Working Safe

Happy New Year to all our Customers and all Plumbing and Heating Engineers out there. This year we will like to encourage everyone working in the Construction industry including Plumbing and Heating Engineers to stay safe. I have worked for big companies who have asked me to carryout work in dangerous situations including with asbestos so I know the difficulties in ensuring you fulfill you work comittments and balancing taking care of yourself. The HSE have reported that over 2,800 people have died from injuries they received in the past 25 years, as a result of construction work. They also noted that alot more have been injured or made ill from construction work. Remember asbestos is a silent killer. It might not affect you immediately but in the future it will and could also affect your family. Just saying be careful out there when working at heights, with power tools, with loud noise etc. and remember your health is the most important thing, as without it you can't work.

No Heating at Christmas

We have been inundated with calls. Boiler not working, Last minute installations. We are trying to do our best for our customers but it is difficult. May you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Boiler Scrapage Scheme

The government has given the contract to one company. This is a big flaw and will have a detrimental effect on the domestic plumbing and heating industry. This scheme should be distributed to allow all plumbing and heating companies/ engineers to be able to get involved.
We are all finding it difficult. Plumbing is an up and down industry even though everyone thinks we all make too much money. We are trying to get on board with the governments targets and just would like the opportunity to be involved.

Fix PCB

Working on a Worcester Bosch boiler which has been a right tough one to diagnose but eventually it was the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) playing up. The PCB has been replaced and boiler fired up fine. I feel pleased that this one has been sorted. My customer now has heating! Plumber Southgate

Last minute heating!

We at NetPlumb have been advising everyone to get their heating sorted. Now its cold their is a big rush for our services. Hope we can get it all done. Things have been really busy.

Help – Water Leaking

How to turn water off Water leaking from loft 1. Firstly you need to turn the main stopcock off (clockwise). You can usually find it near or under the kitchen sink. Put buckets under the leaks, then turn on all the cold taps in the house and flush all the WC’s to drain the cold water storage cistern. 2. Next you need to find the cause of the leak. It may be a burst pipe in the loft or a cistern overflow caused by a blocked overflow pipe. Note: You may need to call a plumber out. Problem: Water not coming out of tap 1. If no water flows from the kitchen sink cold tap, check that the main stopcock is open. If it is, call your water supply company. You will find the number under ‘Water’ in the phone book. 2. If no water flows from other taps, check the cold water cistern. It may have emptied because of a jammed ball valve. If it is empty, move the float arm sharply up and down to free the valve, then clean the valve. Alternatively – In frosty weather there may be an ice plug blocking a supply pipe. If the kitchen cold tap is working, check the flow into the cold water cistern by pressing down the ball valve. If there is no inflow, the rising main is frozen probably between the ceiling and the cistern inlet. 3. If the cistern is filling, check the bathroom taps. If there is not flow from one tap, its supply pipe from the cistern is frozen. 4. To thaw a pipe, strip off any lagging from the affected part and apply hot water bottles. If a pipe is difficult o get at, blow warm air onto it with a hair dryer. Warning – Do not use a blow torch to defrost a frozen pipe. It may cause a fire, or melt the solder in a pipe joint and cause another leak. Leaking Hot water cylinder 1. Turn off the gate valve (clockwise) on the supply pipe from the cold water cistern to the hot water cylinder. If there is no gate valve, turn off the main stopcock and turn on all the taps to empty the cistern. This will not empty the hot water cylinder, but will stop water from flowing into it. 2. Switch off the immersion heater, if there is one. 3. Switch off the boiler, or put out the boiler fire. 4. Connect a hose to the cylinder drain valve, which is located near the base of the cylinder where the supply pipe from the cold water cistern enters. Put the other end of the hose into an outside drain. 5. Open up the drain valve with a drain valve key or pliers. 6. Get the hot water cylinder repaired or replaced by a plumber Can’t turn off water If you cannot turn off the water at the main stopcock, tie up the float arm in the cold water cistern to stop it filling, turn on all the taps, except the kitchen cold tap and flush the WCs. You can then work on the problem pipe. To work on the rising main, locate the outdoor stopcock. Use a stopcock key (available from plumbers’ merchants) to turn off the tap and cut off the mains supply to the house.

Need to stay warm.

It is serious....this Swine flu is serious. Generally seasonal flu kills alot of people each year and now it is even worse with a pandemic flu around. It is necessary that everyone stays warm to help prevent them from getting ill. Get your boiler sorted. It can sometimes be a bit expensive but your health and family's health is more important than the Christmas tree and presents. Call us we can give you a good deal. All our plumbers are Gas safe registered.