fail during the winter, you could seriously be in for it. All the water running through your pipes on an ice cold day will be ice cold. It can easily freeze up your pipes, and they will bust. On top of this, you don’t want to experience a busted water heater during the winter anyway.
If you have well water instead of using city water, then you’re going to have to use water softener. If you don’t, the water you’re using isn’t that great anyway, plus it will affect the pipes. Hard water can deteriorate your pipes really fast, so be sure that you take care of this situation systematically to stay on top of it.
You especially have to think of winter when it comes to taking care of your pipes. Be sure that you continue to look into methods and strategies for winterizing your pipes. Weatherproofing is important and works in conjunction with regular maintenance as well.
When it comes to the plumbing issues in your home, many of them are unnecessary if you practice preventative maintenance on your pipes. Do what you can to ensure that you’re not left with a mess and thousands of dollars in repair. It not only costs you money, but it inconveniences you, and water damage hurts more than just your pipes. Pipes are expensive enough nonetheless, so make sure you practice the tips that have been given to you here.
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Solar Energy For Hot Water 8 May 2011 3:50 AM (13 years ago)
Even in Britain, it is achievable to make use of solar power to generate hot water provided that it’s employed alongside the conventional boilers which are discovered inside the house. It really is easy for plumbers Brighton to organise the fitting of a appropriate plumbing program that links the residence roof to the taps and sinks within the house.
What is solar power and how can it be of assistance to us in our properties in Britain? Effectively it’s really just a device that is installed on a roof of a developing to collect the sun’s rays. Invariably, they may be fitted on the roof to face south, as that is certainly exactly where Britain is positioned in relation for the sun. A solar collector is created up off a thin shallow vessel which is painted black and is plumbed in such a way that the pipes flow towards and away from a hot storage container. The unit is sealed in with up to two layers of glass and is effectively insulated.
You will find distinct designs of solar water heaters and it’s not normally utilized because the only form of hot water heating within the temperate climate located in Britain. Inside the common method, cold water is sent to a warm storage vessel that is heated by energy from the sun. The water is then circulated for the conventional water heater exactly where the temperature with the water is elevated for the desired level either by a boiler or a conventional immersion heater. The solar heater is positioned above the cold water storage tank so it must be pumped up to the solar collector. Of course, the cold water storage tank could possibly be situated above the solar collector as well as the water could pass by means of the solar collector by gravity. How a program is positioned on the roof of a property will depend on the size and angle from the roof towards the sun’s rays.
If there any big trees or high rise buildings within the vicinity that may result in daily shade over the roof housing the solar collector, then this could substantially decrease the amount of solar energy acquiring for the solar collector. Overall, they’ve to be strategically placed to acquire as much sun exposure as is achievable. It should be noted that the design attributes of a solar water heater could allow temperatures to reach nicely more than one hundred degrees Celsius. Cold water needs to be circulated to reduce the temperature. Likewise, inside the winter months, water within the solar water heater could freeze so either it really should be drained of water or anti freeze should be added.
The general effectiveness of these varieties of heaters has indicated that they could reach two % of hot water requirements in January and thirteen percent in July. For a large population that is really considerable in electricity saving and it requires up no new area and it will not make pollutants. Presently, arranging permission from the regional council is essential prior to installation of a solar water heater can go ahead. Increasingly, local councils are providing subsidies for such installations.
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Escalating Cost Brand New Boiler 7 May 2011 3:44 AM (13 years ago)
Should you be pondering of replacing your boiler quickly you might be in for an unpleasant surprise in relation to the price of complying together with the raft of safety legislation and regulation that has accumulated since your final boiler was installed. It is a great time to discover the situation with plumbers Brighton who will probably be in a position to give you every one of the details and figures about what exactly is essential. This report offers an overview of how new regulations have forced up the expense of installation really drastically.
Asking your boiler service agent to try and do a boiler swap won’t function since that is now illegal. You must possess a new boiler installed which meets every one of the new regulations. It may possibly b e achievable to find the odd dodgy tradesman which will match a boiler ignoring the regulations and performing it considerably cheaper but both you and he are committing an offence.
The initial new expense will be the requirement to fit a condensing boiler instead of a non condensing kind. The condensing boilers are a lot more costly and need a drain connection installed not required on the older form. The cost of installation may be increased just because the new boiler wants to be resited inside the residence to have the ability to make the drain connection.
The Constructing Regulations, which are the main supply of new expenditures, call for that power efficient controls are fitted. This means that new thermostatic radiator valves in bedrooms and bathrooms are installed where they were possibly not beforehand. This could expense something as much as £500 or far more.
If your boiler is going to use gas, then the installation will possibly need fitting a new gas provide pipe. This is to make sure that the pipes meet the Gas Safe Register suggestions in terms of gas pressure. The new regulations stipulate that there can only be a 1 millibar drop in pressure whereas the old pipes would have possibly had a 3 or 4 millibar drop. The new pipe is going to be bigger than the old one particular along with the price of installation could add up to £1000 on to the complete expense of boiler installation.
Gas Safe Register
Any gas installation that has been completed ought to be notified for the Gas Secure Register with details of the gas appliance and the name and address of the consumer. Gas Secure Register then offer a document for the client certifying that the operate has been carried out in line with the Developing Regulations and the Gas Regulations. This service is compulsory.
New boiler producers will only guarantee their boilers if they may be linked as much as a heating system that has been completely cleaned of scale, sludge and corrosion ahead of fitting. This signifies that extra time is required for power flushing that may well take as much as each day to total and can expense an additional £500 or so, based on the number of radiators involved.
If the new boiler is installed inside the kitchen, then the Building Regulations need a qualified electrician to do all of the new wiring. The boiler man or plumber will probably not be qualified to do this operate, so a separate tradesperson has to be hired. The electrician will most likely insist on changing the wiring because it will should match new safety standards. The plumber would possibly just have employed the old, current wiring. The additional expense of hiring an electrician may possibly be £200 or so.
The total add-on fees of meeting the new regulations may be as much as two or three occasions what may well have been spent beforehand. So, if you are pondering of installing a new boiler….. speak for the plumbing specialists as well as your bank manager!
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The Automated Loo 6 May 2011 3:41 AM (13 years ago)
Loos, toilets, W.C.’s and lavatories are basically the same thing but a diverse word is employed to label them. Inside the old days people employed chemical loos inside a shed in the back garden and who knows where the waste ended up and in even earlier days wastewater of all sorts was just emptied out on the street for anyone to bump into. With more advanced expertise about health and hygiene, toilets have come a long way today to boost the wellness and nicely becoming of villages, towns and cities and the contemporary flushing one particular has its rightful position for becoming simple to operate and it clears waste from the property so that it really is out of sight out of thoughts but now it has a clear competitor – the automatic toilet. If the residence owner is interested in upgrading to an automated toilet then plumbers Brighton are the individuals to make contact with with regards to offering suggestions at the same time as the supplying and fitting of an automated toilet and its plumbing fittings.They can cope with house owners as well as modest and large organizations.
How precisely does an automatic toilet function? Nicely for a start off the flushing mechanism is no longer present so the user can no longer forget to flush out the loo. They are supposed to conserve on water usage. Even so, the newest research has shown that it really is quite simple for automated toilets to just stop operating properly and this could bring about continuous flushing which would surely not conserve water. Even worse, is when the toilet gets blocked and also the automatic flusher is continuously on, flooding from the bathroom would occur in addition to waste from the toilet. This is unlikely to take place with a deal with flusher on a conventional toilet because the handle needs to be manually operated. Even if some one continuously pulled the take care of, the tank has to fill up before the flusher will operate. The toilet bowl would need to be nicely blocked with debris if it were ever to overflow.
Nonetheless, regardless of these drawbacks automated toilets do have advanced capabilities which can be advantageous towards the user.
For a beginner, an automated toilet is specially optimised to flush straight soon after use so that anybody, for instance, young kids who may possibly forget, it’s done for them which makes the loo clean and flushed for the next user. In a public toilet, it’s undoubtedly far more pleasant for the following user and, most likely, much more hygienic if it really is flushed automatically right after use. Invariably, the automatic loo flushes a number of occasions when the user is nonetheless using it. The much more modern versions are termed touch less as there’s no need to touch any portion with the toilet whatsoever.
As far as water use is concerned automated toilets come out tops, as some models use as much as seventy percent much less than conventional flush sorts. So if it really is much better hygiene, reduced likelihood from the spread of germs and lower water consumption then installing an automated loo inside the home is an superb notion.
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